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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
To apply for membership: https://jcemonaco.mc/devenir-membre/
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