RIIM CONF 2026 - Paris, March 9-10

From Influence to Impact

Method meets Mindset !

In an era of global instability, digital acceleration, and rising stakeholder complexity, influence is no longer a soft skill — it’s a strategic capability.

RIIMCONF 2026 brings together business leaders, account strategists, public affairs experts, and performance enablers to explore how influence — when structured, shared, and embodied — drives tangible results in sales, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement.

Backed by 20 years of continuous R&D and innovation, the RIIM Collective has been pioneering new ways to decode, activate, and scale influence — ethically and effectively — across industries.

This conference builds on that foundation, offering practical, research-based insights that apply not only to major strategic deals, but also to the day-to-day relational challenges faced by organizations of all sizes — from SMEs to global enterprises.

Over two days in Paris, the event connects methodological influence mapping with human-centered behaviors — across cultures, silos, and decision networks.

It’s not just about who decides — it’s about how influence flows, and how we manage it.

Registration

A Two-Day Journey into Influence Efficiency Levers

Over two days, participants will:

  • Explore the evolving challenges of relationship intelligence, influence mapping, and stakeholder ecosystems in high-stakes environments

  • Deepen their strategic sales and negotiation capabilities, especially for politically complex, multicultural, or unstable contexts

  • Sharpen their ability to secure decisions by navigating informal power structures and hidden influence dynamics

  • Develop critical soft skills, including:

    • Detect implicit signals of resistance or alignment using neuroscience

    • Orchestrating high-level international teams, to align and activate cross-functional, cross-border coalitions

  • Engage with real-world cases to analyze stakeholder games, anticipate political risks, and manage critical relationships over time

  • Gain insights from executives, researchers, and senior practitioners facing complex strategic environments across industries

  • Benchmark advanced practices in trust-building, ecosystem orchestration, and stakeholder alignment

  • Network in a structured, high-value environment, designed for meaningful peer exchange

    Why Attend?

  • Master the soft power behind hard outcomes in sales, negotiation, and client development

  • Accelerate your relational strategies in a world where CRM and AI are not enough to win

  • Learn how to lead without authority by orchestrating coalitions of stakeholders

  • Step back from rigid sales playbooks and focus on what truly drives decisions: influence, trust, and alignment

  • Expand your vision with thought-provoking content designed by the RIIM Collective, based on 25 years of research and field experience

    Who Should Join

    This event is designed for professionals operating in high-impact, stakeholder-rich environments, including:

    Strategic Sales & Business Development Leaders, KAM PROGRAM MANAGERS, Key Account & Ecosystem Managers (KAM / EKAM), Bid Leaders, Contract, Negotiation & Political Risk Managers, Sales Enablement & Capability Directors, L&D Leaders focused on commercial performance, Relationship Capital Strategists & CRM Architects, Public Affairs and Stakeholder Engagement Managers, Partners from consulting firms

    Speakers


  • Andre Dubé Vice President Sales Eastern Canada at Wajax

  • Julien Chorlet Group KAM Director at Bouygues Construction

  • Derek Fraser Group KAM Director at Bureau Veritas

  • Ghita Benkirane Change Manager, Neurosciences & Creativity

  • Ryan O’Sullivan Doctor in “Measuring B2B Relationship Quality”, Head of Strategic Accounts at Introhive

  • Harvey Dunham Expert Consultant, former Managing Director (Strategy) at SAMA (Strategic Account Management Association)

  • Jean-François Ghignoni Market Intelligence Director at Thales

  • Olivier Conrozier Former Senior Sales & Marketing Executive at Thales

  • Bernard Blanc Nuclear Development Director at Assystem

  • Hervé Debaecker Chief Methodologist and Founder, RIIM™ Collective

Registration

DAY 1 – March 9 - Influence Mindset

08:45 – 09:30
Welcome & Registration

09:30 – 10:00
Introduction & Opening Session: Method meets Mindset - merging ecosystem mapping and cognitive decoding

