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Day: 9 July 2021

Fintech KeeSystem announces merger

by: Stephanie Horsman
09/07/2021

Monegasque company Fintech KeeSystem, which specialises in digital tools dedicated to wealth management for independent companies and family offices around the world, is extending its shareholding with Ebene, the Luxembourg-based holding company of the Dalmaz family.

Pierre Dalmaz’s family holding company Ebene has just acquired 75% of the shares of Monaco-based Fintech KeeSystem from Chairman and Founder Pierre-Alexandre Rousselot. Rousselot will continue to manage and develop KeeSystem with their new partner’s support.

Founded in 2009, fintech KeeSystem was a pioneer start-up of MonacoTech, the incubator created by Xavier Niel, Monaco Telecom and the Prince’s government, to meet the needs of wealth managers while preparing the expanded digital world of the future.

Since its inception, KeeSystem, Monaco’s first wealthtech, has continued to expand to other major financial centres in Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Russia and Brazil, and today boasts an annual turnover of roughly €2 million.

The company seat remains Monaco-based while operations are carried out in Switzerland, where they digitise the daily management of independent wealth management companies and family offices to streamline operations.

Their software is said to improve management efficiency in terms of services provided, profitability and development of user activities. It is a digital asset management solution known for its qualities and ease of integration and allows users to consolidate and analyse in real time all the securities portfolios deposited in client’s banks. This gives them a visualisation of the cash flow and the exposure of their portfolios.

“KeeSystem’s mission is to empower each user quickly, in order to capitalise on the investment as quickly as possible,” says Pierre-Alexandre Rousselot, founder of KeeSystem. “To do this, we ensure the transfer of skills through various educational supports, such as training, workshops and tutorials.”

The wealthtech industry is a fast-grower, with the sector more than tripling since 2016 from $2.8 billion to $9.3 billion at the end of 2020.

Ebene, for its part, operates in four areas of activity in France and internationally, which are IT consulting, IT publishing, expertise in industrial and real estate assets and hotels.

“I am very satisfied to welcome KeeSystem to the Ebene Group,” Pierre Dalmaz, President of Ebene, said of the merger. “It has a successful financial solution benefiting from the latest innovative technologies which will enable wealth managers and family offices to be more efficient thanks to the management of their assets, provided by KeeSense. This technology fills a proven need to bring these structures directly into the digital world. Prospects will be reassured about the longevity of Kee System, which backs on to the Ebene family group, which achieves a booming turnover of €100 million.”

The feeling is clearly mutual, with Rousselot adding: “I am happy to join the Ebene Group to be able to accelerate the development of KeeSystem with its team which already has extensive experience in this field. KeeSystem already has a solid foundation of about 30 customers and KeeSense meets their needs very well. Our desire for growth should be driven by the potential of the wealth management market. Our goal is to triple our turnover and the number of clients internationally over the next five years in countries where wealth management is most active. I look forward to this new challenge.”

 
 
Photo of KeeSystem Chairman and Founder Pierre-Alexandre Rousselot
 
 

MEB takes stock at annual general assembly

by: Cassandra Tanti
09/07/2021

More than 150 entrepreneurs have joined the Monaco Economic Board for its General Assembly and Rendez-vous des Members, where past successes and future plans were shared. 
Monaco Economic Board (MEB) members, institutional partners and local personalities including Minister of State Pierre Dartout and Minister of Finance and the Economy Jean Castellini came together on 7th July for the Ordinary General Assembly of the Monaco Economic Board and a meeting of members that followed, marking “the great reunion” after a year marked by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“In this context of health crisis, the MEB has been able to adapt, with the desire to support its members in their activities, especially those who have been most affected, and to continue its mission of promoting the Principality,” said MEB president Michel Dotta.
While the year 2020 started out with a bang with a mission to Russia and the signing of a cooperation agreement between the MEB and the CCI of the Novosibirsk Region, several trips were canceled due to health restrictions in Paris, Rome, Salzburg, Barcelona and ​​London, as well as promotional operations organised with Monaco’s ambassadors and consuls abroad.
The MEB did manage to get in some missions to Lisbon, Mexico City and London before the pandemic hit, as well as in Serbia for the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the MEB and the ICC of Serbia, as part of the official visit of HSH Prince Albert II.

