NEWS Companies The following Company News section covers activities and events of Chamber members. It provides up-todate information and coverage, with the intention of promoting their know-how and achievements.
Eurostar launches guaranteed boarding for its Business Premier customers ||| Eurostar has launched at the beginning of May a guaranteed boarding service for its flagship Business Premier class. The Eurostar Business Premier ‘Boarding Guarantee’, will exclusively offer Business Premier passengers guaranteed access to the train of their choice regardless of their reservation. This means business customers can feel confident that if they arrive late or even early for their train they will be able to board another service, without having to join a stand-by queue. The ‘Boarding Guarantee’ is available at Eurostar stations on the same day of travel as the original booking. Wherever possible, customers will be accommodated in Business Premier coaches and where
this is not possible, travel will still be guaranteed in either Standard Premier or Standard class.
Eurotunnel Group revenues grow almost a quarter ||| The Eurotunnel Group recorded growth in its revenues for the first quarter of 2011 driven by an increase in its core activity, the transport of trucks and passenger vehicles on board its Shuttles, which grew by 14 percent to €81.7 million compared to the same period in the previous year. Total revenues for the Eurotunnel Group for the first quarter of 2011 have increased to €179.2 million, a growth of 24 percent compared to 2010. Revenues arising from the use of the railway network by Eurostar passenger trains and train operators’ rail freight services rose to €59.9 million and also grew, by 5 percent during the first quarter. “Eurotunnel has made excellent progress in all its strategic activities as a result of its long term strengths: customer service and protection of the environment, whilst the ferries which use bunker fuel have to apply fuel surcharges. Our rail freight business is developing as planned through the efforts of the dynamic teams at Great Britain Rail Freight (GBRf) in the UK and Europorte in France” commented Jacques Gounon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Eurotunnel Group.
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NEWS
Cofely, a GDF SUEZ company, delivers low carbon district energy across Leicester ||| Cofely has signed a 25 year contract with Leicester City Council (LCC) to link and extend four existing district heating schemes across the City of Leicester. The work will be delivered through a new subsidiary company – Leicester District Energy Company – with an investment of £14m by Cofely and additional funding from the Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP)1. The project will realise a long-held ambition of LCC to optimise the performance of its existing district heating schemes and will also significantly broaden the use of low carbon heating within Leicester. The low carbon energy schemes are due to go live during 2012, serving 3,000 dwellings across six housing
estates, as well as 15 civic buildings, through 7km of insulated pipework. When all of the first phases are delivered (including the City Council, the University and the Penitentiary centre), the scheme will use a combination of over 5 MW of low carbon gas-fired combined heat & power (CHP) and biomass boilers to achieve CO2 emissions savings of 12,000 tonnes per annum. A second phase of the project will extend the scheme to include HMP Leicester and the University of Leicester. Cofely will assume operational responsibility for the existing schemes in late spring 2011. 1 Community Energy Saving Programme targets households across the UK, in areas of low income, to improve energy efficiency standards, and reduce fuel bills. The programme is delivered through the development of community-based partnerships between Local Authorities (LAs), community groups and energy companies.
Peugeot nabs patent accolade again ||| For the fourth year in a row PSA Peugeot Citroën has been recognised as France’s leading patent applicant. The company released 1,152 patents in 2010. Innovations included hill assist devices, grip control traction for slippery surfaces, and windshield head-up vision displays of speedometers. In addition PSA, the second largest car maker based in Europe and sixth
throughout the world, introduced the novel “stop and start” system shutdown to reduce CO2 emissions. Plus it patented new features to protect pedestrians and improve emergency braking systems. • Sales of Peugeot cars rose by 8.8 percent in March 2011 compared to a year earlier, while Citroën sales climbed 19.2 percent over the same period.
Recommended offer by KSE for Arsenal Holdings Wenger whom he has stated is a wonderful manager. KSE has also stated that the offer will not be funded by debt finance secured against the Club. The Independent Directors of Arsenal comprising of Mr Hill-Wood, Ivan Gazidis, Ken Friar, Sir Chips Keswick and Lord Harris of Peckham have considered these confirmations as well as the offer price and, having received advice from an independent adviser, Rothschild, are recommending that shareholders accept the offer.
