After weeks of speculation, AS Monaco announced that is has appointed Jean-Emmanuel de Witt as their new CEO, replacing Oleg Petrov who will continue in an altered role at the club.
Frenchman de Witt has a vast international business experience, having worked at the forefront of businesses such as JCDeaux. He is also a fluent French, English and Russian speaker.
In his new role at AS Monaco, he will be responsible for all departments at the club, except for sports management, which is still under the management of sporting director Paul Mitchell, who in turn will be directly accountable to owner Dmitry Rybolovlev.
In a press release by AS Monaco, de Witt said, “I want to thank Dmitry Rybolovlev and the administrative council for their confidence. I am delighted to join AS Monaco as CEO and to work towards obtaining results that echo this great, historic club.”
On the appointment, Rybolovlev added, “I wish to welcome de Witt. He has solid managerial experience. During his professional career, he has achieved great results, which is a testament to his great understanding of different cultures and sectors. I am happy that he is joining us to direct the club’s operations and to develop its activities.”
Meanwhile, Petrov will also remain at the club. He will continue to fulfil his function as a member of the administrative council, as well as his role as Vice-president.
The Strategic Council for Attractiveness has been reinstated, spurred by the appointment of Frédéric Genta as Secretary General and with a goal of enticing new residents, investors, companies, employees and tourists to the Principality.
When the Strategic Council for Attractiveness (CSA) was created in 2011, its mission was to propose tools for future planning and analysing, and to hold educated discussions on Monaco’s economic and social models in order to make the country the best possible place for new people, businesses and investment.
Now, as the government gives new impetus to its policy of attractiveness, it has relaunched meetings of the CSA.
They will meet periodically, in plenary meetings or in thematic commissions, and will continue to join the many public and private entities that “represent the economic, social and cultural vitality of Monaco” contributing to the development of the attractiveness strategy.
On 23rd May, Minister of State and Chairman of CSA Pierre Dartout, alongside the newly appointed Secretary General of the CSA Frédéric Genta, reminded those present of the essential nature of attractiveness for the preservation of the good quality of life enjoyed in the Principality. At its heart, it puts forth the concerns of the government, residents, investors, companies, employees and tourists to make the most hospitable environment possible for all to flourish.
“Attractiveness is the basis and engine of our economy,” said Frédéric Genta in his first meeting as secretary general. “The CSA is a strong asset on which Monaco must rely to modernise and adapt to the post-Covid world, a world in which attracting residents, investors and businesses is essential.”
“Attractiveness is everyone’s business. Our ambition is to create a real dynamic in favour of attractiveness by bringing together all the ministerial departments and the entities concerned,” added Pierre Dartout.
Monaco’s assets are many, and the CSA wants to be ambitious in its pursuit of developing strategies that fit in with the world today, particularly when it comes to the digital transition and the environment.
Photo by Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life
MSFF to make history as first carbon-neutral event
The Monaco Streaming Film Festival will this month partner with Net0 to become the first ever carbon neutral event of its kind in the history of the Principality.
Taking place from 31st May to 3rd June, the Monaco Streaming Film Festival (MSFF) is already breaking new ground in its 2nd edition.
The first year of the Festival, which is a platform for the video-on-demand (VOD) industry, proved to be a success, attracting a large online audience and proving that a large event can also be environmentally friendly. This year, organisers are taking this role even more seriously.
“While we celebrate an incredible change in video content consumption, especially during the Covid period when people became accustomed to streaming platforms such as Netflix, we also noticed a much cleaner environment around us and thought about making a positive impact ourselves,” Tony Davis, Director of the Streaming Festival, said.
Net0 is a Monaco-based climate technology company that uses AI-powered carbon management software to track emissions, give offsetting solutions, provide emission reduction planning tools and offer stakeholders reports on progress.
“As a Monaco-based tech company, we are excited to support the local ecosystem by supporting the Monaco Streaming Film Festival in their journey towards Net Zero,” said Sofia Fominova, co-founder of Net0. “We look forward to supporting them throughout the event to create the first ever carbon neutral streaming festival.”
Net0 will provide organisers with an accurate calculation of the event’s carbon footprint, whilst offsetting unavoidable emissions through local environmental projects. This will lead to the establishment of a solid emissions plan for future editions as well as being a trailblazing awareness-raiser for other Monaco-based events.
The collaboration between Net0 and the Monaco Streaming Film Festival is in line with the Principality’s focus on renewable energy, environmental conservation projects and sustainable tourism. Introducing carbon neutrality to the events industry here is yet another step in achieving future net zero goals in the country.
An inexplicably lethargic AS Monaco Basketball lost against Strasbourg (87-100) on Wednesday in the first-leg of their Betclic Elite playoff. A loss in the return fixture will consign them to a shock exit, and Obradovic was not happy.
Perhaps it was a hangover from that soul-sapping defeat to Olympiacos in the Euroleague playoffs a fortnight ago, or the absence of star man Mike James who Sasa Obradovic revealed post-match had a sprained finger. Either way, this Roca Team was unrecognisable to the side that have dominated both on the continent and domestically in recent weeks and months.
