The rise of AI in coaching: a new frontier for personal and professional development

18/03/2024

Artificial Intelligence has entered the sphere of personal and professional coaching, but can software really replicate the highly-personalised approach sought by disciples of the industry? According to Nadav Wilf, the founder of AlignCoach.ai, AI can do just that – and more.

When Monaco Life attended the recent KSMATCH Investor Lounge in Monaco, which connected innovative entrepreneurs with potential investors, one of the start-ups that stood out was AlignCoach.ai.

Founded by 42-year-old San Diego native Nadav Wilf, the company is blending traditional aspects of coaching with sophisticated technology that can intricately map human mindsets, emotions and thought patterns.

Wilf’s technology has the potential to transform the way coaches approach and navigate their clients’ needs by merging cognitive psychology, neuroscience and performance coaching with data gleaned by AI. The result, according to Wilf, who was inspired to create the company after suffering from anxiety and depression during his university years, is a faster and more streamlined path to self-awareness.

See more: K2MATCH Investor Lounge: an event connecting startups with investors

“AI is revolutionising how we approach personal and professional development,” he told Monaco Life. “We’re pioneering the use of AI to map the human mindset and speed up the journey to self-awareness and effective solution finding.”

By leveraging AI, AlignCoach.ai is also able to tackle the traditional obstacles of cost and accessibility that have previously restricted the widespread availability of effective coaching, much of which is practiced one-on-one.

As AI technology advances, its application within coaching signals a new era of the enhancement of human potential and extends beyond efficiency improvements into new areas of growth and insight.

“That is the power of AI,” Wilf enthused.

Nadav is offering a complimentary Align Coaching session to all Monaco Life readers. Sessions can be scheduled here.

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Pictured in main photo: Badr Moudden, co-founder of K2MATCH, and Nadav Wilf, CEO of AlignCoach.ai. Photo supplied

Meet Monaco’s newest citizens

by: Cassandra Tanti

18/03/2024

Around 70 people acquired Monegasque nationality in 2023. Last week, the Mairie welcomed its newest citizens at a special ceremony in the Town Hall.

On Thursday 14^th March, the Mairie hosted the traditional reception honouring individuals who acquired Monegasque nationality during the past year, either by law or by Sovereign Order.

Camille Svara, Deputy Mayor, along with Chloé Boscagli Leclerq, Charles Maricic, Georges Gambarini, Nada Lorenzi, Nathalie Vaccarezza, and Jean-Luc Puyo, members of the Communal Council, welcomed around 30 new Monegasque citizens in the Wedding Hall. They were among 68 individuals who acquired Monegasque nationality in 2023.

Camille Svara extended a warm “welcome to the large Monegasque family” to the attendees before presenting them with symbolic gifts including a reproduction of the original document of the Monegasque national anthem, penned in 1931 by Monegasque poet Louis Notari.

The reception concluded with the rendition of the anthem by the Children’s Choir of the Rainier III Academy.

As of 31st December 2023, there were 9,790 Monegasque citizens recorded; 67% of them acquired Monegasque nationality through lineage, 19% through marriage, and 14% through Sovereign Order of Naturalisation.

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Photo source: Mairie de Monaco

Musée Océanographique de Monaco announces date of its annual recruitment day

by: Niki Borisova

18/03/2024

Just over 20 exciting positions at the Musée Océanographique de Monaco will be up for grabs at the annual jobs fair next month, with each offering successful applicants a unique opportunity to get involved with a leading aquarium and conservation space.

The Musée Océanographique de Monaco has announced that its annual recruitment event will be taking place on Friday 12th April between 10am and 4pm.

In total, the establishment is looking for 22 new members of staff to help with the running of the museum and its many facilities during the upcoming summer season, and from reception staff and educators to accountants and technical support, there is a great range of opportunities on offer.

20 of the roles will be full-time postings spanning April to September, but there’s also a permanent Assistant Accountant position on the list as well as a 12-month contract for an Audiovisual Technician.

