Q&A with Gordon Percy, Captain and Cogs4Cancer cyclist

ML: How did you end up in Yachting?
GP: For some reason, I always loved boats. By age 16, I already had my RYA Instructor certificate, and I was very lucky to be working in the school holidays at a sailing school that had about 20 different boats of all sizes and shapes, which was an excellent grounding in boat handling (excuse the pun).

I was also an avid dinghy racer, sailing with the Scottish Youth team, and doing quite well at European level. I trained as a teacher of PE and Biology, but after three years teaching in international schools, I knew teaching was not for me, so I went off travelling in south east Asia. With the monsoon season approaching I headed back to Singapore where by mere chance I landed an unpaid deckhand’s position on a classic 35m top-masted schooner, a large yacht at that time.

ML: What certification/training do you need to become a captain?
GP: Today there is a quite distinct path to follow, as opposed to when I first started in yachting back in the early 80s. There are now 200/500 and 3,000 tonnes licences with many modules, days at sea required, and a training log book to be completed, all which takes time and, of course money!

As the years have progressed, more and more courses have to be retaken, which is a good thing, the most recent being the requirement for the STCW certificate to be revalidated every five years.

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ML: What does being a Captain entail?
GP: Yachting is unlike the Merchant Navy where you work for a company who will then dispatch you to any of the vessels in their fleet for predetermined period of time. Generally, a yacht is owned by an individual, and so you are employed to work on his yacht only, unless he happens to have a couple. Generally, the contract is indefinite with a stipulated probation and termination period.

Many people assume that manoeuvring a large yacht is the most difficult and demanding part of the job. But in fact, although it is the most fun part, in reality it takes only a very small percentage of one’s time. A Captain is running a quite large business, with 20 or more employees, dealing with large budgets, logistics, constant maintenance, and a hundred and one other things required to keep a large yacht ticking over, and a very exigent Owner or Charter party happy at all times.

Being accountable for millions of dollars’ worth of yacht, the safety of the guests and crew is a large responsibility, and with the ever-increasing regulations that are easy to fall foul of, this can all weigh heavily on one’s mind. Particularly today where, if there is a serious accident or a regulation broken, the first person sent to jail is the Captain, even before proven guilty, and it is this increasing criminalisation that we are seeing more recently, which puts the Captain in a very vulnerable position. The buck definitely stops at the Captains feet as they say!

ML: Can you describe the yachting community to an outsider?
GP: It’s a very diverse group of people from all walks of life and countries of the world. There are the very young just starting out, and the older more established crew with perhaps wife and children at home, which makes it all very interesting. Living in a tight community aboard a yacht, one makes good friends, and it’s always a pleasure to bump into old friends in the most weird and wonderful places.

Pros – seeing the world from a yacht is by far the best way to travel, unless you get seasick. Salaries can be good compared to shore side, but there are good reasons for this. It can be a fulfilling career for the right person; there is a great solidarity between the yachties, as in reality it’s quite a small community. The food is usually delicious, and the living conditions better than you would have at home.

Cons – the hours are long, the work can be very monotonous, very repetitive, you live in a very small space with some crew who you may not like. You may not get ashore for weeks at a time. You miss many Christmas celebrations, birthdays and weddings as the yacht always comes first.

ML: How has the new French law on social security (Decree no 2017-307 of 9 March 2017), which came into effect on July 1, 2017, impacted you and other crew?
GP: It is by no means simple, and one wonders how it can and will be enforced. But basically, depending on your place of residence, a crewmember until now did not need to pay social security on his salary. This is obviously about to change, but as I write, the latest news is that the law has been deferred until a later date, to allow negotiations to continue. Primary, I’m guessing, because there was a large drop in business this summer in France as most of the yachts decided to go elsewhere.

ML: Tell us about the COGS4CANCER (C4C) charity cycle.
GP: Cogs4Cancer started in 2013 and has since then raised over €908,000 for both Cancer Research UK and local French cancer charities.

This year will be the 4th edition of the charity ride, which will see 36 cyclists travel 1,400km from London to Antibes in 10 days. C4C hopes to hit the €1 million raised marker.