“Wake up!”
Monaco were defensively inattentive from the off. In the opening seconds of the counter, Strasbourg manufactured a free two-pointer attempt under the board, as runs went completely unchecked.
Strasbourg went into an early lead before Obradovic’s men eventually found their range, at least in an attacking sense to draw level at the end of the first-quarter (24-24). The returning Alpha Diallo (22 pts) didn’t show any signs of lack of match sharpness as he picked up where he left off.
But the problem wasn’t in offence, but in defence. Strasbourg continued to work openings with astonishing ease, their intensity going unmatched by a weary Monaco. Obradovic tried to galvanise them and lift them out of their slumber as he screamed at his players to “wake up” throughout the second-quarter.
Those words had little effect. Monaco continued to sleepwalk towards a surprise defeat as sloppiness and frustration crept into their play in the second-half. The game was over as a contest way before the final buzzer, the underdogs had come to the Salle Gaston Medecin and prevailed (87-100).
Storm Obradovic: Roca Team coach unleashes his fury
Post-match, questioned by Monaco Life as to the secret behind beating Monaco, Strasbourg coach Lassi Tuovi replied, “I don’t necessarily know the secret. We’ve just built a group with an underdog mentality, who are hungry and humble.”
Obradovic responded to that saying, “You asked what is the secret, the secret is the attitude. The underdog was here fighting and if you don’t have the same approach, anyone can beat you.”
He added, “When you’ve worked all season to be in this game, you don’t need any extra motivation. You can’t be tired from the season, you can’t be searching for excuses to justify the way we performed. It’s not fair to the fans who came to watch us, it’s as simple as that. They gave their full energy in the Euroleague and then they came and gave 50%.”
Responding to Monaco Life, Roca Team captain Leo Westermann reflected on their lack of intensity throughout the fixture. “They had more desire and were in the right mode and we weren’t,” he said. “In the next match, we really need to show another side to ourselves and get into that play-off mode. We’ll see what we’re made of.”
The second-leg of the tie takes place in Strasbourg on Saturday. Only a win will do for the Roca Team, which would mean one final, winner-takes-all tie at the Salle Gaston Medecin next week.
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Photo by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life
Sustainable brands rewarded at Monte-Carlo Fashion Week
Local fashion brands Regenesi and Verabuccia were recognised for their work towards sustainability in the fashion industry during a conference at CREM, as part of Monte-Carlo Fashion Week.
Annabelle Jaeger-Seydoux, Monaco’s Director of the Mission for Energy Transition, began the conference on Wednesday, which tackled the issue of sustainability in the fashion industry, by outlining the Principality’s sustainability goals and objectives.
“The fashion industry is highly polluting,” Jaeger-Seydoux began. “This is an issue that we all want to tackle and it’s time that the industry changes. In Monaco, we have the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030, and to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.”
The fashion industry is also a key sector in allowing the Principality’s goals to be met. Guest speakers Matteo Ward and Claudio Betti began the conference by highlighting the issues that the industry must tackle. Matteo Ward revealed that over 70% of clothing is made of more than one fabric, thus rendering them unrecyclable.
“We don’t have the definitive solution,” added Claudio Betti, although the conference did allude to many different actions that will allow incremental progress towards solving the issues in the fashion industry.
Designer Ines Bensalah, creator of Inessa Creations Monaco and ambassador for the National Energy Transition Pact, spoke about the importance of sustainability, as did Alexis Giannotti, a local eco-friendly designer.
The conference therefore constituted an appreciation for the work being done by local designers, creators and leading industry figures, whilst the achievements of other, international sustainable brands were also recognised.
Verabuccia, an Italian company founded by Francesca Nori and Fabrizio Moiani, won the award for Sustainable Innovative Start-up with their products, which are made out of real pineapple peel waste.
Regensei also picked up an award for being a Circular Economy Pioneer. The Italian company gives discarded materials a new lease of life, by transforming them into designer goods such as bags.
The event was therefore important to recognise the work already being done by both local and international designers, whilst continuing to highlight the progress that must still be made.
Interview with Charles Leclerc: “I don’t believe in bad luck”
Speaking ahead of his home Grand Prix this weekend, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc says that he believes the “poor luck” he has experienced in Monaco, and more recently in Barcelona, will turn around, hopefully sooner rather than later.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen hit the front for the first time this season following victory at the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday, during a race in which Leclerc was forced to retire due to mechanical issues. In spite of that disappointment, which sees him head into the Monaco Grand Prix knocked off the perch that he had thus far occupied since the first race in Australia, Leclerc says he is concentrating on the positives.
“It’s true of course that we lost 1st place in the Championship and I would have preferred to come into my home race as the leader of the championship,” began the Monegasque during an interview with select media including Monaco Life. “It’s only a little detail at this point of the season. There are still 16 races to go; the season is yet long.”
