LS Consulting

I, recently, read again the Machiavel masterpiece : The Prince.

A chapter describing human nature particularly, stroke me after the very difficult time I encountered in 2009.

Machiavel was right when he wrote the Prince in 1532. His description of certain  people has not changed and is still valid in 2010!

Upon this a question arises: whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, is much safer to be feared than loved, when, of the two, either must be dispensed with. Because this is to be asserted in general of men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous, and as long as you succeed they are yours entirely; they will offer you their blood, property, life and children, as is said above, when the need is far distant; but when it approaches they turn against you. And that prince who, relying entirely on their promises, has neglected other precautions, is ruined; because friendships that are obtained by payments, and not by greatness or nobility of mind, may indeed be earned, but they are not secured, and in time of need cannot be relied upon; and men have less scruple in offending one who is beloved than one who is feared, for love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails.

The Prince – N. Machiavel – Chapter XVII

Finally some good news!

Cannes has been chosen to host the G20 in November 2011 and Deauville to host the G8.

Rumors let us think that Bordeaux might welcome the G20, which might seem particularly alarming given the weak hosting capacity of the hotels.

Cannes was the ideal candidate, with many assets:

• Cannes has hosted several major summits in the past,
• The hosting capacity in medium and high range hotels,
• An ideal configuration and a small size, making security easily manageable.

A good and wise decision!

The Harvard Business School 1st International AMP177 Reunion is taking shape. The registration website is now online. Have a look to : http://events-creativespirit.eu/hbs/ . And the invitation to registrer to the event. Great website and great organization!

Dear AMP177 classmates,
Greetings.  It has been a year since we completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.  The program provided a unique opportunity for each one of us to break-away from our busy personal and professional lives to fully be immersed in a world-class executive program with access to global leaders in business and academia.  Significantly, it was an occasion to create lasting personal and professional relationships with peers from around the globe.
As you have seen in the quarterly updates kindly prepared and delivered by Michael Fieldhouse, many of our classmates have gotten together in smaller groups over the past year on a number of occasions including drinks and dinner, the World Cup in South Africa, and a three-day weekend in the south of France at the Hotel du Cap Eden Roc.  From the pictures alone, you can tell a great time was had by all at each gathering.
We now have the opportunity to gather as an entire class and build upon the relationships we established at Harvard.  We are pleased to invite you and your loved ones to the 1st International AMP177 Reunion at the Hotel ARTS in Barcelona, Spain from April 28 through May 1, 2011.
We have developed an incredible program encompassing various activities ranging from a case study discussion and a lecture, a debate on business and world affairs, to leisurely activities throughout the weekend.  Regarding the case study and lecture, we will have the one and only Professor Dick Vietor as our honored guest.  Group meetings will be organized to allow the class to reconnect and share re-entry stories and business presentations and discussions will be led by several of our classmates.
Upon to your arrival on Thursday evening, a welcome reception at the Hotel ARTS will be waiting you and your loved ones.  On Saturday evening at the Cavas Cordoniu, an amazing gala dinner with local entertainment has been organized.  In addition, we have also scheduled optional leisurely activities, including a tour around Barcelona, museums and cathedrals, and a shopping tour, with a professional shopper services.
This will be truly an unforgettable weekend with memories to last for years to come!!
In order to assist you with your planning, we created a dedicated website (http://events-creativespirit.eu/hbs) which provides reunion details, including specifics on Barcelona, the hotel, local restaurants, the program agenda and optional leisurely activities.  The website has also been enabled to allow on-line registration for the reunion itself as well as the leisurely activities.   In addition, we have engaged Mansour Travel to assist with flights arrangements.  We hope that you will find the website informative and user friendly. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us or Lenny Spangberg, our event director.
Please note that we have negotiated special room rates at the Hotel ARTS that extend just before and after the reunion weekend for those intending to arrive early or stay later.
We truly hope you all will attend and kindly request that you submit the reunion registration form and the associated deposit no later than December 15th.   An earlier response would be greatly appreciated, helping us with further planning.

Personal souvenirs…

You are planning an incentive travel? Feel free to contact me: [email protected] or +33(0) 607 326 216.

A memorable incentive travel…

A dear friend charged me with the organization of a cruise on the Nile cruise ending with a night at the famous and legendary Winter Palace in Luxor.

32 persons participated in this unique travel: Private sound and light at Philae and Carnac, special opening of tombs of kings and queens usually closed to the public, cruise aboard the Alexander the Great, one of finest vessels on the Nile, ballooning over the Valley of the Kings and Queens, lunch on 4 felucca sailing on the river…

A top-notch speaker Egyptologist captivated during these five days everyone’s interest.

Perfect organization thanks to the effectiveness of a friend of 35 years: Elamy Al Zayat, who owns the agency Emeco, the best agency in Egypt.

A successful trip, wherever it is, depends on the quality of providers who will open the doors at the right time thanks to their privileged relationship with the relevant authorities.

I was fortunate during these past 35 years to build unbreakable bonds with real friends who have proven over time their efficiency and expertise.

Andantino “Romantissimo” with the Orchestre Regional de Cannes PACA in Nice Matin

The concert dedicated to Chopin and Grieg has been a great success for the Orchestre Regional de Cannes PACA and the association Andantino !

The management of non-profit organizations

This afternoon, Friday 5th November, I have the pleasure to be invited at the SKEMA for a talk about The Management of Non-profit Organizations. During a 1:30 exchange, which I hope open and friendly, I will share my experience at the head of commercial companies, LSO and now LS Consulting, and as President of the association Andantino.

Being involved in an association, whatever the purpose, is very revealing of the values of a person. This is especially true for students who, and it is perfectly normal, have few credentials to provide for their first job applications. Participating in an association is a very formative life experience and allows them to highlight their abilities and skills. It’s a point I’ve always loved to deepen during job interviews and has often been very rich and revealing of the potential of a young person.

Our website www.lsconsulting.eu experienced a service interruption due to technical problem from October 31th to November 3rd. Everything is back to normal now. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Invitation to Andantino 10th Anniversary

Wednesday 8th December in Cannes