France 2027 Presidential Race: Who Is Philippe Véran, the Businessman Serving as Teddy Riner’s Right-Hand Man?

With his entry into the race for the Élysée Palace in 2027, French judo champion Teddy Riner has chosen businessman Philippe Véran to be his financial point man and the right hand of his election campaign, heading both the financing association and the presidential accounts committee. This alliance bolsters the right wing of the candidate, who positions himself as "neither left nor right," drawing on figures from diverse ideological backgrounds.

A Businessman's Journey from Medicine to the Wealth Rankings

The 61-year-old Philippe Véran began his career studying commerce at Aix-Marseille University instead of taking over his father’s notarial office in the Var department, later practicing as a chartered accountant. The turning point in his life came when he met a dental surgeon in Avignon, which led to the founding of Biotech Dental in 1987.

The company grew into a French success story as a national leader in dental implants, generating an annual turnover of 120 million euros. Thanks to this success, Véran was ranked 251st among France's wealthiest individuals, with his facilities in Salon-de-Provence employing nearly 1,000 workers.

Staunch Liberalism, Union Rejection, and Taxes

Despite employing nearly a thousand staff members, his company operates completely without trade union representation. In a March 2026 podcast with journalist Jean-Jacques Bourdin, Véran stated that "there is no need for unions if the employer is good."

The businessman makes no secret of his admiration for the economic models of Dubai and Switzerland, and does not mind comparisons to Argentine President Javier Milei. While fiercely opposing the left-backed "Zucman tax" on corporate capital, he nevertheless emphasizes his commitment to paying his taxes in France out of "economic patriotism."

The Political Venture: Disillusionment with Macron and Pivot to Édouard Philippe

Véran entered politics in 2016 through the En Marche movement, driven by Emmanuel Macron's promises of a "start-up nation," and was among his early backers. He later served as an alternate member of parliament in Salon-de-Provence and deputy mayor in charge of economic affairs. However, the honeymoon with Macron was short-lived; Véran expressed deep disillusionment, accusing the president of failing to honor his promise to "upend the system" and failing to listen to his grassroots base.

This discontent led him to leave the Renaissance party and join the Horizons party led by former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe in 2022. He headed the party’s local committee and leveraged his network to forge presidential alliances, before Édouard Philippe eventually re-endorsed Macron's re-election.

A Business Partnership and a Luxury Riad Shared with Teddy Riner

After stepping back from politics, Véran focused on his corporate empire through his holding group Upperside, which acquired more than sixty companies across healthcare, sports, and entertainment, including martial arts equipment brand Fightart in 2024, in which Teddy Riner holds shares.

The friendship between the two men deepened; Riner became honorary president of a humanitarian association founded by Véran, and they co-owned joint properties, including a luxury riad in Marrakech that they recently opened, alongside joint appearances at the Courchevel ski resort. Riner successfully persuaded Véran to return to the political stage as his chief fundraiser, despite Véran having announced his complete retirement from politics just last January.