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You do not mess with the IRS. While Facebook made its IPO, which will make its share of millionaires shareholders, two U.S. senators are considering a bill that would prohibit the territory Americans who renounce their citizenship for tax reasons.

In their sights: Eduardo Saverin, associated from the very beginning of Mark Zuckerberg, the company ousted in 2005 but still shares amounting to nearly 4%, and now investor in Singapore. He renounced his citizenship last September, but the information was released by U.S. authorities until recently. While it could pay up to $ 100 million tax with the IPO of Facebook, this coincidence of timing aroused suspicion.

Faced with the inclinations of the U.S. legislature, Eduardo Saverin was quick to respond. "I have paid and continue to pay any tax due on all that I acquired when I was an American citizen, he said in a statement. It is unfortunate that my personal choice has led to a public debate based not on facts but on speculation and misinformation. "

To defend himself, one who has paid the first servers to Facebook insists on the calendar of his approach cashadvance. He moved to Singapore in 2009, "interest in working and living in Singapore." His request to renounce his U.S. citizenship was filed in January 2011 and accepted in September. It also ensures not be "a tax expert."

But rumors of a future IPO of Facebook started swelling late 2010, while valuing the start-up exceeded 50 billion dollars on the gray market. Then, in January 2011, Goldman Sachs and the Russian fund Digital Sky Technologies remettaient the pot. The amazing assembly proposed by Goldman Sachs then allowed to cross Facebook the 500 shareholders threshold which required the company to make its public accounts or the stock market is quoting within 120 days of the closing accounts of the year in which this threshold was exceeded. Which would have allowed Eduardo Saverin anticipate there eighteen months the heavy tax bill that would introduce him.

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President of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, excludes more than Athens could leave the euro. "Our preference is that Greece continues to remain in the euro area," he said Wednesday at a conference in Frankfurt. This is a recognition that an outflow was no longer taboo. "Since the Treaty (establishing the single currency) is silent on an output, this is not the ECB decides," he added, recalling the legal vacuum in this area often referred, including the experts themselves same.

This statement confirms the remarks made Monday by Luc Coene, one of six members of the ECB Executive Board, responsible for economic analysis, which spoke of "an amicable divorce," in an interview with Financial Times.

These words, at least ambiguous and seem to add fuel to the fire, also reflect the embarrassment of the authorities in Frankfurt. They face de facto capital flight experienced by Greek banks. The phenomenon is not really new but it has accelerated in recent days further weakening the Greek banking system.

Emergency stop

To date, commercial banks do so more than the cash they receive from the ECB, which totaled nearly $ 100 billion or one third of their balance sheets, a level quite abnormal. According to market sources for Reuters, the ECB has started its lending quotas to Greek banks. She no longer accept to take title they give him as collateral. The commercial banks will have no alternative but to use the emergency window established by the Bank of Greece, according to a procedure remains perfectly legal, but that goes against the principle of uniqueness of monetary policy in the euro area.

In doing so, the ECB intends to pressure the Greek government which must recapitalize the banks that need it. At the Cabinet meeting on 27 April, it was envisaged that a recapitalization of € 18 billion would be set up. This is an emergency measure pending the recapitalization program released a wider 50 billion euro, and whose envelopes are explicitly included in the second rescue package announced last March. The technical details are currently in discussions with European experts and the IMF.

The ECB seems caught in the crossfire. While recalling officially Wednesday that it continued "to support Greek banks," the president about his aim to put pressure on the government and the public pending elections to be referendums value vis-à-vis of the euro.

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The current shortage threatens Japan with the approach of summer heat when all the nuclear reactors of the Archipelago are at a standstill since Sunday. Uncertainty in the restart of nuclear power plants that supplied nearly 30% of electricity before the disaster of Fukushima, the Japanese are multiplying initiatives. The radius anecdotal include the "Super Cool Bra" bra refreshing presented Wednesday by the Triumph, which recalls the "heated jacket" high profile during the first summer post-Fukushima, last year.

Harbinger of a turn more energy, Canadian Solar, Canadian manufacturer of solar panels, has committed, also Wednesday, to locate a plant in the Tohoku region, devastated by the tsunami payday advance lenders. Photovoltaic electricity is still marginal in Japan: about 1% of production.

Unlike France, for example, which experienced its peak in winter, Japan, peak demand occurs in summer, air forces, when the sun is the most generous. The Japanese government has not presented its new energy strategy, but leaders of Canadian Solar anticipate an expansion of renewable energies. More durable than the bra, prototype to communicate on energy, which will not be marketed.

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We were waiting at Apple, here he teams up with the followers of the "kitchen air." French designer Philippe Starck developed with David Edwards, Harvard professor to whom we owe the inventions at least like the original "Whif" (the inhaler chocolate, green tea or coffee), a spray supposed to get the feeling drunk without drinking a drop of alcohol. Called "Wahh Quantum Sensations", this little spray 2ml of false airs stick lipstick releases 0.075 ml of alcohol at each spraying, enough, according to its designers, so that the brain is stimulated and feel the effects of drunkenness quick pay day loan. For Philippe Starck, this invention offers the consumer a way to "escape" without suffering "adverse effects" of alcohol. It allows you to experience "the smell of intoxication due to infinitesimal amount, a thousand times less than a glass of alcohol."

This little spray 2ml of false airs stick lipstick releases 0.075 ml of alcohol in each spray. Photo credit: FRANCK FIFE / AFP

Note: Nicolas Sarkozy aims to balance public finances in 2016, Francois Hollande in 2017.

Roman Lucazeau, Chargé de Mission in the Business Institute, details the mechanisms at work in the test programs.

THE FIGARO.FR. – Why submit programs of candidates for this test?