This will be my second ride with the COGS, the last one in 2015 was from Barcelona to Antibes in 5 days. Cogs4Cancer is managed by a group of volunteers who all work within the superyacht industry and 100% of all money raised goes to the designated cancer charities across Europe and the UK. Volunteers not only put in countless hours planning, preparing and promoting, but also pay for all their own travel and equipment needed to make the cycle rides happen.

ML: What is the Tribute Ride and how can people get involved?
GP: The tribute ride on Friday October 13th is a wonderful opportunity for those who wish to join the riders for the last day of our ride from London. It’s a great day, the riders are in need of encouragement and new people to talk to, and its gives those who either could not commit the time, or felt it was too far to ride to get involved with the event. Last year we had over 100 people join us, which was really uplifting and good fun. There are a few options – from Greolieres to IYCA Antibes, approximately 60km (mainly downhill) or from Port Gallice, Juan les pins, to IYCA Antibes, approximately 10 km along the coast. For more info on the ride, see http://cogs4cancer.org/2017-tribute-ride or for the Tribute Ride, email at frenchtribute@cogs4cancer.org

ML: How significant is the Monaco Yacht Show and is it relevant for crew?
GP: I guess it is considered as the most prestigious of all the shows in the world, of which they are possibly too many. It’s a chance for real buyers to peruse some of the biggest yachts for sale, but I would say it’s also an excellent event for networking for more senior crew.

ML: What yachting magazines do you read to stay atop of industry news?
GP: Yachting Matters is always a good read, and Boat International to see what’s happening in the market.

ML: Yachting app you can’t live without?
GP: I am not a yacht spotter so the likes of Marine traffic I steer clear of but Windy is my favourite for weather info and flight tracker to check if the Boss’s flight is on time.



ML: Advice for anyone looking to get into the industry?
GP: If you want to work on a yacht for the money, please go elsewhere! It’s a tough business, and there are reasons why the salaries are good, but as Captains we are finding it more and more difficult to find the right crew. There is no longer enough crew who want to be there because they love yachts/boating, love the sea, and love travelling. Start at the bottom, learn your chosen trade inside out, resist moving up the ladder too fast, and always remember who is paying your salary and giving you the opportunity to see a bit of the world.

Article first publishes September 30, 2017.

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Peter Kutemann, President

ML: How and when did Monaco Impact come to be and how many people are involved in the running of the non-profit?
PK: Myself, Barend van der Vorm and Laura DeVere formed Monaco Impact on December 28, 2008. Barend stepped down later because he moved to Canada and Laura decided to dedicate more time to her own philanthropic activities. They were replaced by Geraldine Gazo and Marilyn Santino, who share the same values as the founders. Recently Donald Anderson also joined the board of Monaco Impact.

ML: You are President of Monaco Impact. How did you end up in Monaco? Your company Dietsmann was a sponsor of No Finish Line 2016.
PK: I formed my company Dietsmann (dietsmann.com) in 1977 in the Netherlands and opened an administrative bureau in Monaco in 1981. I choose Monaco for its geographical location, its multinational and multilingual population and fiscal status. Especially the last factor was important, since our operation and maintenance activities of oil and gas and power producing facilities are taking place outside Europe in Africa, the Middle East, CIS countries, as well as Russia and Latin. Initially I did not become a resident but in 1990 I became a resident of the Principality.

ML: What is Monaco Impact’s mission?
PK: Our mission is to facilitate and federate charitable initiatives, organisations and institutes in Monaco in order to put Monaco on the map as a “World Centre of Philanthropy” and, by so doing, contribute towards a positive perception of Monaco throughout the world.

Monaco Impact’s Vision is to promote Monaco as a centre of committed global citizens, local philanthropists and social impact investors through education, collaboration and the sharing of innovative solutions to global challenges.

ML: Can you talk about your Projects with the Prince Albert II Foundation, WaterAid and International Solidarity Organisations?
PK: On November 18, 2014, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation (PFA2) signed a partnership agreement with Monaco Impact. Since Monaco Impact and the PFA2 share common goals, we decided to provide financial support to this three-year project led by the Foundation, which is being carried out in collaboration with WaterAid.

The project is about the promotion of better water resource management in the Oromia region of southern Ethiopia, that will not only improve the supply of drinking water but will also provide sanitation facilities for over 12,000 people in the region. Another project that Monaco Impact supports and promotes is a Mobile Cassava Processing Technology that has proven to improve the lives of thousands of the poorest rural farmer families in Sub-Saharan African countries.