Jobseekers will be met and interviewed by managers at the museum, who will be able to share their insights into the workings of this popular tourism destination.

Prior registration is required and the form can be found here. Please note that candidates need to be at least 18 years old by their contract start date.

Read related:

Pelagos Sanctuary goes digital with new immersive conservation experience

Photo credit: M. Dagnino / Musée Océanographique de Monaco

“A love letter to jewellery”: Sotheby’s to auction spectacular private collection in Geneva and Paris this May

by: Stephanie Horsman

18/03/2024

One of the world’s greatest private jewellery collections ever to come to auction is to go under the gavel at dual Sotheby’s sales in Geneva and Paris in May.

Over the course of two days, more than 250 exquisite 20th century pieces, including a vast number of René Boivin-signed accessories, will be sold by the acclaimed auction house of Sotheby’s.

The Geneva portion of the sales – 46 of these exceptional items – will be taking place during Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels sale on 12th May while the remaining pieces will be presented on 14th May in London as part of the ‘Iconic Jewels: Her Sense of Style’ event.

TOP NAMES

““When you come across a jewellery collection as consistently stunning and substantial as ‘Iconic Jewels: Her Sense of Style’, it’s a heart-stopping moment – the kind you know you’ll never forget,” says Marie-Cécile Cisamolo, a jewellery specialist at Sotheby’s Geneva. “This collection, with its many dazzling signed jewels from the most beloved and sought-after design periods in jewellery history, is truly one-of-a-kind and one of the most important private jewellery collections I’ve ever seen. It is an incredibly powerful and sophisticated love letter to jewellery from an enlightened private collector, which I know will inspire other collectors and connoisseurs all around the world.”

The pieces, which represent a range in styles as diverse as Art Nouveau, Belle Epoque, Art Deco and Modernism, come from some of the most prestigious jewellery houses in the world, including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, Boucheron, Chaumet, David Webb, Mauboussin, Marina B, Sterlé and Mellerio dits Meller.

The real draws in this collection, however, are from Parisian jewellery marque René Boivin. The sale will feature the largest selection of the house’s jewellery ever to come to auction.

STANDOUT PIECES

In a collection of exceptional pieces, there are nevertheless a few that really are very special. Among them: a Cartier Panthère bangle from 1969 that is estimated to sell for between €260,000 and €360,000; Bulgari earrings once owned by Baroness di Portanova that are set with two intense yellow diamonds each weighing just under 10 carats and are projected to sell for €416,000 to €623,000; and a gold, sapphire and diamond René Boivin necklace and earrings set from 1947, which is expected to fetch in the vicinity of €52,000.

For those who can’t attend the auctions in person, online bidding is taking place from 2nd to 16th May on www.sothebys.com.

Read related:

Jean Cocteau and Jean Marais haven listed by Sotheby’s for €13.7 million

Photos courtesy of Sotheby’s

Formula E: Maserati MSG Racing’s Maximilian Günther turns last place into ninth in Brazil

by: Stephanie Horsman

18/03/2024

The Brazilian E-Prix was full of twists and turns, not least of which was the remarkable comeback of Monaco-based Maserati MSG Racing’s Maximilian Günther, who, despite starting in last due to a grid penalty, clawed his way up to a ninth-place finish.

The race, which was held in São Paolo’s Sambadrome on 16th March, was the fourth of the 2024 Formula E season.

The practice rounds held great promise for 26-year-old Maximilian Günther and his teammate, Jehan Daruvala, but the young German’s troubles began when he was docked for a gearbox and inverter change.

Although Maserati MSG Racing chiefs said that the move was “strategically made to unlock performance”, Günther was at a severe disadvantage when it caused him to be moved to the back of the grid with a 40-place grid penalty for the race.

This put him in 22nd position with a 10-second stop-go penalty attached to make up for the full 40-place penalty.

Despite this, Günther slowly manoeuvred his way past his opponents, aided by the need for a Safety Car on the seventh lap, to achieve an impressive ninth place.

