The Monaco born and bred Beefbar brand has expanded its international presence with the opening of the group’s 40th eatery. After taking the name to destinations such as London, Paris, Dubai, Hong Kong and New York, this latest restaurant is to be found in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi.
Beefbar was an instant hit when it opened in the port of Fontvieille in Monaco back in 2005. The now global brand describes itself as a “reference for meat lovers” and has gone from strength to strength since that first address, with this new location in Tbilisi representing its 40th venture.
Found in the five-star hotel complex of Central Park Towers in the Georgian capital, the restaurant is also the seventh Le Petit Beefbar-styled locale. Other branches of the concept, the brainchild of Riccardo Giraudi, include Beefbar Asia, Beefbar Deli and the soon-to-come Leafbar, a vegan offshoot.
Like with all Beefbar-signed restaurants, specialty meats, such as Wagyu, Black Angus and Kobe beef are the stars of the show in Tbilisi, but the menu is also complemented by “recipes inspired by brasseries”.
Central Park Towers caters to a clientele that chooses the hotel as a “lifestyle destination” – it boats a variety of international restaurants, a casino, its own shopping centre, a spa and even a concert hall – and the developers of the complex, the Orbi Group and Block, are said to have hand-picked Le Petit Beefbar to join the prestigious ranks of the hotel’s offerings.
JCEM President Clément Maréchal speaks with Monaco Life about the “transitional and challenging” year ahead for this organisation of young leaders as well as the ambitions he strives to accomplish during his mandate.
Clément Maréchal is the elected Junior Economic Chamber of Monaco (JCEM) National President for 2024. He had previously been Vice-President of Business Development. His vision for the current year is AIM — Ambition, Impact, Members; a roadmap to expand their aspirations, influence, and members benefits.
Maréchal sees JCEM Monaco’s affiliation with the flagship JCI (Junior Chamber International) as an exceptional opportunity for members to connect to a centenary old global organisation of around 200,000 young active citizens representing more than a hundred countries worldwide.
He explains how JCEM helps develop young people’s leadership and entrepreneurial skills, helping them connect within Monaco and internationally by giving them access to a rich global network through JCI, empowering them to grow and create positive change.
Maréchal believes their program for business creation motivates members to think outside the box, challenging them to go beyond their limits and learn by association. Their active collaboration with JCEM’s sponsors and the Monaco Economic Board (MEB) further exposes members to accomplished business people from all industry sectors and nationalities.
Monaco Life: Can you briefly tell us about yourself?
Clément Maréchal: I am a 28-year-old resident, born and raised in the Principality. After spending a few years in various countries, notably France and England to pursue my studies, I moved back home to put my experience and skills to good use. After a long absence, I joined JCEM to reconnect with my country’s economic base and benefit from their local and international network.
I work in sales, rentals, and marketing as a real estate broker at a well-established family agency.
What does it mean to you to have been elected president of JCEM?
It is a great honour to represent this global movement at the Monaco level during this exciting year. I am grateful and satisfied that the members believe the program we have worked on with the team is the right move for the future of our association. This year is transitional and full of challenges, but I am confident we can tackle them all with my Board of accomplished men and women.
Prince Albert II with, from left to right, Juan Larrauri, Eloise Marshall, Pierre-Alexandre ROUSSELOT, Hanna DERRIEN, Marie-Gisèle FRINGANT PEDROZO, Clément MARECHAL, Lucas DUBOIS, Mathilde LABAUNE, Valentine BROUARD TILLIER, Cédric CAVAS. Source: JCEM
What is your ambition for JCEM during your mandate?
The goal is to raise our impact level on Monaco’s economy, plain and simple. We want to expand our aspirations, influence, and members’ benefits. To that effect, we have implemented the ‘AIM’ roadmap—Ambition-Impact-Members, with multiple specific actions and levers to reach our objectives.
Do you think a year is enough to plan and execute your goals?
I would love to have additional time to implement the program entirely. Still, we only get 12 months to accomplish our objectives and impact the future generation positively.