ML: Tell us about DADTCO, and how it ties in to Monaco Impact?
PK: DADTCO of The Netherlands (dadtco.nl) has developed mobile starch plant technology for cassava producing farmers in various Sub-Saharan countries.

Cassava is the major starchy food crop in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA). It provides the largest calorie intake of the people. Africa, the world’s number one cassava producer has not developed any cassava processing industry because the very perishable cassava roots need to be processed within 24 hours of harvesting. DADTCO invented a mobile cassava processing factory able to process cassava roots into food grade starch at village level. This breakthrough technology bridges the gap between smallholder farmers and large food companies.

DADTCO’s business model has already proven a success with SABMiller, replacing imported malted barley with cassava starch in Impala beer. Also with Nestlé (Maggi) and Unilever (Knorr/Royco), replacing imported starch. Substituting expensive imports like wheat flour with local cassava products has the potential to create a stable income for millions of farmers in SSA. The now proven business model has to be rolled out in all of SSA for which additional financing is required. That is why Monaco Impact organised an information cocktail at CREM to share this groundbreaking development that is now open to investment with Monaco residents.

ML: What is your fundraising project for 2017?
PK: Presently Monaco Impact is setting up an incubator project with the IUM. The aim is to support IUM graduate young entrepreneurs to set up a business in Monaco within the Social Impact space. Monaco Impact will facilitate to assist in writing a business plan, business model, market access and funding. As such, we are actively support a number of start-ups that, we hope will succeed putting Monaco on the map as a fertile ground for start-ups.

ML: Since its inception, what are some of the milestones of the association?
PK: Monaco Impact is a not-for-profit organisation. Its costs are completely funded by its founder(s)/members. Its success is measured by its contribution to the Monaco Social Impact Society. As such it is difficult to measure the results in figures. Our aim is to increase year by year our involvement in Social Impact projects, as we have done over the past years.

ML: Does Monaco Impact host any fundraising events? How can Monaco residents support Monaco Impact?
PK: Yes, Monaco Impact facilitates fundraising for good causes by hosting information events, as we did for example with the WaterAid project and the Agricultural Development initiative. Monaco Impact welcomes all Monaco residents who share the same values and who believe they can contribute to the mission of Monaco Impact to join us as member. Information can be found on our website Monaco-Impact.org.

ML: Do you feel the outside world sees Monaco as a “World Centre of philanthropy”, and why is this a goal of the association?
PK: Today the word “philanthropy” is more and more replaced by the word “Social Impact”, which I believe defines better its purpose to contribute to a better world. HSH Prince Albert II, but also the Grimaldis, has been historically deeply engaged in charitable causes through the PFA2, Amade, Red Cross, etc. Monaco as a small sovereign nation, together with all its residents, have a larger share in the world social impact space than its size would suggest. This shows how Monaco’s image is closely linked to philanthropy. That is how Monaco will be perceived. That is the mission of Monaco Impact.

ML: Why is philanthropic giving essential in our humanitarian role?
PK: Society has given some of us the opportunity to gain a substantially larger share of wealth than others who have been less fortunate. In order to show our gratitude to society, we should share some of our blessings with those who are less fortunate. This can be in the form of providing better living conditions, providing opportunities, education, health, etc. The next most gratifying thing in life after earning money is sharing money.

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Article first published December 18, 2016.

Minister of State Serge Telle was welcomed on Tuesday by the Monegasque Association of Financial Activities (AMAF).

Having come into force on May 2, 2014, AMAF’s mandatory certification system aims to strengthen the level of competence of employees of banks and management companies as well as Monaco’s reputation of excellence.

The professional certification is intended for all employees working in Front Offices, that is to say who are in contact with customers, and their direct managers. Since its inception, more than 200 professionals have been certified.

In his speech, Serge Telle congratulated AMAF “for its important activities, particularly in regulating and organising the financial professions, which guarantee excellence and legitimacy, and promote Monaco as a financial centre, particularly at the international level.”

On Wednesday, the Minister opened the Security Summit – Assises de la Sécurité – which will continue at the Grimaldi Forum until October 14.