© flickr/atomicShed
||| As part of the offer KSE, which is a company owned by existing Arsenal Director Stan Kroenke, has committed to continue to operate the Club in line with our existing self-sustaining business model. Mr Kroenke has a proven track record of successful long-term investment in sport and has confirmed that he has asked the existing Board to remain in place. This includes Mr Peter Hill-Wood as Chairman. Mr Kroenke is also fully supportive of Manager Arsène
The Emirates Stadium
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NEWS
EDF Energy signs 2 partnerships with London Landmarks: The London Eye and Tower Bridge ||| On the 25th of January, before sunrise, the iconic EDF Energy London Eye cast a brilliant light across London to symbolise a low carbon vision for the Capital and beyond. It marked the launch of EDF Energy’s threeyear sponsorship with Merlin Entertainment’s iconic attraction - the London Eye. This symbolic sunrise aims to help Britons to take action against climate change and sign up to Team Green Britain (teamgreenbritain.org), a growing group of people, schools and communities engaged in tackling climate change. Joining the team is TV personality Myleene Klass who has pledged to start living a more sustainable lifestyle and support EDF Energy’s low carbon vision for London. As well as using its expertise as Britain’s largest producer of low carbon electricity to help Merlin reduce the London Eye’s overall carbon footprint, EDF Energy will guarantee that every single unit of energy used by the EDF Energy London Eye is matched with energy generated from low carbon sources. On the 21 April, the Mayor of London has also announced a deal between City Hall, City of London Corporation, EDF and GE to install a state-of-the-art energy-efficient lighting system on Tower Bridge. As
TV Personality • Myleene Klass
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well as helping to cut carbon and reduce energy costs, the project will enhance this global icon’s architectural features at night. If given planning permission, this will deliver LEDs and flexible lighting and a new cabling system to complement the bridge’s features - such as its gothic turrets, central aerial walkway and suspension chains - in colours sensitive to its listed building status. The lighting system will be flexible, allowing for both varying colours and intensity of light, enabling Tower Bridge to respond to special events in a unique and spectacular manner. The project must now obtain the necessary planning permissions but if successful, work could start by September and be completed by spring 2012, in time for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Commercial agreements have now been signed between all relevant parties and a detailed planning application is being drawn-up. Vincent de Rivaz, Chief Executive at EDF Energy said “As Britain’s largest producer of low carbon electricity, EDF Energy is leading the energy change. We are working with Government, transport providers, attractions, business and institutions to help create a city, and country that’s more sustainable and enjoyable for visitors and residents alike.
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Saint-Gobain central to MediaCityUK
The new MediaCityUK development is set to house key departments of the BBC
||| Overlooking The Lowry and Imperial War Museum on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal, the landmark MediaCityUK development is Europe’s biggest dedicated media centre. It is set to become the new home for the BBC in the North following a decision to relocate key London-based departments, including BBC Sport, BBC Children’s and Radio 5 Live to the site in 2011. The new facility will house TV and radio studios, a five storey office building and a mix of commercial and residential areas. As part of the multi-million pound
project, a number of Saint-Gobain companies were able to provide systems to meet acoustic high standards. SaintGobain PAM supplied its Ensign above ground drainage system. Used throughout the MediaCityUK complex, this consists of lightweight cast-iron socket-less pipes and fittings in 50 to 600mm diameters which are connected by a unique, two-piece ductile-iron coupling. The system was chosen for the project as it is the quietest above ground drainage system available on the market.
Pernod Ricard hopes the spirit is willing… ||| French drinks giant Pernod Ricard has bold plans for UK tipplers to sip more premium spirits. To that end it has launched its “Premium Edge” initiative. Aimed at both the on-and-off trade and operating on both sides of the Channel, the campaign offers special displays, limited edition packs and educational material to retailers who seek higher margins during parched times. In the British context premium implies bottles worth £13 or more. Currently premium consumption makes up 31 percent of the spirits market in Britain
compared to 46 percent in the USA. To reach that Stateside target the company will stress attributes of heritage, quality, exclusivity and style. Tastes differ, however, depending on whether you are standing in a pub or shopping for a special occasion in an off-licence. According to market research, bartenders favour pushing premium scotch whereas consumers prefer to spend more for pricier vodkas. Pernod Ricard owns such legendary brands as Chivas Regal cognac, Absolut vodka, The Glenlivet whisky and Beefeater gin.