“Before Barcelona, we were asking ourselves a lot of questions because it was true that we didn’t have the same performance as Red Bull in the race, especially in terms of tyre degradation. We were degrading them a lot, so we had difficulty keeping them behind us during the race. But in Barcelona, we found a lot of answers to our questions and it was a lot more positive,” he added.
Nonetheless, Leclerc revealed that, “it doesn’t change my approach for the weekend. I will just be giving 110% as I always do, as I’ve done since the start of the year. It’s true that it’s a very special Grand Prix for me because it’s at home, but it’s during exactly this kind of weekend that we mustn’t force things too much.”
Ferrari look particularly strong going into the weekend. Not only have they brought on upgrades, which will improve race performance, but the prancing horse’s performance in the low-to-medium speed corners in Catalunya is usually indicative of a car that will perform well in the tight streets of Monte-Carlo.
But as Leclerc said, the season is still young, and neither he nor his team are resting on their laurels. “The new upgrade has been positive. It has worked exactly as we expected it would. So that’s great news, because it isn’t always the case in F1. Sometimes there are differences between what we see on the computers and what we see when it is actually attached to the car,” he said.
“Tyre degradation was much better in Barcelona. It’s maybe too soon to say that it won’t trouble us in the remaining races, but we’ve clearly seen progress. We need a few more races before we can be certain that it’s working well. We also need to continue to push, because Red Bull are a very good team, especially in terms of car development. Now we’ve shown that the improvements work well, we have to bring on more to make another step,” Leclerc added.
Charles Leclerc at the Australian GP, photo credit: Scuderia Ferrari Press Office
It is not only the Red Bull that Ferrari must be wary of. Mercedes made huge improvements going into the Spanish Grand Prix, which duly reaped on-track rewards. George Russell earned a podium for a strong drive, whilst Lewis Hamilton fought his way back to fifth after receiving a puncture on the first lap, which demoted him to 19th.
Asked by Monaco Life whether he expects the Mercedes drivers to be title-challengers, he responded, “Mercedes have made big progress; we saw that in Barcelona. They are still a bit behind, but they are a lot closer than before, and you can never rule a team like Mercedes out of a Championship because, quite simply, they are a very strong team.”
However, he concluded by saying, “But with the levels of performance that I see at the moment, I do think it’ll be more between Red Bull and Ferrari.”
Currently, a two-horse-race for the Championship is emerging. Whilst Leclerc and Verstappen have managed to extract the maximum from their machinery, the same cannot be said for Carlos Sainz. Unlike Leclerc, team-mate Sainz has struggled to tame the single-seater, whose rear-end is known to be difficult to control. Sainz’s latest escapade in the gravel trap at Barcelona attested to that.
Nonetheless, Leclerc expects his team-mate to get to grips with the car and begin challenging for race wins soon, telling Monaco Life, “Last year he proved he is a very good driver, very quick. Carlos is solid and consistent. This year he has had a bit more of a difficult time in the opening races, but I think it’s only a matter of time before we see him at ease in the car and find him racing alongside me for the victory, allowing us to earn one-twos for Ferrari,” said Leclerc.
Should Sainz better or equal the second place that he earned in Monaco last year, Ferrari could well be on for a one-two finish. The Spaniard was the only Ferrari to run in that race after Leclerc’s Saturday mishap and subsequent mechanical issue on the Sunday. It was just the latest episode in a series of ill-fated runs for Leclerc around his home track.
But he told Monaco Life that he doesn’t believe in bad luck. “It’s true that when I look at the last races at home, and of course a couple of weeks ago, I haven’t been lucky, but I don’t believe in bad luck. I do, however, believe that there is balance in life. I’m sure that all those years off poor luck will be compensated for down the line. Hopefully, that will start this year,” he said.
Charles Leclerc at the Bahrain GP, photo credit: Scuderia Ferrari Press Office
Leclerc’s latest acquaintance with the Monte-Carlo barriers was made under-two weeks ago. During an exhibition lap in Niki Lauda’s iconic 1974 Ferrari, a mechanical failure sent him spinning at La Rascasse, subsequently damaging the rear-wing. But that crash doesn’t appear to have dented his confidence.
“It was unfortunately something that I couldn’t avoid, so there isn’t a loss of confidence from that. It was a problem with the motor, that happens in motorsport. Hopefully, this year in F1 it will go well, because it’s an important year and every point counts. I hope it will be a success,” said Leclerc.
Although atoning for those years of hurt would be cathartic for Leclerc, he is still looking at the bigger picture. Asked whether he prioritises a World Championship title or the top step of the podium in Monaco, his response was unequivocal: “I love Monaco, but if I really have to make the choice, then I’d prefer to be World Champion.”
Never has so much been riding on a Monaco Grand Prix for Leclerc. For the first time in his career, the romantic ideal of a victory on home turf plays second-fiddle to the larger Championship battle, although of course there is no reason why the two cannot co-exist. “I’ll try to do both: to win the Monaco Grand Prix and the World Championship.”
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Photos source: Scuderia Ferrari Press Centre. This interview was originally published on Wednesday 25th May 2022
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