Photo of MEB General Assembly 2021

In local operations, the MEB has tested new formulas such as business breakfasts organised around the accreditation of Ambassadors in the Principality, small gatherings which will be repeated in the coming months. Meanwhile, the MEB’s traditional conferences brought to the Principality the expertise of the “stars of the economy” – Chief economist of Coface Julien Marcily, President of the Cahiers verte de l’Economie Jean-Pierre Petit, Chief economist of the Groupe Allianz Ludovic Subran, and Sophie Vincent, Director of IMSEE.
In presenting the year’s events, Guillaume Rose said that the MEB had adapted quickly during the pandemic and utilised digital technology to offer various “MEBinaries” to its members, covering topics such as finance, international trade, energy transition, real estate, tourism and yachting, or business destinations like Kazakhstan and Italy. The MEB also joined forces with Extended Monaco, the Principality’s digital transition program, and the FEDEM to organise digital workshops.
2021: New horizons
According to the MEB, the year 2021 started at the same sustained digital tempo, but it was marked by the return of face-to-face events with star forecaster Christophe Barraud. The MEB will soon participate in several major events, including the Monaco Yacht Show, and Monaco Business during which a partnership agreement with the Italian CCI in Nice will be signed.
December will see the Ambassadors of Destination Monaco forum and gala in Italy which will welcome many delegations from countries including Quebec, Austria and South Korea. 2021 will also mark the 10th edition of the Eco Trophies, which celebrates the talents of local entrepreneurs.
For its next missions, the MEB has given priority to Europe. Upcoming trips will be organised in Florence, Antwerp, Milan, Saint Petersburg, and Amsterdam.
Meanwhile, Dubai will be given extra attention. “During the six months of the Dubai World Expo, several sector missions and at least one generalist will be organised in partnership with the Monaco Pavilion and the Dubai Chamber of Commerce,” said Guillaume Rose.
At the end of the General Assembly, marked by the appointment of a new female steering committee, Finance and Economy Minister Jean Castellini recalled in his speech how the crisis has revolutionised the way people work and communicate in the public and private sectors, saying: “We had to innovate and adapt constantly. We must learn from the consequences. We must continue to act together, as we did in an emergency and in the interest of the country, and not fall back into old habits. ”
38th Rendez-vous des Members

38th Meeting of Members
MEB members then headed to the Mediterranean Gardens of Monte-Carlo Bay where the 38th Rendez-vous des Members took place – for the first time since January 2020. More than 250 economic players in the Principality were able to network during the evening, while several dozen contacts or appointments were made by the MEB team. During this meeting, Michel Dotta and Guillaume Rose also highlighted the Green Fund, which aims to finance the energy transition of local businesses. Finally, they paid tribute to Stéphane Giaccardi, who has departed the steering committee after 16 years as secretary general.
 
 
 
 
Monaco Life with MEB press release, photos by MEB
 
 
 
 
 

Health pass mandatory at music venues

by: Cassandra Tanti
09/07/2021

Nightclubs are reopening in Monaco from Saturday 10th July under the government’s latest easing of restrictions. However, there are conditions. 
The government announced in a statement late Thursday that all establishments providing music and dance will be allowed to resume their activity, 16 months after they were ordered to close due to the pandemic.
There are conditions however. People attending these venues must make a reservation and present a valid health pass.
Monaco launched its health pass on 2nd July, a digital or paper certificate that is able to confirm a person’s vaccination status, whether they have tested negative for Covid, or whether they have developed antibodies to the virus through previous exposure.
Staff must wear masks at the venues, however patrons will only be required to wear masks while waiting in queues until they have an opportunity to present their health pass. Customers will not be asked to wear masks indoors.
The government says that regular checks will be undertaken at venues to ensure they are adhering to the rules, and capacity will be determined by the size of each individual establishment.
Meanwhile, the government announced that the number of people dining per table at a restaurant can increase from eight to 10 from Saturday.
 