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NEWS
Renault - rolling out new electric vehicle range ||| 100 years ago, electric vehicles (EVs) were a common sight in the streets of Europe and the USA. In fact, their reasonable cost and the absence of unpleasant smells, noise, and most importantly the need to hand crank, made them perfect city cars and delivery vans. This was until mass production methods and the invention of the electric starter brought about the internal combustion engine-dominated (ICE) world that we know today. After decades, which saw EVs confined to golf buggies and milk floats, they came back onto the scene when General Motors built and trialled its EV1 in the mid 1990s. The 2006 documentary film ‘Who killed the Electric Car’ narrates its short but busy life. It seemed that EVs’ time was yet to come, but in the last few years, we have seen a major increase in interest.
Main Breakthrough So, why are EVs now returning to the market? The main breakthrough is probably the development of LithiumIon batteries, which are already widely used in laptops and mobile phones. And the reason for this is what
Source charging stations will give a full charge in 6-8 hours
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is known as ‘energy density’ or the capacity to store energy relative to the weight of the battery (measured in kWh/kg) which is vastly superior to conventional Nickel-Cadmium or Lead-Acid batteries, allowing range over 100 miles (160km). A range of 100 miles is not a limitation that we have traditionally experienced, and it gives rise to the socalled ‘range anxiety’. It is clear that EVs will not suit every usage profile, but data proves their relevance: 32 percent of Clio-sized cars will never make journeys longer than 150km1 and 90 percent of car journeys in London are less than 10 miles2. Delivery vans and commuters are obvious targets, and early field trials show that drivers quickly overcome their anxiety, as they become accustomed to specificities of an EV, and start enjoying the inimitable driving experience. A firm belief in the relevance and mass-market affordability of EV’s is the foundation of Renault-Nissan Alliance’s strategy to offer ‘pure’ electric vehicles rather than hybrid vehicles, which while negating the range issue, are inherently more expensive . Many of the major car manufacturers now plan to sell mass-market electric vehicles, all with similar quality and performance as a conventional vehicle. Mitsubishi, Citroen, Peugeot and Nissan are already offering cars in the UK, with BMW, Ford and Volkswagen likely to launch products in the next couple of years. Even established hybrid manufacturers Toyota and Honda have developed EV-versions of their products. All manufacturers are forecasting significant growth in the EV sector, with Renault amongst the most bullish, projecting that they will take about 10 percent of the market by 2020. Even if it seems a bold figure, this is still not enough to reach the target of 1.7 million vehicles on the road by 2020 set by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) in order to meet the UK’s carbon-reduction targets.
Significant developments EVs allow significant CO2 savings, even when taking into account the emissions from electricity production: typically 40 percent less than the equivalent diesel model. The growing pressure to decarbonise electricity means bigger future savings: the target of 300g/kWh (again, set by the CCC) in 2020 translates into 42g/km, well below what will be achievable by combustion engines. However, there are more than just CO2 reductions to consider - EVs also offer significant improvements in noise and air pollution, at a time where cities and states struggle to meet European targets on nitrogen oxide levels and risk heavy fines.
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DON’T BE THE LAST TO CHANGE WITH THE TIMES. AVAILABLE IN 2012
AVAILABLE IN 2012
AVAILABLE IN 2011
AVAILABLE IN 2012
RENAULT’S ELECTRIC VEHICLE RANGE. REGISTER YOUR INTEREST IN THE FUTURE AT RENAULT-ZE.COM
Zero emissions in use. The production of electricity in the UK generally produces CO 2 .
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The new electric vehicle range from Renault. (L to R) Twizy • ZOE • Fluence Z.E. & Kangoo Van Z.E.