“It is important for the Principality to welcome you again this year … because Monaco is one of the safest states in the world and will do everything to keep it so, including in the digital sphere,” the Minister of State said.

“The arrival of digitalisation is a revolution … and a revolution is always synonymous with perils. We will therefore have to face new challenges, such as securing networks, putting in place appropriate procedures, developing response capacity, training staff and building competent teams, and, finally, creating an ecosystem.

“Our ambition is to be part of a movement that will be decisive for our future, in terms of safety for our residents, but also of attractiveness.”

The Assises de la Sécurité welcomes more than 2,500 participants, 165 partners, 170 conferences and workshops and is a key event for cybersecurity in France.

Among the highlights, a presentation of the RSSI Grand Prix, a day of reflection and work with 200 leaders and personalities from the cybersecurity sector, organised in partnership with the main professional associations, including ANSSI and EUROPOL, and the hosting of the Cyber Task Force, a working group comprising political, civil and military cybersecurity actors whose objective is to formulate recommendations.

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The Junior Chamber of Commerce of Monaco has announced the third “Business Time” of 2017, a quarterly event dedicated to networking in the Principality. The next in the series will take place on Wednesday, October 18, at 6:30 pm, at the Monaco Yacht Club.

Business Time will dedicate the evening, in French and English, to the theme “Health in Monaco: the Attractiveness Strategy of the Princess Grace Hospital Centre” with the participation of Hospital Director Patrick Bini, along with Deputy Director Benoîte de Sevelinges, and Dr Gilles Chironi, Head of the Princess Grace Check-up Unit.

The new hospital is expected be delivered in 2026.

A new concept launched in 2016, Business Time looks to focus on a centre of excellence of the Principality, with the exceptional participation of recognised speakers on the targeted topic. A cocktail reception follows the presentation.

Since its inception, Business Time has attracted around 100 participants at each of its events, although the June 29 gathering, presented entirely in English for the first time, set a record with some 180 attendees.

For entrepreneurs and executives active in the Monaco market, this is an ideal opportunity to learn more about this key sector. For those who want to develop their professional networks and meet strategic players, Business Time provides an ideal opportunity to accomplish such.

The cost is €25 for JCEM members and €30 for non-members. Tickets are available online: Hospital personnel will receive a special rate.

For any further information contact Laetitia Mikail: laetitia.mikail@jcemonaco.mc

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West End in Monaco will return to the International School of Monaco (ISM) this autumn having made a triumphant debut this summer.

Award-winning producers Paul Spicer and Matt Firth, along with director Leanne Harwood, will be coming back for a four-day course in musical theatre running October 28-31 at the school, open to all students aged seven to seventeen.

Course director Paul Spicer said, “We were overwhelmed by the response to our inaugural summer course and we’ve had many requests to continue the training we provide, so we’re really excited to be able to return in October to pick up where we left off.”

He added, “We were so buoyed by the level of talent and commitment from our students and we have high hopes for the development of musical theatre education here in Monaco.”

The workshop features a specially selected team of theatre practitioners from London’s Theatreland, offering pupils a chance to work on material from smash hit musicals with cast members from the actual shows themselves.

The 4-days will include sessions in the three major disciplines of acting, singing and dancing., and will be spent working in detail on material lifted directly from many smash-hit musicals.

Paul is a founding member of the West End’s “Notes from New York” concert series and subsequently produced the West End concert debuts of Will & Grace star Megan Mullally, Homeland’s Alan Cumming and the voice of Elsa, Frozen’s Idina Menzel, at the Royal Albert Hall, as well as the Olivier Award nominated When We Are Married by JB Priestley.

Both Paul and Matt began their careers appearing in West End musicals including Avenue Q, Mamma Mia!, The Witches of Eastwick, Sweeney Todd and The Last 5 Years, to name but a few. They recently moved their production company Stage Acts Entertainment to the South of France, having spent 20 years based in London.

Students will also work closely with Leanne Harwood. Direct from London, she has extensive experience in film, TV and musical theatre.

This course is about discovering a love for performing, and exploring musical material in a creative, fun environment, giving students a rare opportunity to work with acclaimed professionals at the top of their game.

For enquiries email info@stageactsentertainment.com or call Paul Spicer on +33 9 50 74 98 89.

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