READ ALSO:

Monaco Safe Pass available 2nd July

 
 
Photo by Antoine Julien on Unsplash
 

Monaco Streaming Film Festival award winners

by: Staff Writer
09/07/2021

The Monaco Streaming Film Festival, the first of its kind, debuted this July, bringing together actors, artists, and directors to celebrate storytelling in the new frontiers of streaming and filmmaking. A total of 13 awards winners were announced from Best Soundtrack to Best Content Creator, with the prestigious Greg Grundy Innovation Award as the highlight of the evening.

The award for Best Soundtrack went to Erran Baron Cohen for his contribution to the movie Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. Baron Cohen is a musical producer known for his huge range in compositions, from orchestral soundtracks to more eclectic compositions.

The award for Best Emerging Talent went to Kelly O’Sullivan for her work in Saint Frances. In the coming-of-age comedy drama, O’Sullivan plays a nanny who finds an unlikely friendship with six-year-old Frances. The film touches upon the everyday moments of women’s lives, including ironically stigmatised experiences such as abortion, postnatal depression, and same sex relationships.  

The award for the Outstanding Impact Award went to Julian Lennon for his work as the founder of the White Feather Foundation. The foundation raises funds for environmental, humanitarian, and clean water projects around the world.  

The award for Best Creative Content went to Kilian and Maruta. With their fantastic video editing skills, the duo creates videos from a fictional narrative, in which they appear to ‘wake up’ in an empty world. They show clips of empty Monaco and a deserted cruise liner, all of which were completely devoid of life.  

The award for Best Emerging Influencer went to Jodie Woods. Woods is an African American Instagram influencer who’s focused on lifestyle and fashion related topics. 

The award for Best Art Director went to David LaChapelle in his work in the short film Off Hiatus. LaChapelle is an American director and photographer known for his surreal celebrity portraits, often conveying social messages. 

The award for Outstanding Contribution went to Mitch Lowe for his insightful and inspiring keynote speeches for the Monaco Streaming Film Festival. Lowe is co-founding VP of Netflix, and has contributed greatly to the growth and success of the streaming industry. 

The award for Best Motion Picture went to Borat, directed by and starring by Sasha Baron Cohen. Reporter Borat Sagdiyev leaves Kazakhstan for the “greatest country in the world” to make a documentary about American society and culture. 

The award for Best Actor was won by Michael Flatley for his starring role and directorial debut in Blackbird. Written by international superstar Flatley, Blackbird sees him as a retired MI6 operative who owns a prestigious hotel in Barbados. When a former agent and love interest turns up, he finds himself drawn into his previous life, with potentially devastating consequences for millions of people if he fails. With a career spanning 25 years in entertainment, Michael Flatley’s shows have consistently broken records all over the world with over $1 billion in ticket sales across 60 countries.

The Reg Grundy Innovation Award went to Jon Favreau for his innovative work in Star Wars Disney+. Favreau is a prolific filmmaker and producer, with contributions in past decades to films such as the Marvel Comics franchise. 

The award for Best Short Film went to Jason Kemp.

The award for Best Documentary went to Sergio Mata’u Rapu.

The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Pele.

Monaco Streaming Film Festival champions technological and creative innovations across the film industry as well as emerging and established voices. It was presented with the support of its partners: the Reg Grundy Foundation, Princess Grace Foundation USA, GEMA, the White Feather Foundation, Lan to Capital and the Antropov Foundation.

 
 
 
Monaco Life with press release