Whereas most manufacturers are still offering one EV model, Renault are diving in with both feet and launching four vehicles in the space of 12 months. First comes Kangoo Van Z.E. in November; followed by Twizy, a striking two-seater city car, in the first Quarter of 2012. Later in 2012 Renault will launch Fluence Z.E., a saloon family car, before what is expected to be the best-selling model, a 5-door super-mini (B-segment hatch) named ZOE. With its partner Nissan looking to introduce further products following the launch of Leaf, already European Car of the Year 2011, the RenaultNissan Alliance clearly aims at being the leader of the fast-growing EV market. Affordability is essential for EVs to move from niche to mass market. The UK government has recognised this issue with the introduction this January of the Plugged-in Car Grant (PiCG), a consumer incentive of 25 percent of the purchase cost, up to £5,000. The PiCG is available, subject to certain safety and performance criteria, for cars, but vans and quadricycles such as Twizy are excluded. Even taking into account this welcome help, the upfront cost of an EV can still be a barrier, with a typical net price of £25,000. Renault has addressed this through an innovative battery rental scheme, starting at around £70 per month and consequently the car is priced inline with its conventional counterpart. Whether you pay upfront or rent the battery the additional cost of an
EV is balanced by savings on maintenance, congestion charge and crucially by the very low running costs: under 3p per mile, typically a quarter the cost of diesel, and the gap is likely to widen further. Charging may be a concern, but manufacturers’ agree that most charging is expected to take place at home. The safest and most efficient solution is to use a Wall-box, allowing a full standard charge in 6 to 8 hours, preferably overnight when electricity is plentiful and often cheaper. Public infrastructure retains a key role, especially as not everyone enjoys off-street parking. Employers, retailers and local authorities have already started to install charging points, including ‘fast charge’ points allowing 80 percent of full charge in 20 minutes. The government has committed £30m funding in 8 key regions to support this infrastructure roll-out through their Plugged-in-Places scheme, initially in London, the North East and Milton Keynes, with a second wave comprising the Midlands, Greater Manchester, East of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland announced in December 2010. Electric vehicles now have a level of range and performance suitable for a significant proportion of road users. They make sense economically and environmentally by reducing CO2 emissions and improving air quality. Above all, they are now a reality on the UK’s roads: this is why 2011 could well be the beginning of a new chapter for the motor industry. For more information on Renault’s forthcoming range of Electric Vehicles and to register your interest, please visit renault-ze.com Renault is showcasing 22 vehicles at this year’s Company Car in Action - Millbrook (28-29 June 2011), including the first manufacturer built electric LCV, New Kangoo Van Z.E. and Fluence Z.E., the electric 4door family saloon. To register for this exciting event, please visit renaultbusiness.co.uk/fleet-events Andy Heiron, Head of Electric Vehicle Programme, Renault UK. 1
Save on Congestion Charging by driving an EV
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Source: Renault research (Europe) / 2Source TfL
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Capgemini makes two acquisitions in France in high growth markets ||| These moves will reinforce the Group’s positioning on two particularly dynamic markets in France, and will contribute significantly to its growth program. Capgemini will acquire a 100% stake in Artesys and Avantias. These acquisitions amount to a combined total of €40 million and will be financed by the Group’s net cash. Artesys is one of the leaders in France in the conception of IT infrastructure solutions. Avantias specialises in the implementation of ECM (Enterprise Content Management).
Paul Hermelin, Chief Executive Officer of the Capgemini Group commented “It is important that we invest in the French market, which represents more than 22 percent of Group revenues, and which is gradually seeing a return to growth. Our ambition is particularly to become a global player in cloud computing on the French market. We are also planning on recruiting over 4,500 new hires in France this year, which will contribute to the Group’s growth in what is one of its more traditional markets”.