10:00 – 11:30
How to Use Relationship Intelligence to Protect Existing Revenue and Unlock New Growth Opportunities
Ryan O’Sullivan – Doctor in Measuring B2B Relationship Quality, Head of Strategic Accounts at Introhive

11:30 – 11:45
Coffee Break

11:45 – 13:00
Neuroscience in Action: From Cognitive Signals to Strategic Sales Impact
Jean-François Ghignoni – Market Intelligence Director at Thales
Ghita Benkirane – Change Manager, Neurosciences & Creativity

13:00 – 14:30
Lunch

14:30 – 16:00
Influence Mapping in Action for Managing High-Stakes Deals
Bernard Blanc – Nuclear Development Director at Assystem

16:00 – 17:30
Enterprise Relationship Capital Management in action on two real-life Key Account Management (KAM) situations
Harvey Dunham – Expert Consultant, former Managing Director (Strategy) at SAMA (Strategic Account Management Association)

17:30 – 19:00
Networking Cocktail
Live Jazz Music

DAY 2 – March 10 - Influence in action

08:30 – 09:00
Welcome & Registration

09:00 – 10:00
Influence Reborn: Rethinking Power, Trust, and Growth in B2B Relationships
Hervé Debaecker – Chief Methodologist and Founder at RIIM™ Collective

10:00 – 11:30
Adapting to a Chaotic Business Environment: From Key Account Management to Strategic Ecosystem Orchestration
Olivier Conrozier – Former Senior Sales & Marketing Executive at Thales

11:30 – 11:45
Coffee Break

11:45 – 13:00

Lessons Learned from Developing a KAM Program in a Large Construction Group
Julien Chorlet – Group KAM Director at Bouygues Construction

13:00 – 14:30
Lunch

14:30 – 16:00
Developing a KAM Program Inside a Large Multicultural Organization
Derek Fraser – Group KAM Director at Bureau Veritas

16:00 – 17:30

The Strategic Account Journey: Designing for Alignment
André Dubé – Vice President Sales, Eastern Canada at Wajax

17:30
Closing Remarks

Program subject to changes.

Registration

Ryan O’Sullivan Doctor in “Measuring B2B Relationship Quality”, Head of Strategic Accounts at Introhive

With over 20 years of experience in sales and relationship management, he specializes in leveraging B2B connections to drive growth and elevate performance. As Head of Strategic Accounts at Introhive for nearly six years, his focus has been on understanding and measuring client relationship quality to foster stronger partnerships and strategic outcomes.

His doctoral research provides a comprehensive model for building high-quality business relationships, emphasizing trust, communication, and collaboration. He has also shared these insights, along with practical case studies, in his book Building B2B Relationships.

Harvey Dunham Expert Consultant, former Managing Director (Strategy) at SAMA (Strategic Account Management Association)

After a distinguished 35-year career at Schneider Electric, Harvey Dunham is Managing Director of Strategy and Marketing for the Strategic Account Management Association (SAMA), a non-profit professional association based in Chicago.

During his time at Schneider Electric, Harvey served as a Global Strategic Account (GSA) Manager, led GSA teams, and developed sustainability solutions for global strategic accounts.

His final role at Schneider was Vice President of Global Solutions, Building Business, where he led the global Life Sciences, Retail, and Sales Transformation teams to support Schneider’s vision of becoming the world leader in energy management. In this role, the Sales Transformation team piloted and rolled out a new solution and a new consultative selling methodology, training more than 100 people who generated a pipeline of USD 1.9 billion in new opportunities.

Drawing on his long career at Schneider Electric as well as his military service, Harvey specializes in leadership, sales, strategy, channel management, negotiation, presentation, facilitation, training, coaching, and process improvement.

Hervé Debaecker Chief Methodologist and Founder, RIIM™ Collective

An American and French national, Hervé has held a wide range of international management roles over a 40-year career, including general management and CEO positions in IT companies, followed by leadership roles in consulting firms specializing in strategy, strategic sales, and management. An expert in complex sales methodologies, he has been certified in several of the world’s most widely used approaches (including Holden, Miller Heiman, and Solution Selling). He is the creator of the SvS – Strategic Value Selling and RiiM – Relationship Intelligence and Influence Management methodologies, which are implemented in PowerScope, a collaborative system for managing key accounts and large, complex deals.

