As we enter a new decade, we all have our own vision of what the 2020s should look like. Here are the hopes and ambitions of some of Monaco’s personalities.
 

Fabrice Marquet, Cofounder and Managing Partner at Monaco Foundry

• What are your goals for the ‘20s?

My main goal is to bridge the gap between fundamental research and business development. My partners and I want to help deep tech companies thrive and scale internationally. Those companies are harder to develop because they are more capital intensive and require a longer time to market. But there is, on one hand, a great need for true innovation to tackle societal issues we are facing.
On the other hand, we need to escape the Ponzi scheme that venture capital has become by building sustainable businesses instead of selling huge exit promises to investors focusing solely on exponential growth.

• What are your wishes for the ‘20s?

I wish that more of today’s leaders don’t get vision and tools mixed up. As a consequence, they end up buying into fads that use a lot of buzzwords but have no real strategy. Digital transformation is one perfect example as digital technologies are just tools. As powerful as they may be, they do not add any value intrinsically. Tools are not clever, only the way we use them might be.

• What are your predictions for the ‘20s?

Humans are historically terrible at making predictions because we have many biases and we cannot process a lot of data. For instance, Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman said in 1998: “By 2005, it will become clear that the Internet’s impact on the economy has been no greater than the fax machine’s.”
So, hard pass on being that wrong, retrospectively. I would rather buy into Abraham Lincoln’s view on the matter: “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” This implies a much more active and empowering process.

Konrad Bergström, President and Founder of XShore

• What are your goals for the ‘20s?

To make XShore 100% electric craft the world’s leading boat brand and inspire other companies to become sustainable.

• What are your wishes for the ‘20s?

I wish for us all to start to working as one team in order to make humanity work again in harmony with Mother Earth.

• What are your predictions for the ‘20s?

We are in a very difficult situation where the world is facing climate, political and religious challenges. We all need to step up and start collaborating in order to survive.

Johan Pizzardini, Communications and Media Manager, Monaco Yacht Show

• What are your goals for the ‘20s?

To connect to people. Really. I’ll do my best to go deeper into human relationships and go beyond the simple (superficial) social codes. Really meaning what we think and what we ask, taking time to really listen to the other. Society is going too fast, we’re bombarded with thousands of news stories every two minutes, kidnapped by social media; we have a family to care for, a career to manage, etc… We feel a general need to slow down the pace and really assess what is a priority, what is important and what is nonsense. So, my goals are to sit on a bench, open a box of chocolates and to better consider life.

• What are your wishes for the ‘20s? 

I hope we will all give more sense to every single thing we do, being more aware of our current world. I consider myself a privileged person. This privilege gives me responsibilities. What to do with it? We are millions of privileged people on Earth. This may sound naïve but naivety allows us to express a good energy and reflect it around us, whether it is to your neighbour or on the other side of the world in Australia. The more you are aware of your world, the more you are connected to it. For the ‘20s, I wish that empathy and real comprehension will bring more people together.

• What are your predictions for the ‘20s?

Technology will develop to support good causes: science, environment, health, society. Technology will help us raise up and not enslave us. Which may be the contrary yet.

Alberto Vitale, Founder and President, Vitale 1913

• What are your goals for the ‘20s?

Personally, undertaking more prayer, meditation and sport; finding more new people for my company; to expand some services; and to start dealing through an online platform for very rare stones.

• What are your wishes for the ‘20s?

No new wars or attacks, even cyber-attacks which are increasingly dangerous. I also wish for the young generation to take more responsibility of the urgent need to save our planet, and for the people in power to understand the gravity of the situation.

• What are your predictions for the ‘20s?

In business, we will see new services from banks and from family offices in Monaco. I even see a new big bank in the city and one of the oldest will change its skin. With regards to diamonds, we will see more deals in natural, fancy coloured big diamonds due to the fact that customers and investors will read a lot of news about the rarity of some colours, starting with pink diamonds.
Gold will stay in high demand thanks to certain watch brands: Rolex and Patek. But in the same sentence, some new brands will start to disrupt their position in the investment market.

Sophia Vaharis Tsouvelekakis, President of the Hellenic Community of Monaco and owner of Brooks Brothers Monaco

• What are your goals for the ‘20s?

One of my goals is to unite the associations of all countries in Monaco so we can all understand more about the culture and customs of one another. Personally, I would like to help more people in need. This, unfortunately, is an endless goal.

• What are your wishes for the ‘20s?

Luck, health and jobs for everyone so that they can afford a big family and a happy life, because children are our future.

• What are your predictions for the ‘20s?

I try to be positive. I hope that whoever occupies an important position or title will use his or her power to make a better world and leaves a legacy as a pioneer of positive change.