Thales wins Queen’s Awards for Enterprise ||| Thales UK is proud to announce that Her Majesty The Queen has conferred on April 21, two of its business units with the Queens Award for Enterprise. The awards are in the International Trade category and are being conferred on Thales UK’s optronics business and its missile electronics business. Thales UK’s optronics business designs and manufactures electro-optic day and night-vision equipment for use in land, sea and airborne applications. Thales UK’s missile electronics business designs
and manufactures target detection devices, fuses and safety arming units, which are installed in a range of missiles. With origins tracing back to the First World War, the business has risen to being a recognised world leader in its areas of operations. Both parts of the business have been selected for the award for more than doubling their overseas revenues over the last three years. Last year, Thales won the Jury’s special Award at the Franco-British Business Awards (FBBA) ceremony that was organised by the French Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain in partnership with the Franco-British Chamber of Commerce & Industry in France. This year the FBBA will take place in Paris in November.
Triple hat-trick for Alstom ||| Three contracts in early April gave the French energy and transport group Alstom considerable cheer. First it won a €650m contract to provide equipment for a coal plant in Malaysia, as part of a consortium with China Machinery Import and Export Corporation. Alstom also received orders for trams from Systral, the main transport syndicate for the Rhône and Lyon region. The contract could be worth up to €58m once completed in autumn 2012. Lastly the firm won a €27m contract with the region “Pays de la Loire” for eight trams that will link Nantes and Chateaubriand by 2014. In the third quarter of 2010-11 Alstom saw orders in its energy sector grow by 6.9 percent over the previous quarter, and by 4.1 percent in its transportation division.
Total orders for Q3 thus stood at $4.4bn, which spelt encouraging news after the firm lost out to Siemens on a deal to provide rolling stock for Eurostar last October.
The pink Citadis tram in Reims, manufactured by Alstom
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NEWS
Ligne Roset unveils its new collections at The National Theatre
Ligne Roset’s new collection featuring the “Ploum“ sofa
||| The 5th May 2011 saw Ligne Roset launch their new collections of modern furniture at the National Theatre on London’s South Bank. More than a hundred guests attended the event which took place on “The Deck” at the theatre, where the company has already furnished and decorated the VIP Lounge with its distinctive and forward thinking style. Those present on the night made up a spectrum from the architecture, hotel and design industries; among them were Michel Roset, Creative Director of Ligne Roset and Bruno Allard, Ligne Roset’s UK Director, along with Matt Turner, editor of “Sleeper” magazine.
Pernod Ricard kindly supplied the cocktails, and these were all made using varieties of Absolut Vodka (Absolut Expresso Martini, Absolut Long Cosmopolitan and Absolut Pears & Elderflower Fizz). Among the products on display at this year’s event were Inga Sempé’s “Ruché” bed, and the highly contemporary, organic form of the “Ploum” sofa by 2011’s Red Dot award winning designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, an item of furniture that the brothers liken to a “ripe, voluptuous piece of fruit”. Both these products are part of the Ligne Roset’s new 2011 collection, which was launched to acclaim at Maison et Objet in Paris earlier this year.
||| Nespresso achieved sales of more than £2 billion and organic growth above 20 percent in 2010. The booming portioned coffee segment continued to grow, while still representing only 8 percent of the total coffee market in terms of volume. In the face of a burgeoning competitive landscape, Nespresso maintained its double-digit growth trend. Additionally, Nespresso continues to grow its leading market share in coffee machines (including filter and pad coffee machines) to about 20 percent. The number of Nespresso Club Members grew by over 35 percent to 10 million. To maintain its personalised services, the number of Nespresso employees increased by nearly 30 percent to 5,500. More than 70 percent of the teams in Nespresso’s markets are customer facing. In 2010, the
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© flickr/Joe Schlabotnik
Nespresso: Continuing leadership through passion for quality
Nespresso lead the way in coffee machines
company opened 36 new boutiques – from Munich to Miami and from Shanghai to Sydney – bringing the total number of boutiques in its global retail network to 215.
