‘Rose is the Future’ was the final act of this year’s Ma Vie en Rose spring programme by Monte-Carlo SBM, a grand closing dinner featuring the futuristic sounds of celebrated composer Thomas Roussel, the cuisine of two Michelin star Chef Marcel Ravin, and the romantic pool-side setting of the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort.
Since early March, the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer (SBM) has been entertaining residents and visitors of the Principality with its unique Ma Vie en Rose programme, a colourful celebration of spring in Monaco. From the floral spinning installations created by Eva Dmitrenko and Céline Pagès and the sweet-smelling floral selfie frame in the atrium of the Casino, to the Sunday Rose Brunches available at the Blue Bay, the vibrancy and joyfulness of spring has been in full bloom.
On Saturday night, Monte-Carlo SBM took it to another level, inviting guests to board a spaceship towards the future, with sparkling rosé around the lagoon followed by a romantic dinner in the atrium.
Rose is the Future event, photo by Monaco Life
At tables circling the Monte-Carlo Bay pool, guests were treated to a gastronomic menu designed by two Michelin star Chef Marcel Ravin, a “journey to the end of desire” featuring meteorite bowls and a giant chocolate Saturn.
Harpist Naomi Greene joined an orchestra in performing pieces by celebrated composer Thomas Roussel, the futuristic sound of a Cristal Bachet serving as a highlight of the evening.
Spectacular performance by Harpist Naomi Greene and the orchestra, photo by Monaco life
Monte-Carlo SBM CEO Jean-Luc Biamonti thanked guests for taking part in the evening, reminding them of SBM’s commitment to Joie de Vivre, but also to the plight of the Ukrainians through the sale of around 100 art installation spinning wheels for the benefit of the victims of war.
It was a spectacular end to another unique programme of events organised annually by SBM as part of its ‘Great Art of Living’ philosophy, delivering one-of-a-kind experiences at the company’s hotels, spas and restaurants, and maintaining the legend that is Monaco.
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Frédéric Genta is not only on a mission to transition Monaco to a new digital era, he is also now in charge of making that transition look as attractive as possible.
In order for the digital transition to be a success, people must see its worth and value. Prince Albert and his government have therefore assigned a new role to Frédéric Genta. In addition to being the Interministerial Delegate in charge of the Digital Transition, he is now the Interministerial Delegate for Attractiveness and the Digital Transition.
Genta will carry this new title along with Secretary General of the Strategic Council for Attractiveness, which will oversee the challenges in knowing how to meet the expectations of residents, investors, businesses, employees and tourists with regards to the move towards a digital future in the Principality.
Frédéric Genta will be charged with creating and proposing a new strategy that is easily adaptable to the rapidly changing world including a basic overall long-term plan.
He will be under the direct authority of the Minister of State, Pierre Dartout, whose wish it is to optimise the policies and resources of the State to strengthen the attractiveness of the Principality.
Photo by Manuel Vitali, Government Communication Department
While My Yacht Group is primed to ride the swelling wave of F1 popularity across the Atlantic, the Principality-based company will celebrate 15 years at the Monaco GP. Co-founder Nicholas Frankl shares with us his plans for the busy 2022 racing calendar.
Glamour and motorsport tend to go hand-in-hand, especially Formula 1. Accustomed to playing a nexus role and uniting these elements in Monaco each year, My Yacht Group is setting its lofty gaze further afield this year as they prepare for the first Miami Grand Prix.
As Co-Founder Nicholas Frankl told Monaco Life, “You want to be on a superyacht, that’s the special magic of the harbour of Monte-Carlo.” Now, they’re taking that “magic” to Florida as the sporting world, as well as the yachting and hospitality communities, prepare for the latest addition to an ever-expanding F1 calendar.
The race, which takes place on 8th May, will do so in one of the least glamorous settings – a car park. This led then Race Director Michael Masi to say in November that “it’s far from a race in a car park,” and that it will be “something unique.”
The original plan for the Miami circuit was for it to run around Biscayne Boulevard and downtown Miami. That plan was ultimately foiled, but is one that, according to automotive writer Frankl, might have gone through if it were proposed today. “At the time, Miami and Miami locals didn’t really know a lot about Formula 1,” he began.
“I have a suspicion that the mayor, who is pro-business and pro-Miami, and governor Ron DeSantis would have made it happen. Also, locally, I suspect that there would be a much higher level of support, because now thanks to Netflix and their documentary series ‘Drive to Survive’, it’s the biggest growth sport in America today.”
The race in Miami has been sold out for weeks. Offering a different kind of experience, and a VIP one at that, will be My Yacht Group, who are primed to ride the swelling wave of F1 popularity across the Atlantic.