 

Bernard Blanc Nuclear Development Director at Assystem

A graduate of ENSAM, Bernard Blanc began his career at Atem, working on projects in naval construction, building, metallurgy, and large steel complexes, after completing his military service in 1982 as a naval officer. As the group—later renamed Assystem—accelerated its growth, Bernard Blanc moved away from international projects to take on roles as Operations Director and Managing Director of subsidiaries in heavy industry and the nuclear sector.

In 2005, the engineer transitioned into business development, taking charge of the development of nuclear activities—a position he still holds today. In this role, he positioned the group in the field of nuclear fusion, and more specifically on the ITER project.

Since 2006, Bernard Blanc has been actively involved in the life of the Gadzarts community, first as President of the Drôme–Ardèche group, then as a member of the board of the Aix Center, and since 2015 as Regional Delegate for Rhône-Alpes. In 2011, together with a colleague from EDF, he also founded a Tricastin-based professional nuclear sub-group, which he continues to lead.

 

Olivier Conrozier Former Senior Sales & Marketing Executive at Thales

Both an actor in and a witness to the transformation of a major international high-technology company over nearly four decades, the author recounts his professional journey and offers a unique testimony on international business, sales team leadership, and change management in complex environments.

Through a story punctuated with numerous anecdotes that take the reader across all continents, he brings to life the operational reality of international business in a constantly evolving high-tech industry. This vivid narrative shows how the lessons learned over the years enabled him to build “Dream Teams” — high-performing teams bonded by strong human values in the service of collective performance.

At the conclusion of this testimony, he shares his advice with new generations of leaders, highlighting often under-used human levers to overcome the main challenges of team management and transform them into virtuous cycles.

 

Julien Chorlet, Group KAM Director at Bouygues Construction

With 20 years of experience in international groups, he has led major growth and transformation initiatives for organizations generating several billion euros in revenue.

His guiding principle? Defining a clear vision, building ambitious strategies, and uniting teams to execute them and deliver sustainable value.

More recently, as Corporate Strategy Director at Bouygues Construction, he supported the Executive Management team in the design and rollout of the Group’s 2027 strategic plan (€10+ billion in revenue, 55,000+ employees, presence in 60+ countries).

Today, he leads the Group’s Key Account Management program, overseeing a portfolio of strategic clients, partners, and investors representing more than €1.5 billion, while aligning commercial and operational teams around shared performance objectives and long-term partnerships.

 
 

Derek Fraser Group KAM Director at Bureau Veritas

Derek Fraser is an experienced sales and account management professional with a strong background in global sales processes and strategic account leadership. Over more than two decades, he has worked within international business environments, contributing to the design and execution of high-impact commercial strategies for large enterprises. LinkedIn

During his long tenure at Bureau Veritas Group, Derek held leadership roles focused on global sales process optimization and strategic account management, helping to align sales organizations with evolving market demands and complex client requirements. LinkedIn

His work is characterized by a commitment to enhancing commercial performance through structured approaches to account planning, sales execution, and cross-functional collaboration. Derek brings a practical perspective on driving value for both customers and organizations in competitive international markets.

 

Ghita Benkirane Change Manager, Neurosciences & Creativity

Ghita Benkirane is a professional specializing in change management and organizational transformation, with a focus on applying neuroscience and creativity to support people and teams through change initiatives. LinkedIn

She works with individuals and organizations to facilitate executive and group coaching, emphasizing human-centered approaches that combine psychological insights with practical methods for navigating change. LinkedIn

Her approach integrates evidence-based practices from neuroscience with creative problem-solving techniques to help leaders and teams adapt, innovate, and perform effectively in complex and evolving environments. LinkedIn

Ghita’s work is centered on fostering sustainable change by aligning strategic objectives with human dynamics, strengthening resilience, and enhancing collective performance.