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Hermès launches its first ever furniture range in Milan
Hermès launches its new furniture range
||| Hermès and Dedar, the Italian textile firm, are pleased to announce the creation of a joint subsidiary, Faubourg Italia, specialising in the production and distribution of furnishing fabrics and wallpapers. This partnership fuses the experience and know-how of Dedar with the richness of the Hermès creative universe, on a foundation of values cherished by both houses: the constant quest for excellence and a strong family spirit. The collections designed under Hermès’ artistic direction are now available from selected Hermès stores. Hermès has unveiled its new furniture line at the Milan’s International Furniture Show (Salone dei Mobili) which took place from 12 to 17 April. The company has thrown open its doors and invited the designers Enzo Mari, Antonio Citterio and the RDAI studio (Rena Dumas Architecture Intérieure) to chart a new page in its history in the domain of furniture. “These collections are an opportunity to demonstrate a contemporary expression of Hermès,
faithful to its craftsman spirit and imbued with values of functionality and comfort” says Pierre-Alexis Dumas, artistic director of Hermès. Among these creations are collections of carpets, furnishing fabrics and wallpapers. Today Hermès puts its signature to a complete world for the home.
Worldwide and local removals, relocations & storage. Serving the French community in London for over 30 years. +44 20 8687 0400 info@delahayemoving.com
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The Dorchester celebrates its 80th anniversary
Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester
The Dorchester celebrates its 80th anniversary
||| The term “legacy” acquired a double meaning this April when The Dorchester celebrated its first 80 years as a London landmark. Looking back to past glory, the hotel revived an exclusive commemorative cocktail, last tasted 60 years ago. Looking forward to a greener tomorrow, The Dorchester will plant 80 trees – one for each of its illustrious years. The first 15 will soon form The Dorchester Anniversary Walk in Mayfair and St. James’s; another 65 will appear across London in areas to be chosen by the community-led charity Trees for Cities (TfC) and
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Westminster Council. As the hotel’s general manager Roland Fasel remarked: ‘We are creating 80 living monuments to be enjoyed far into the future.’ ‘Trees deliver a range of benefits to improve quality of life’, added Mayor of London Boris Johnson, ‘[so] this fantastic commemoration will leave a wonderfully leafy legacy for generations’. It should also boost Johnson’s plan to grace London’s streets with 10,000 new trees by 2012. A majestic Plane outside The Dorchester’s entrance was named one of the Great Trees of London in 1997. Over eight decades it has witnessed the hotel’s 1931 launch event for “aristocrats and industrialists, ambassadors and statesmen, pleasure-seekers and the Beautiful People”, Prince Philip’s stag party 16 years later, the Beatles’ Variety Club award in 1964, and numerous stay-overs by film-stars and world leaders. The Dorchester’s green award-winning Corporate Responsibility team came up with the tree-planting idea. Commented Sharon Johnson, CEO of TfC: ‘The gift of 80 long-living, large canopy trees will provide clean air and enhance the London cityscape for hundreds of years to come.’ Besides reviving Harry Cradock’s inimitable ‘Dorchester of London’ cocktail, made with a still-mysterious ‘Forbidden Fruit’ liquor, the hotel will this year renovate its ballroom, and sumptuous suites representing the acme of classical English elegance. Constant renewal seems key to the Dorchester concept. In 2006 it refurbished its bar; in 2007 it opened the three Michelin starred Alain Ducasse French restaurant and added three modern roof suites; and in 2009 it transformed its Art Deco spa. The Mayfair flagship heads a Dorchester Collection of outstanding international hotels. Now its reputation should blossom yet further with its innovative ecological contribution.
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St Pancras Renaissance London celebrates its grand opening with a star-studded party ||| The eagerly anticipated St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London’s grand opening took place on 5 May, 138 years to the day after the original Midland Grand Hotel opened its doors in 1873. Some of the celebrities who drank Laurent Perrier Champagne on the Grand Staircase and nibbled from macaroon trees in the hotel’s grand lobby included Adrien Brody (pictured) and Sophie Ellis Bextor. Nearly 1,500 guests enjoyed the hotel in all its glory, drinking Victorian-inspired cocktails and enjoying canapés including Haggis bonbons with Whisky sauce or Colston Basset stilton doughnuts with smoked chilli jelly. Having been lovingly and masterfully restored to once again become one of London’s most iconic hotels, the spectacular seven year, £150 million transformation by the hotel’s owner, Manhattan Loft Corporation, was officially revealed. The event showcased the very best of Sir George Gilbert Scott’s historic masterpiece, including areas of particular historical importance that have been carefully renovated. These include the ‘Ladies Smoking Room’, the first place in Europe where women could smoke publicly, the Booking Office, now a glamorous bar and restaurant, and the famous grand staircase, widely revered as the most majestic in England and host to the Spice Girls ‘Wannabe’ video.
