A luxurious new conference centre located in the One Monte Carlo complex is now open for business. With its inauguration earlier this month, the Société des Bains de Mer has effectively doubled the space dedicated to business tourism around Casino Square, currently made up of the Hôtel de Paris and the Hermitage Hôtel.
Situated in the heart of the new One Monte Carlo district, the new conference centre increases Monaco’s capabilities of hosting trade fairs, conventions, product launches, seminars, and the like.
Covering a total surface of 1,445m2, the structure offers nine meeting rooms, including the 178m2 Jean Cocteau Room, an auditorium, and a 500m2 foyer which can be used for multiple purposes. There is also the 301m2 Salle des Arts, 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.
To complete the offering, the Boulingrins Gardens opposite One Monte Carlo have been re-landscaped and will be available for private functions.
A biodegradable hydraulic oil leak was discovered Wednesday 26th June aboard the OMVAC8, one of the ships involved in the construction of Monaco’s ambitious €2 billion extension project.
Teams from Bouygues TP, the Division of Maritime and Airport Police (DPMA) and the Department of Maritime Affairs (DAM) were immediately called to the scene to contain the spill, which equalled roughly 80 litres of oil.
Twelve boats were called to the site to aide clean-up efforts and the entire area was confined. With the exception of a small amount oil which had leaked outside the confinement zone, and which was quickly removed the following morning, the crews were able to decontaminate the spill zone in less than 24 hours.
The place where the accident took place is the site of Monaco’s new 650,000 square foot extension, which, when completed, will accommodate up to 1,000 new residents, add a 30 berth marina and will be created as an eco-friendly district, in compliance with the wishes of HSH Prince Albert II, who is an avid environmentalist.
Monaco staged a mock-oil spill less than two weeks ago to test the responsiveness of emergency crews.
Quintessentially brings lifestyle management to Monaco
If you are not a member of Quintessentially, then you aren’t where you need to be in life. Well that’s how I feel anyway after talking to Paulo Ribeiro, who’s heading up the new Monaco branch of this global private member’s club.
Paulo Ribeiro is heading up the new Quintessentially Monaco
Who doesn’t love the idea of having your every whim, even the wildest, taken care of? From picking up your laundry to organising lunch in a volcano, Quintessentially says: “let your imagination be our business”.
Paulo has spent the past 15 years dealing in luxury. As general manager of Fashion TV Spain and Portugal, he says luxury is in his DNA. So it was only natural that he transition to Quintessentially, first in Spain and most recently Q Monaco.
Quintessentially was founded in the United Kingdom in 2000 by three ‘noble gentlemen’. “The company was born from the needs of aristocratic British people to have access to the best events around the world,” reveals Paulo.
What began as a simple concierge service has grown into an extensive lifestyle management business, with personalised proactive services available in 60 countries across the globe and 3,000 specialist workers covering everything from travel and fine art, to education and experiences.
Photo: Shutterstock
The company has also expanded its appeal to include corporate clients, with the likes of HSBC, BMW, Cartier, Chanel and British Airways among their membership.
So it seems surprising that, as the very home of luxury and excess, Monaco only received its dedicated Q branch six months ago. Previously, members were handled out of London.
“Monaco has the biggest concentration of ultra-high net worth individuals in the world, and serving UHNWI is our core business,” says Paulo. “Many residents in Monaco are already members in other countries, so we expect them to recognise our services locally and our skills and benefits.”
Monaco is famous the world over for its elegance and sophistication
Those benefits include the use of local, Monegasque businesses and services, as well as the capability to communicate in other languages including Russian and Chinese. Q Monaco will also be receiving international members travelling to the Principality.
“Q Monaco has only been open six months and it is very rewarding because every time I give my business card it is recognised as a worldwide brand and they say ‘finally Quintessentially is in Monaco,’” smiles Paulo.
He is now working on building the corporate clientele, most recently creating loyalty programmes for a company that works in the gold sector, and developing partnerships for Ambassadors Club members.
“One of the things Q does is build experiences,” says Paulo. “We try to seduce members, like with our partner Hennessy we create an experience with cognac and local Michelin star cuisine.
“We also create experiences around the Formula One Grand Prix, for example seducing our members with last minute guests: FI drivers. Our members never know what to expect.
As Paulo explains, Q Monaco is unlike any other subsidiary in the world. “Here, we are working on a minimum five to six star service. The expectations of members is very high.”
Indeed, the expectations of everyone visiting or living in the Principality is very high, and Monaco is famous for not only meeting, but exceeding, those expectations.
Metropole Shopping Monte Carlo is one of many luxurious shopping options in Monaco
“One of the reasons why Monaco attracts so many people for shopping is the detail of the service, like a glass of champagne and VIP guest rooms. There are also exclusive collections here – cars, dresses, customised jewellery, the best of the best. And the Made in Monaco brand is very successful.”
But there has been a shift in expectations among the new generation of HNWI, who today are not necessarily looking for excess, but exclusivity, sustainability and experiences.
“The new trend with millennials is that money doesn’t define a person, it’s what they achieve in their business or family office that’s important,” says Paulo. “They look at wellness and keeping the planet for the next generation. They don’t just demand the most expensive things, they want to see something real, to understand the story behind the people who created it. They want human experiences. They just also want to have it with the best hotel room.”
And like Paulo says: “if you have a personal trainer for your body you can have a personal lifestyle manager for your life”.
A long-disputed work attributed to Michelangelo is about to take up residence this summer at the Cathedral of Monaco. From 7th July until the end of September, art lovers and historians are free to visit the piece entitled Crucifix of the Holy Spirit.