On the bright side, I firmly believe that our action plan is marking a new JCEM cycle and will be helpful for the next three to five years. I am also very confident that having the next leader on my Board, who shares the same ideas and values, will guarantee the program’s continuity beyond my mandate.
Who are the people on your team?
The 2024 National Board comprises 10 members responsible for managing a specific association section. I have selected them for their experience, ambition, desire to improve, and willingness to make a positive impact. The team combines experienced JCEM members working alongside new ones, blending expertise and creativity and ensuring continuity.
The Members of the Board are Valentine Brouard Tillier, General Secretary; Marion Soler, Treasurer; Marie Gisèle Fringant, Immediate Past President; Eloise Marshall, VP Personnel Development; Cedric Cavassino, VP Entrepreneurship; Hanna Derrien, VP of Economic Attractiveness; Lucas Dubois, VP International; Pierre-Alexandre Rousselot, VP Internal Strategy and Development; Mathilde Labaune, VP Communication & Media; and Juan Larrauri, Head of Sponsorships
Additionally, eleven Project Managers report to the respective board members. They are responsible for planning, organising, and managing the completion of each project while ensuring that it delivers the expected results on time and budget.
“JCEM enables access to an extended network of professionals from all sectors within the Principality.”
What are the benefits of being a JCEM member?
One of the main advantages is that it enables access to an extended network of professionals from all sectors within the Principality. At the international level, JCI allows excellent connections with like-minded young managers and entrepreneurs worldwide.
Another significant benefit is being part of a larger organisation that enriches our professional lives by participating in impactful events on the Monaco economic stage and abroad. It is all about getting out of our comfort zones to gain new experiences and skills while amplifying our network with bright individuals from diverse nationalities and horizons.
Board members and project heads 2024, from left to right: Mathilde Labaune, Sarah Assayag-Edery, Lucas Dubois, Anya Kozlova, Morgan Teissier, Camille Lopez, Pierre-Alexandre Rousselot, Valentine Brouard Tillier, Clément Marechal, Marion Soler, Cédric Cavassino, Madina Ibrahimkhel, Arnaud Pujalté, Marie-Gisèle Fringant Pedrozo, Juan Larrauri , Eloise Roux, Alex Mattelon, Clara Rosso, Audrey Trueba. Source: JCEM
Can you please tell us about the Business Creation training cycle offered to JCEM members?
One of the main events of the JCEM is the Start-Up Challenge (Concours de Creation d’Entreprise), giving access to a total cash prize of over €60.000. For candidates to reach their full potential for the Challenge, JCEM provides a cycle of training throughout the year, with diverse subjects to learn every skill needed to present a solid business plan to the jury.
These training sessions are conducted with local experts, offering insights and exclusive information to participants. We have speakers from multiple government services and our sponsoring companies.
What is JCE-Connect?
The JCE Connect is our new concept for 2024, highly inspired by our famous event, ‘Success Drink’, developed and carried out in previous years. This after-work gathering enhances networking between our members and guest participants. The goal is to organise it monthly in different exceptional locations to offer a quality networking experience.
We open it to the public, aiming to create as many connections as possible for the participants. Our next event will be organised in an exclusive undisclosed location at the end of March. Stay tuned; our website and social networks will announce more details soon.
Please explain the concept behind the new event called the Start-Up Meeting.
The idea behind our new project, ‘Start-up Meeting’, is relatively straightforward. Public speaking and pitching an idea are critical in project construction and presentation. It is one of the most essential professional skills in nearly every industry. But it is also something people commonly fear but can master.
The Start-up Challenge is the pinnacle of our year, and we want to get every candidate ready for it. Therefore, we will organise monthly meetings for participants to practice their skills and exchange ideas with their peers in an informal atmosphere to reduce unnecessary pressure.
The objective is to allow anyone to come and present an idea and then let other participants and experts challenge it. The goal is to develop new synergies and connections by offering opportunities to get instant constructive feedback from individuals going through the same experience.