The facade of the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel
The Chamber, present at the event, wishes a bright future to the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London and congratulates their team, particularly, Kevin Kelly, General Manager and Ed White, Director of Sales and Marketing for organising such a fantastic event. Actor Adrien Brody was one of the many stars that graced the grand opening of the St Pancras Renaissance
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Launch of Inès de la Fressange’s style guide « Parisian Chic » at the London Roger Vivier boutique on 5 April
(L to R) Jeanne Marine • Ines de la Fressange • Bob Geldolf
Ines de la Fressange and Sophie Gachet
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||| Sophie Charbonneau, manager of the Roger Vivier boutique in Knightsbridge and very active member of the French Chamber, hosted the launch party of supermodel and businesswoman Inès de la Fressange’s style guide, Parisian Chic, co-authored with Sophie Gachet, a fashion journalist for Paris Elle, on 5th April. Inès de la Fressange started working in the fashion world as a runway model in the late 1970s; she became Karl Lagerfeld’s muse and the face of Chanel during the 1980s, posed as the Marianne face of France and launched a clothing line in the 1990s. Today she is a wife, the mother of two daughters, and a creative consultant with Roger Vivier shoes. The guests at the launch showed a very positive reaction to the book with over 110 copies sold and signed during the evening. Among the guests at the glamorous event were French actress Jeanne Marine and the singer Bob Geldof, along with designer Allegra Hicks and Priscilla Waters. The interior of the shop was decorated to evoke a French atmosphere with miniature Eiffel Towers and the colouring of the Tricolore throughout. The chairs were borrowed from Café Rouge which has embodied French style since its opening in 1989. Parisians are renowned for their sense of chic, not only in fashion but in lifestyle, and who better to define that approach than Inès de la Fressange? It would seem that the French have style in their DNA! So here, in this handy red, flexi-bound volume, are all the tips that any woman, of any age, will need to keep a bit of that je ne sais quoi in her life. Inès de la Fressange tells readers that ‘a smile’ is the best accessory a woman can have and provides 16 points on what to wear for every occasion, along with a superb guide of fashion faux pas aimed at the over-50s. But not only does Inès de la Fressange reveal ‘how’ to do things, she also tells ‘where’, with her own ‘black book’ of fashion and decorating finds; at the end of each section there is a dream directory of shops to visit and information on hotels, restaurants and venues for family-based activities. She also provides an outstanding array of shopping websites for the reader to visit covering both the home and fashions. Inès de la Fressange’s guide is vibrant and essential and exudes that quintessential Parisian chic that all readers will undoubtedly find irresistible.
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hello, goodbye...
T
he French Chamber of Commerce would like to welcome the new representatives of existing member companies. We would also like to express our gratitude to members who have made outstanding contributions to the Chamber, but who are now moving on to different destinations. We wish them all the best in their new posts.
Ariel Eckstein, new Managing Director of LinkedIn EMEA ||| The main contact of the Chamber, Guillame Larronde-Larretche has now returned to Paris where LinkedIn has opened a new ofďŹ ce offering local support to the growing number of French companies using the company’s recruitment and marketing solutions. Ariel Eckstein is the newly appointed London based Managing Director of LinkedIn EMEA.
Guillame LarrondeLarretche
Ariel Eckstein
Ici Londres appoints new Manager ||| Rachel Benessiano is taking up the role of Manager of Ici Londres Magazine, replacing Emilie Coulette who is leaving the UK for new opportunities. Rachel has been with Ici Londres for 2 years and before becoming Manager she was Sales and Marketing Executive.
Emilie Coulette
Rachel Benessiano
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