Arnaud Auger

Arnaud is a Director and Deputy Head of C.Lab, Cathay Innovation’s strategic advisory arm helping large corporations navigate the AI era. A dual French-American citizen based in San Francisco, he joined in 2024 bringing both founder and corporate innovation experience — and a perspective shaped by living on four continents — to his work connecting companies worldwide with the startup ecosystem. He focuses on Financial Services, Health, and Retail, with a strong belief that open innovation is key to building sustainable, high-impact technology.

Before joining Cathay Innovation, Arnaud was Deputy Head of BNP Paribas’ Innovation Lab in San Francisco, where he connected international startups with the bank’s business lines, driving partnerships, investments, and acquisitions. He holds a master’s degree from Sorbonne University and studied finance at UC Berkeley Extension.

Arnaud is a FrenchTech San Francisco Ambassador, Co-chair of the Healthcare Committee of the French American Chamber of Commerce of California, and leads a 500-member community of longevity innovation enthusiasts. He has been featured across international media, was the subject of a documentary on longevity biohacking, and was portrayed as a biohacker in a chapter of a best-selling novel by French sci-fi author Alain Damasio. Outside of work, he is a Spartan Race World Championship qualifier, trains for Hyrox, and is pursuing a personal challenge to race in every Cathay Innovation home city — having already completed full marathons in San Francisco, New York, Mexico City, and Paris.