“Today, we made the impossible possible,” he said post-race. “Starting from last with the grid penalty and then serving the 10-second stop-go was a big task, but we did the best job we could. To finish ninth with points from such a circumstance is just an amazing feeling. I think we can all be very proud. It was the best possible recovery and outcome from this strategic penalty, and this will put us in a good position for the rest of the season.”

Maximilian Günther clawed his way back from a P22 start and a 10-second stop-go penalty to earn some crucial points for his team, the Monaco-based Maserati MSG Racing, thanks to his P9 finish. Photo credit: Maserati MSG Racing Media Centre

Daruvala, who joined the Monaco-based team this season, finished the race in P15.

“Today’s race wasn’t easy at all,” said the 25-year-old Mumbai native. “It was my first experience of Formula E’s peloton style, and it isn’t what I expected, but it was good to get some more laps under my belt and I feel like I learned a lot. After four races, I feel quite confident in the car, especially in qualifying. My goal now is to improve my long-run pace. If I can do that, I think we could be in with a shot at points in Tokyo, which will be a new circuit for everybody.”

WINNER’S CIRCLE

Günther’s incredible comeback wasn’t the only success story to come out of the Brazil stage.

A last lap pass by McLaren’s Sam Bird, overtaking Jaguar’s Mitch Evans, gave the McLaren team their first-ever Formula E victory. The podium was rounded out by fellow McLaren driver Olivier Rowland, whose fancy footwork on the final bend saw him pass Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein, who finished fourth, and Andretti’s fifth-placed Jake Dennis.

Read related:

Formula E: Maserati MSG Racing announce 2024 driver lineup

Photo credit: Maserati MSG Racing Media Centre

Real Estate: Why did property sales fall by 20% in Monaco in 2023?

by: Elsa Carpenter

18/03/2024

2023 was an interesting year for Monaco’s real estate market. The number of properties sold was down 20%, but the type of dwellings that did find buyers helped to significantly cushion the blow in terms of value.

Not one single real estate development was completed in the Principality in 2023, making it the first year since IMSEE started tracking Monaco’s property market via the annual Real Estate Observatory report to record such a deficit.

In comparison, four projects were completed during 2022: Villa Trianon, L’Exotique EVOS, Villa Portofino and Villa Farniente II. The delivery of these homes helped boost the new-build sector of the market that year, whereas 2023’s figures have clearly suffered because of an “absence of transactions involving new properties”.

As confirmed by IMSEE’s Q4 2023 Real Estate report, over the course of the year, the new-build portion of the market in the Principality retracted by a colossal 68.2%. Just 28 new properties were sold last year compared to 88 in 2022.

Nevertheless, the type of new-build properties that did match with buyers in 2023, namely larger family-sized homes, helped to reduce the weight of the falling volume by demanding high prices. Overall, value in the new-build sector fell by a much less striking 12.7% to just over €1 billion.

See more: Real Estate: Family homes dominate Monaco’s property market growth

The resale market also slowed, but less dramatically. Over the course of 2023, 388 resales were noted by Monaco’s Department of Tax Services, which is a 10.2% fall on 2022’s 432 transactions.

Again, the decrease in the overall value of these resales was more moderate than the dip in volume. 2023’s €2.19 billion resale market value puts it ahead of 2021 and 2020, but behind 2022.

When combined, the sales in the new-build and resales sectors generated €3.23 billion in 2023, which is a record after a stellar 2022.

See more: Real estate: essential insights for navigating the property market in Monaco

The reasons behind the fall experienced by Monaco’s resale market last year are less obvious than in the new-build sector, but it would appear that even the well-off seeking to buy a place in the Principality may have struggled with the historically high mortgage rates felt across Europe and much of the wider world in 2023.

To read the Q4 Economic Bulletin for yourself, click here.

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Photo by Monaco Life

Day: 18 March 2024

The rise of AI in coaching: a new frontier for personal and professional development

Meet Monaco’s newest citizens

Musée Océanographique de Monaco announces date of its annual recruitment day