Day: 4 March 2019

Monaco has launched the premier stage of its Smart City campaign, installing the first digital bus shelter in the Principality. The initiative will eventually be rolled out across all of Monaco providing passengers with benefits like smartphone connections and bus arrival information in real time.

The first test shelter was unveiled at Place d’Armes on Monday 4th March in the presence of the Minister of State Serge Telle and Mayor Georges Marsan.

“Today is the first step in the development of our Smart City,” said the Minister of State. “These new shelters illustrate the Administrations’ commitment that it wants to maintain with users.”

“These new shelters keep their primary use for passengers waiting for a bus but are also aesthetic and high tech,” added Councilor Marie-Pierre Gramaglia. “They mark the evolution of the furniture of our urban landscape, which must be practical but also form part of the Smart City process.”

Created by Clear Channel, the new bus shelters will have charging stations for smartphones, a double-sided advertising screen, real-time information about the arrival of buses (CAM screen), a 32-inch digital touch interface offering users access to 3 levels of services: mobility, environment and entertainment, as well as sensors to provide the government with data such as air quality. Finally, bus shelters will provide free wifi.

Out of a total of 57 shelters, 33 will be equipped with the new technology. The idea is that they will become a reference point in the city, developing a new way of interacting with users whether they are residents, tourists or commuters.

“These shelters are the first totems of Monaco’s Smart City and are essential platforms to communicate and interact with the population,” said Frédéric Genta. “They will have a strong impact on the transport experience, measuring the quality of life and connecting the city.”

Full deployment of the new smart bus shelters will be completed by September 2019.

In a few short weeks the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer will swing open the doors of an exciting new conference centre. In homage to its Art Deco predecessor, One Monte Carlo will feature a hall identical to that of the Sporting d’Hiver, which was controversially demolished in 2015.

While the end of February marked the official opening of One Monte Carlo, individual venues within the complex will be inaugurated gradually. One of those is an enormous conference centre, covering an impressive 1,445 square metres. With this, Monte-Carlo SBM is virtually doubling the space dedicated to business tourism around Casino Square, currently made up of the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo and the Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo.

Within this giant new space will be a 301 square metre plenary room, an identical reproduction of the legendary Salle des Arts in the former Palais des Beaux-Arts. Capable of hosting up to 300 people, this hall is SBM’s way of preserving the Art Deco architectural footprint.

In addition, there will be a multipurpose room of 178 square metres, an auditorium with a capacity of 80 seats, three modular rooms, and a large foyer which will offer a variety of uses. Each of these 10 spaces will bear the name of an artist who has made a mark on Monaco’s history.

The conference centre will even have a 2-tonne service lift to facilitate exhibitions of cars during product launches or events.

The One Monte Carlo conference centre is built on the site of the old Palais des Beaux-Arts, a stunning building that was inaugurated in 1893 and then demolished in 1930 to make way for the Sporting d’Hiver. That Art Deco building was subsequently torn down in 2015 to make way for this post-modern design.

Finally, opposite One Monte Carlo, the Boulingrins Gardens have been re-landscaped around Casino Square and will be available for private functions.

One Monte Carlo delivers an enormous boost to Monaco’s appeal as a business tourism destination. Unique to the world, this new hub combines accommodation, conference and banqueting rooms, bars and restaurants, sport and cultural activities such as the Opéra Monte-Carlo, all within easy walking distance. That’s not to mention the legacy and soul of Monte Carlo, steeped in more than 150 years of history and which constantly evolves and reinvents itself.

The hub also fits in with Monaco’s strong commitment to the environment and sustainable development,with BREEAM-certified buildings to better control the environmental impact of meetings, seminars and business events.

There’s no doubt that the new conference centre will help refresh Monaco’s global image and provide an important boost to the local economy.

The Oceanographic Institute is looking to boost its team ahead of the busy summer season and school holidays. The successful applicants will work in the museum on a fixed, short term contract.

The Institute has 15 temporary positions available from April in the Reception, Animations, Boutique and Caisses departments on a two to six month fixed-term contract. Candidates are invited to attend a special meeting on Tuesday 12thMarch 12 between 10am and 5pm.

Armed with a CV and cover letter, candidates will meet with relevant managers for individual interviews of about 30 minutes. This is a great opportunity for people to get involved in the Oceanographic Institute.

The Oceanographic Institute is a recognized foundation of public importance. It facilitates the scientific, political, economic and public sectors in the knowledge of how to protect the ocean. With numerous projects on the national and international scene, including conferences, exhibitions and educational programs, the Institute oversees two establishments: the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco and the House of Oceans in Paris.

European Jewellery brand APM Monaco is looking for a buyer in a deal that could potentially fetch close to 900,000 million euros, according to Reuters.

The Monaco-headquartered company has tapped French bank Natixis to manage the sale process, people close to the deal reportedly revealed. The bank declined to comment.

Founded in 1982 by Ariane Prette, the Prette family-owned jeweller is hoping the sale would help it expand globally and has tapped investors in Asia, according to two of the sources.

The design-focused silver jewellery business currently has 200 stores worldwide, most of them in Europe and China. It also has a presence in Tokyo, Singapore and the U.S.

Worn regularly by socialites and celebrities, APM Monaco has been targeting younger customers, one of the sources said.

This story first appeared in Reuters.