MEB announces its agenda and new membership formula

Entrepreneurs and officials again turned out in force for the 47th Members Rendezvous networking cocktail. Michel Dotta paid tribute to Etienne Franzi’s actions at the head of AMAF* while Lionel Galfré raised companies awareness of the Handipact initiative and Guillaume Rose outlined MEB events for the next six months and a new Premium membership category.

Over 300 entrepreneurs gathered for another successful Members Rendezvous of meetings and networking on Thursday 18 January at the Méridien Beach Plaza, attended by local officials.

In his new year message, Michel Dotta paid tribute to Etienne Franzi who has just handed over presidency of AMAF to Robert Laure after 25 years in the post. The MEB Chairman praised him for his “remarkable work which has transformed an employer union into an institution with a key role to play in our economy,” before recalling how AMAF, loyal partner of MEB in promoting Monaco abroad, “actively participates in the ongoing effort to make the Principality a benchmark and respected financial centre”.

Next to speak was Lionel Galfré, Technical Advisor in the Government responsible for people with disabilities. The former MonacoTech Director reminded the audience that people with disabilities worked and consumed like others, calling on businesses to work with the Government to achieve its goal to make Monaco a land of excellence when it comes to inclusion through its recently launched “Handipact” initiative.

MEB CEO Guillaume Rose then outlined a packed agenda that awaits MEB members in the first half of the year before announcing a new two tier membership, Classic or Premium, with the new Premium offering more membership services and six key advantages:

1. Participation of up to five people instead of two at events and activities organised by MEB (subject to availability);
2. Priority registration for all events and activities;
3. Opportunity to participate in an exclusive annual event for Premium members;
4. Priority for invitations that MEB distributes from its partners (events, shows, etc.);
5. Opportunity to appear on a new section of the MEB website called "Our Premium companies". Every Premium member will have their own communication page;
6. Support from MEB’s communications team when dealing with local media.

MEB offers all members a busy and varied programme for the next six months:

• Trade Missions to Riyadh (23-27 January), Morocco (16-19 April), London (10-13 June);
• Hosting business delegations from Tunisia (22 February) and Austria (18 April);
• A session of one-to-one meetings between member companies (April);
• Talks by renowned economists: Jean-Christophe Caffet, Coface (8 February), Christophe Barraud, Market Securities (16 May) and English-speaking speakers, dates to be announced soon, before Alexandre Bubbio and his team at IMSEE give their annual preview of key statistical data from its latest Monaco en Chiffres publication (20 June);
• Themed conferences on Monaco’s Freeport (5 April) and sport and business with the Eco Monaco Club - Nice-Matin Group (9 April).

Finally, Guillaume Rose promoted the Government’s annual conference focused on PropTech (12 March) organised by Extended Monaco in partnership with MEB and invited interested companies to take part in the second Employment Forum (19 February), also organised by the Government in an expanded format following the success of the first edition.

All in all a most instructive networking event for stakeholders present who play such a vital role in the Principality’s economy.

* AMAF: Monaco for Finance (Association Monégasque des Activités Financières)