“JCEM offers an extended local and international network of bright young minds wishing to impact the Principality positively.”
In which ways does JCEM assist young entrepreneurs?
The objective of the events we propose is to help young entrepreneurs is threefold: The first is personal development, achieved through our training and networking meetings, to offer the occasion to develop new skills and create valuable connections within the financial sector in Monaco.
The second is the economic attractiveness division, offering conferences to get access to exclusive information and expertise from highly ranked successful executives. The third is our entrepreneurship program, offering many opportunities to present a project, get challenged, meet with peers, get inspired by successful individuals, and finally participate in our national Start-up Challenge, supported by the Government and Athos Partners, our historical event partner.
Furthermore, JCEM offers an extended local and international network of bright young minds wishing to impact the Principality positively.
How does JCEM collaborate with the Monaco Economic Board (MEB)?
JCEM and MEB have been collaborating closely for many years, and JCEM has a representative on the Board of the MEB, and vice versa; MEB has a representative among our members.
We collaborate often, as our vision and goals for a better Monaco align well, giving the synergies an edge for contributing to developing the Monegasque economy.
Why do you encourage young entrepreneurs to join JCEM?
I firmly believe that entrepreneurship is a collective adventure. Being part of the JCEM network opens many doors, helps develop many skills, and shares the road with our 90+ members who bring different competencies.
Our strong links with the Institutions in the Principality and the JCI affiliates worldwide, plus our exciting programs and events, constitute the perfect combination for success!
AS Monaco have emerged victorious from a challenging EuroLeague game against Alba Berlin, but only just.
During the away fixture on 14th March, Alba Berlin initially took the lead, but AS Monaco’s players staged an impressive comeback through a 12-32 second-quarter surge. This pivotal moment ensured that the Roca Team could withstand Alba’s later push and ultimately clinched their 19th season win. The game ended 82-90.
Key to AS Monaco’s triumph were standout performances from Elie Okobo and Mike James, who together contributed 41 points.
Following the action on court, Sasa Obradovic, the Roca Team coach, remarked, “It wasn’t an easy game, and we didn’t play the way we wanted to, with a few mistakes. We have to stay focused for the future. To use this game to realise that we can’t let our opponents come back like we did tonight.”
This latest triumph extends AS Monaco’s winning streak to eight games and elevates their position in the EuroLeague. Their next challenge in the EuroLeague will be a home game slated for 20th March against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan.
Back in December, the French government announced that it was preparing to take a “major leap” by introducing the Singapore Method into the teaching of mathematics in schools around the country. Now, that transition has begun.
Maths can be daunting for many students. Unlike other subjects, where shades of grey filter in, answers are either wrong or right in this field, and children who don’t fully grasp the concepts being taught often get left behind.
The Singapore Method, which is now gradually being introduced to French classrooms, is an alternative way of teaching the subject. It teaches step-by-step processes to ensure children not only understand but also make connections between different mathematical practices in a fun and engaging way.
HOW IT WORKS
According to Monica Neagoy, who holds a doctorate in mathematics education and is the Director of the Singapore Method collection for the Librairie des Écoles scholastic manuals, the approach “places the child at the centre, taking into account maturity, curiosity and, above all, pleasure”.
France has adopted a three-headed approach – manipulate, represent, abstract – to ease children into complicated concepts by using visuals to assist in learning.
The manipulation phase allows students to physically handle objects in staged situations and emphasises the use of maths in day-to-day life. The representation phase adds in diagrams, drawings and charts that use the mathematical symbols mastered in the manipulation stage. Students then move into the abstraction phase, where they break down maths problems into easy-to-manage sections.
Active participation is encouraged between instructor and pupils in a bid to give students the confidence to ask questions and indeed to ask for help.
ATTITUDE COUNTS
Perhaps the biggest departure from the old way of teaching maths is the Singapore Method’s positive spirit: mistakes are all part of the journey.