Frankl, who co founded My Yacht Group with his sister Annabelle, detailed their upcoming super yacht party in the ‘Sunshine State’: “We are very well known for hosting sophisticated, fun and elegant super yacht parties, always charity related and charity themed, and so that is exactly what we’re doing on a special boat called Gene Chaser, a 55m research vessel.”
“They have labs on-board, as well testing facilities and a mobile MRI machine, so it’s very much a technical showcase. We are hosting a business networking and investor reception for a curated guest list of only 100 people, representing around $250bn of net worth,” says Frankl. “We will then turn it into a My Yacht Club, which is the pop-up nightlife experience we’ve successfully hosted at the Austin GP since 2012. It’s a combination of a charity and investor reception, then a full-on party, DJ, bottle service, VIP event… We have partnered with world-famous celebrity chef Todd English, who will be personally catering on-board for our guests.”
Frankl also revealed that they will be running an event at the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix in November 2023, a race that was announced back in March and will be the third US GP on the calendar. Frankl, however, isn’t worried about F1 saturating the American market. “I think the US can easily absorb three races,” he says.
15 years of Monte-Carlo glamour
Heading back to more familiar shores, just as they have been for the last 15 years, My Yacht Group will once again be hosting a full track side super yacht hospitality weekend and their popular Friday night party during this May’s Monaco Grand Prix.
After last year’s more muted event, which involved two private astronaut receptions, My Yacht Group returns to normality in style. In what Frankl describes as a “huge charity weekend”, guests will board the DB9 yacht, acquired in the auction at the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation gala back in September. “All the proceeds from that auction item, which is several hundred thousand euros, went to the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, and we are very proud to be promoting and supporting the PA2F once again throughout the weekend,” said Frankl.
My Yacht Group has just released three on-board luxury cabins for “the ultimate experience”. Guests will be able to stay in Port Hercules during the Grand Prix weekend, trackside, as well as mingle with VIP guests.
“We will have commander Michael Lopez-Alegria, a five-time world-record holding, US hall-of-fame astronaut who has just arrived back from the International Space Station (ISS). He is commander of the first all-private mission to the ISS with Axiom Space, a company that I and several other Monaco residents invested in.”
Frankl says it would be great to help send a Monegasque to space. “We would love to take the first Monaco astronaut to the ISS. It would be incredible to see a member of the Princely family, or a Monegasque citizen, spend 10 days aboard, conducting medical and scientific research for humanity.”
Commander Lopez-Alegria will be attending both the Miami and Monaco VIP events, as well as representatives from Vita Inclinata, a manufacturer that has designed a “life-saving autonomous power system” to stabilize cradles on helicopters and cranes. The company recently delivered $500,000 worth of their equipment to Ukraine, and trained Ukrainian medevac crews how to use it during the ongoing war. They will exhibit their technology on the superyacht crane in Monaco over the GP weekend. “That’s the first time it will be demonstrated in this way,” revealed Frankl.
MonacoTech and French incubator IMT Nord Europe have officially signed a pact to work together toward the common goal of helping select emerging companies rise to the top of their games.
MonacoTech, the start-up incubator founded in 2017 by the government, Monaco Telecom and Xavier Niel, has signed a formal collaboration agreement with French incubator APUI- IMT Nord Europe, part of the University of Lille and Institut Mines-Télécom, to expand their reach.
At the recent Ever Monaco Forum, Jean Castellini, President of MonacoTech and Minister of Finance and Economy, alongside Alain Schmitt, Director of IMT Nord Europe, confirmed the collaboration agreement signed in 2021 between MonacoTech and the APUI-IMT Nord Europe incubator.
“I am very happy today to confirm, after a year of partnership, the collaboration agreement initiated last year between APUI-IMT Nord Europe and MonacoTech, in order to support and develop innovation in areas in which our two organizations are particularly involved: the environment, energy and digital technology,” Mr Castellini said of the affiliation. “Innovation is virtuous in that it benefits the economy, the general interest and our territories. This is the meaning of this partnership.”
The two institutions share a number of values, in that both are striving to work with companies who are developing innovative business models, particularly in the Green Tech and Clean Tech, sustainable cities and smart building sectors.
Since their combined efforts first began a year ago, the two entities wanted to publicly reaffirm their joint commitment to start-up creation and expansion in both territories, giving the new businesses a chance to benefit from the expertise and knowledge offered by both MonacoTech and APUI-IMT Nord Europe, as well as give representatives from these new companies the opportunity to meet other like-minded businesspeople and form potential synergistic alliances.
