The employers’ organization, led by Amir Reza-Tofighi, formalizes its new identity to better represent all entrepreneurs and strengthen its presence vis-à-vis Medef and U2P.
The Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises (CPME) formalized its name change internally on Wednesday evening. The employers’ organization renamed itself Les Entrepreneurs, a decision intended to broaden its base and gain visibility in an employers’ landscape dominated by Medef and the Union of Local Enterprises (U2P).
Led by Amir Reza-Tofighi since January 2025, the organization wishes to open a new page in its history and modernize its image. Its president intends, according to AFP, to “put entrepreneurs back at the heart of the public debate” and seek out all those who are not yet members, whatever the size of their company.
This new name aims to bring together a greater number of managers, whether they are at the head of very small businesses (VSEs), SMEs, or from commerce, services, industry and crafts.
A context of competition between employers’ organizations
This name change comes in a context of strong competition between the main French employers’ organizations. The new entity seeks to address all economic players, beyond its traditional audience of small and medium-sized businesses.
An inter-professional employers’ organization, the CPME has 123 federations and 239,000 companies employing 3 million employees, in commerce, services, industry and crafts. VSE-SMEs constitute more than 99% of the French economic fabric, which gives them a central role in the representation of small structures.
The Great Assembly of Entrepreneurs, organized this Thursday at the Parc des Princes and which brings together nearly 4,000 people, illustrates this ambition for visibility. Under the leadership of Amir Reza-Tofighi, the organization now called Les Entrepreneurs intends to establish itself as a key player in social and economic dialogue in France.