“When mathematics becomes a litany of formulas, definitions, procedures and ‘how to do it’ without any ‘why’, then it is the beginning of the end of the love for mathematics,” says Neagoy. “That is an intellectual crime. The child has not yet even tasted real mathematics. When you understand, when you see a connection – regardless of finding the result – there is jubilation, absolute joy.”
Ahead of this Sunday’s Monaco Cycling Criterium, the government has announced a series of road closures and parking restrictions in and around Port Hercule for the duration of the weekend.
The 49th edition of the Monaco Cycling Criterium is set to take place on Sunday 17th March and the layout of the course, which is just over a kilometre in length and encompasses the Route de la Piscine, Avenue J. F. Kenndey and Boulevard Albert I, will require the closure of roads in the Port Hercule area as well as limitations on street parking.
Between 6.30am and 6.30pm on the day of the sporting event, the Quai des États-Unis, Route de la Piscine, Avenue J. F. Kenndey and the Darse Sud will be out of bounds to motorists.
Local residents with vehicles parked between Boulevard Louis II and the Quai des Études will still have access, but a diversion towards the Carrefour du Portier will be put in place during these hours.
From Saturday at 11pm until Sunday at 6.30pm, only the service access on Boulevard Albert I will be open to road users, while two-way traffic will be permitted between the Rocher-Noghès tunnel and the port car park. It should be noted that all traffic will be banned from turning towards Boulevard Albert I from the Quai Antoine I.
Some bus routes will also be affected by the event. The Stade Nautique and Princesse Antoinette pick-ups and drop-offs will be roadside stops while Ligne 1 will be rerouted via Avenue d’Ostende between 6.30am and 6.30pm on the Sunday.
Parking restrictions
During these same hours, parking will be forbidden on the section of the Quai des États-Unis that runs from the restricted access area to the intersection with the Route de la Piscine. Vehicles will also be unable to park on the Route de la Piscine, the Louis Chiron bend, the Jules Soccal wharf, the Darse Sud, Boulevard Albert I and the Quai Antoine I between the Rocher-Noghès tunnel and the Quai Antoine I car park.
Monaco’s Place du Palais came alive with a vibrant celebration for Prince Albert II’s 66th birthday on Thursday, marking a day of unity, tradition, and national pride among the Monegasque people.
Place du Palais became the epicentre of celebration for Prince Albert II’s 66th birthday on the morning of 14th March, drawing an impressive crowd of long-term residents, visitors, and enthusiastic supporters, all unified in their admiration for the Princely family. The air was filled with chants of “Bravo notre Prince!” as Prince Albert II, alongside Princess Charlene and their twins, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriela, greeted the crowd of people waving Monaco flags that bore ‘Bon Aniversari!’ – a Monegasque salute to Happy Birthday.
The presence of Princess Stephanie on a Palace balcony, accompanied by her son Louis Ducruet and his wife, Marie Ducruet, alongside Princess Caroline with her children, Pierre and Charlotte Casiraghi, added to the day’s grandeur.
The family’s unity was obvious as they collectively waved from the Palace balcony, before Prince Albert and his family descended to the Palace square to take part in the cutting of a beautifully tiered cake adorned with Monegasque symbols and the heartfelt inscription ‘Bon aniversari munsignu’.
The event was not just about festivity, it embodied a profound expression of national pride and the deep-rooted connection between the Monegasques and their sovereign family. A local resident, unable to contain their pride, told Monaco Life, “It’s days like these that remind us how proud we are of our Prince and the family’s dedication to our country.” The sentiment was echoed by another who had taken time off work to participate in the birthday celebration.
Even those from neighbouring regions, such as a supporter from Menton, felt a sense of familial duty to partake in the event, viewing it as “honouring a family tradition”.
As the Princely family mingled with the crowd, shaking hands and exchanging greetings with well-wishers, the atmosphere was filled with a sense of unity, tradition, and a spirit of national pride. The celebration was a demonstration of the bond between the Monegasques, the residents, and the visitors with their beloved Prince.
Monaco Life was there! See more in our Instagram reel below…