“This partnership represents added value for both structures in their mission to support entrepreneurship and economic development,” said Alain Schmitt. “Through this collaboration, we want to give our startups the opportunity to open up to new horizons and to exchange with the economic and institutional players in the Principality of Monaco’s ecosystem.”
The Start-Up Village at the EVER Monaco event gave a glimpse at what the future of this partnership will look like, with four start-ups from MonacoTech and three from APUI-IMT Nord Europe on hand.
Photo source: MonacoTech
Monaco’s run leaves them at the doorstep of Europe
A 2-0 victory for Philippe Clement’s men against a stubborn Angers on Sunday extends their winning streak to seven, leaving them on the cusp of securing European football next season.
Good work in the month of April in particular leaves AS Monaco well and truly in the hunt, yet their fate does not rest entirely in their own hands. Rennes’ victory against Saint-Étienne on Saturday meant that the Principality side had to get the result on Sunday to keep on their heels.
Saint-Étienne may not have done Monaco any favours, but Olympique Lyonnais did on Sunday night. Their 3-0 victory at Olympique Marseille in the “Choc des Olympiques” means the second place spot is back up for grabs. Monaco and Rennes are only three points behind, and both have superior goal difference, whilst Rennes host Marseille in two weeks’ time.
It may not be entirely in Monaco’s hands, but should they win their remaining three matches, which is no easy task, they will likely be assured of Champions League football next term. As it has throughout this run, Clement’s focus is purely on his side, and not on sending out any signals to the rivals for the European spots. “We aren’t playing against Rennes or against teams at the top of the table. We are solely focused on ourselves, on our game. We don’t have control over the other results, so it would be a waste of energy to linger on it,” said the Belgian.
Monaco were made to work hard for the win, and had to be patient in order to work their openings against an Angers side that, in defeat, are well and truly dragged back into the relegation scrap.
The first chance of the match fell to Marin Jakolis, but he couldn’t steer his poorly hit volley on target in the opening minutes of the match. They should have been almost immediately punished for that miss, but Wissam Ben Yedder was uncharacteristically uncomposed as he skied over when one-on-one.
The break-through would come in fortuitous circumstances. Youssouf Fofana’s mazy dribble through the Angers defence, which led Clement to joke post-match that he will “ask him tomorrow if he skis from time-to-time”, worked an opening on the edge of the box. His shot was parried by Anthony Mandrea, but then rebounded off Abdoulaye Bamba and into the goal.
Monaco pushed hard to double their lead at the beginning of the second-half, and incredibly found the net three times in six minutes, only for all three goals to be chalked-off for offside. That, for a short time at least, made linesman Mohamed Benkemouche possibly the most unpopular figure in Monaco, although all three decisions were undoubtedly the right call. Some of them obviously so, but the linesman was hesitant to raise the flag before the move was completed, a decision backed by Clement, who told Monaco Life post-match, “I prefer that the linesman waits to put up the flag, because otherwise players could stop.”
Ben Yedder, who netted two of those offside goals, would finally get his reward. An incredible mis-match, which left Monaco five-on-one on the counter was well-worked. Kevin Volland played the key pass to Ben Yedder, who made no mistake with the finish. That was his 21st goal of the season, the first time he has notched up such a tally in a league season.
From there, Monaco saw the match out with professional game management. The victory rarely looked in any doubt, as they took another step closer to European football next season. They next face reigning champions LOSC Lille on Friday, a stern test, which, should they pass, will almost guarantee European football in some shape, form or description next season.
Photo by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life
Sainte Dévote Rugby Tournament set to return this weekend
After a two-year hiatus, the Sainte Dévote Rugby Tournament for under 12 year-olds is returning to Stade Louis II this coming weekend for a day of fun and friendly competition.
The 10th edition of the Sainte Dévote Rugby Tournament has drawn quite a crowd this year. A grand total of 16 teams from 14 countries will be participating from places such as Andorra, Belgium, Spain, France, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Morocco, Monaco, Switzerland and from nations even farther afield like United Arab Emirates, Ecuador, and Mauritius.
Created back in 2009 following an agreement between the Monegasque Rugby Federation and the Rugby Club Lucciana in Corsica, the tournament has evolved to become a sort of gold standard for children’s rugby, promoting sportsmanship, tolerance, discipline and respect.
This year’s competition, co-hosted by the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, brings together young players, all under the age of 12, to compete in friendly games with the express hope that they make some new friends along the way. The event will include not only the regular matches but will also offer courses for young adults and children with disabilities.
Special guest and French National Team player Mathieu Bastareaud will be on hand during the event and kids will get to meet him throughout the day.
The matches will start on Saturday 7th May from 8:45am at Stade Louis II and run all day until the awards ceremony at 5:30pm.
Photo source: Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation
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