According to art expert Professor Antonio Forcellino, Michelangelo carved a wooden cross for the Priory of Santo Spirito in Florence in or around 1496. The cross remained in the choir until 1607, when it was moved to the sacristy. This is where things get a little hazy. At the start of the 18thcentury, all mention of the crucifix disappears in church records, despite full inventories being carried out regularly until the 1800’s.
Fast forward to 1963 when, upon the 400thanniversary of the artist’s death, art historian Margrit Lisner puts forth the possibility that a cross that had lived unnoticed in the convent’s corridor was Michelangelo’s missing piece. The explanation was plausible, as inventories were only taken of certain parts of the priory, and a discreet cross in a hallway would go largely unnoticed.
The dispute raged on as to its authenticity for many years. Today, it is accepted as a work by Michelangelo, after passing through the hands of many art experts and church historians, but a touch of mystery still remains.
To see for yourself, mark your calendar for 7th July at 5:30pm, when the official unveiling ceremony takes place at the Cathedral.
GEMLUC, a group of Monegasque companies dedicated to aiding in the fight against cancer, have donated a whopping €140,000 to the Scientific Centre of Monaco (CSM).
Since 2016, GEMLUC has, as part of an ongoing five year agreement, funded several pancreatic cancer research projects including a research publication which has been published. It has put Monaco and CSM on the international stage as crusaders in the fight against this dreaded disease.
GEMLUC’s history in Monaco spans 40 years and has generously donated more than €2 million to the Princess Grace Hospital and the Lacassagne Centre, a cutting edge cancer facility located in Nice. The group is also sponsoring two galas this year, the International Contemporary Art Contest, from 17th to 27th September and the Gala of Hope on 23rd October at the Automobile Club of Monaco.
Interview: Annabelle Jaeger-Seydoux, Director of Monaco’s Energy Transition
Monaco is leading the way in its efforts to transition to clean energy, with initiatives that will serve as a blueprint for other communities across the globe. As Director of the Energy Transition Mission, Annabelle Jaeger-Seydoux is at the forefront of that campaign and was able to share her expertise at this year’s Transition Forum.
Annabelle spoke to Monaco Life about what it takes to help the government, businesses and individuals make the transition to a clean, green future.
Annabelle Jaeger-Seydoux
Annabelle, you have extensive experience in helping municipalities to develop sustainable policies. What did it mean to you to be instated as the director of the energy transition of the Principality?
It meant being able to bring my experience and knowledge to my country, which is very meaningful to me. Monaco is clearly focused on energy transition thanks to H.S.H Prince Albert of Monaco. His involvement is a key factor of success to develop sustainable policies in this country. His government decided to create the Mission for Energy Transition two years ago in order to facilitate and accelerate the transition. I am very enthusiastic about my role as the director of a mission that can develop very concrete policies such as greenhouse gas reduction projects and energy sobriety projects, but also local renewable energy production. Two examples of what we are currently working on: the implementation of sea water heat networks as well as a solar map to inform the residents of solar production potential of roofs.
What are the key factors that are needed in order for a state like Monaco to make the transition as smooth as possible?
A clear political message at the top of the State is one of them. Strong and determined policies and financial means are both crucial but not enough. To achieve our energy transition in Monaco and our ambitious goals in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 50% in 2030 and carbon-neutrality by 2050, we have no other option than to go faster and involve the whole Monegasque community. We need everyone to take part. That is why we launched the National Pact for Energy Transition a year ago to engage all stakeholders on a common base and around three priorities: mobility, waste and energy. The Pact, which is accessible to individuals and businesses as well, guides us towards concrete actions and promotes better habits.
How hard is it to change people’s behaviour within the government when it comes to switching to sustainable practices?
Sustainable practices are hard to implement when they force us to change our habits, and even harder when obliging us to abandon some of them – within the government as well as within society. Mobility is a good example: it’s easier to act differently when you have access to other options. Some of us are ready to invest in electric cars, but are we ready to not take a plane anymore or at least to take it less often? To help achieve these behaviour moves, it is important to understand all the different benefits we can get from them. Less traffic on our roads means less greenhouse gas emissions, less pollution in the air and less noise in our streets. Using an electric bike in Monaco means being less nervous about traffic and arriving right on time, as well as a daily physical activity and therefore, a healthier life!
Sustainable practices bring us not only towards less risk but actually towards more opportunities. Because once decarbonisation takes place, a story that can already be told by individuals and companies who are currently on this path, the window of opportunity is wide open. In fact, a carbon constraint is actually a crucial ingenious opportunity. That is true for any company, true for any city and true for any country. That is why we need to move forward!
What do you consider the key successes regarding the energy transition in Monaco?
To reach our greenhouse gas emission targets, our national action plan focuses mainly on the three sectors which have the most important greenhouse gas emissions rate: road transport, waste management and buildings’ energy consumption. They represent approximatively 90% of the country’s gas emissions.
To spearhead this program, H.S.H Prince Albert II decided to found the Mission for Energy Transition in order to manage projects which limit greenhouse gas emissions and which increase the use of renewable energy. He also decided to create the National Green Fund in order to finance concrete and large-scale projects in and outside Monaco.
We are truly blessed with a political leader, a determined government and a dedicated Mission and Fund.
You are speaking at the Transition Forum, what is the purpose of such a platform?
The Transition Forum is an opportunity to share and explain our policies, but also to urge the financial sector to play its part. The investments needed in energy transition are huge and especially regarding transportation infrastructures, building renovation, innovation etc. Public and private investments are both needed to face this situation.
Monaco is a small state. How can the achievements there be applied to larger countries like France and the rest of the world?
Monaco has to give the example. From my perspective, our country has only one option: to be a leader. The Principality has in fact everything that’s needed: capacity and creativity within its community, technology and last but not least, the resources to show the way towards energy transition.
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