Roman Lucazeau. – Although, compared to the 2007 presidential campaign, the programs of the two main candidates are more accurate, they still gray areas and are based on slightly different economic scenarios. This makes comparison difficult. So we tried to apply the same economic variables: growth rate, inflation, unemployment rate, by 2017. We also wanted to discover what happened to the public finances if the programs were implemented with, notably, lower growth than that provided by the candidates, for example, that France has known, on average, over the past decade.

Originally, this type of exercise is applied by the financial authorities to banks. These are subject to economic scenarios degraded to assess their strength in case of economic crisis. We use a similar method to test the ability of candidates to achieve their stated goal (zero deficit in 2016 for Nicolas Sarkozy in 2017 for Francis Holland).

But in a crisis, a candidate can always abandon its initial program

guaranteed high risk personal loans.

Absolutely. We test the strength of their roadmap, as defined during the election campaign, in a worse position than they anticipate. We evaluate today's promises and do not prejudge the future president of the reactions in case of contingencies.

How does this model?

We leave the bases nominee programs (eg growth rate, the level of taxes and public spending …) and against which they built their proposals. These assumptions are public and have been developed by their campaign teams. We determine how the deficit and debt change if we change some parameters on the basis of data and public reporting, the INSEE, the Court of Auditors and of Bercy. The details of our methodology is available on our website.  

How do you ensure objectivity of your approach?

We submitted the candidates' platforms to the same constraints: same inflation, even growth, even drift government spending or health insurance, etc.. The differences between results are explained by the differences between the programs themselves. Debt strategy of the two candidates based on both on growth, tax increases and budget savings. But Nicolas Sarkozy and Francois Hollande do not intend to use these levers to the same extent. Their programs do not react the same way a change of parameters.

LE FIGARO. – Your father sends you to a company's image. In what mood are you?

Alessandro Benetton. -When writing the new chapter of a book, you must have read the previous calmly. Know that the first line of your chapter begins with the last chapter before. But only you write. The context is difficult. Like when I was given the Benetton Formula 1. I was 25. This may be my destiny to accept difficult missions.

What are your plans to correct the sales of a company that ran out of steam?

It is true that in markets where we are most present, there is more growth. I have both consolidate our presence in Europe since the brand is Italian, but at the same time, go to Korea, Russia, India and Turkey. Grow internationally will be expensive. To achieve this, I need to change the organization, with new people. Among the areas for improvement, we will focus on products and sales. We must enhance the shopping experience. We had done enough. Partly because of the lack of lines, on one side, and an excess of references in each range, on the other. We will strengthen our collections and return to the colors and sweaters that have made us successful. For United Colors of Benetton, You Nguyen, Levi's former home, oversees product design and merchandising, which reinforces the coherence of the store, handing it to the heart of our strategy.

Will you renew your products and stores Benetton, Sisley, but Playlife?

I want to develop around Benetton other brands, each with its history. United Colors of Benetton will remain the flagship brand, but all must move forward so that we improve our results. New store concepts are deployed. For Benetton, the products will remain colorful, accessible and quality. Loyal customers already know that our products can last for years. While garments Sisley remain more sophisticated patterns and colors. In the new stores "icon-stores" of United Colors of Benetton, in major cities worldwide, including Paris, New York, Milan, space is also more segmented between collections or casual city. We installed Giant wool sculptures, titled "Lana Sutra." It amuses me, these ideas from young artists. We offer a shopping experience strong emotions that entails.

Get ready for launch?

Within United Colors of Benetton, I started the "pin-up" last year: this sweater takes the form of the body outline. I put too much on my brand sportswear for young, Playlife, mainly present in Italy. I've reintroduced two of our other brands untapped for years: Killer Loop-and-Jeans West, claw jeans and high cool, 3 horses scratched from the Italian flag. It was one of the first chains of Benetton in the 1970s for denim. Multi-brand, the store also sells gadgets, bags and other decorative objects external marks. It is staged as the loft of a young lover of travel and music. I want to export to Europe and Asia.

Will you continue to make communication campaigns "shocks"?

The Benetton brand awareness remains strong, in 120 countries. We raise large institutional campaigns time to talk about our values ​​twice a year. The next will be in October. The previous Unhate (Non-hatred), which showed political and religious leaders peacefully kissing on the mouth, was seen by 500 million people. To reach a new younger generation who knows us wrong, it was designed for the Web world. This has re-emphasized our research center in communications, La Fabrica, which create 30 young artists each year fellows. Benetton is not a seller of clothes like the others. What matters is that these campaigns have action even if the effects of sales come later.

You get inspired fashion brands like Zara and H & M, who have taken market share in recent years?

Every business has its DNA, I never believed in those who copied a competitor's model for success. But models of business organization of the "fast-fashion" (fashionable high turnover) have stimulated, encouraged to become more aggressive in collection development and in stores. We produce in Tunisia, with own plants in particular, but also in Serbia, so close to us, and this proximity allows us to be as responsive.

Why did he leave Benetton Stock Exchange, where he was present for twenty-six years?

To those who think the stock is useless, I say no! I was a young analyst when Benetton was listed for the first time in Milan. It was a company of 21 years, innovative, fresh in its approach. She wished to guard a big risk: that of being overtaken by galloping growth. The stock market gave us a rigorous management. But since 2008, the financial system is passed through an unexpected crisis. This has led to regulatory measures designed to protect investors, but that induced excessive restrictions for businesses. So far from my mission as an entrepreneur.

Heir model

"Ma, you know me?" Asked his father, Luciano, an advertisement for American Express in its simplest device. Alessandro, prefers him, unveiling … his passions, sports and art, on his blog. Before restoring color to Benetton, this lover of skiing, a graduate of Boston University and an MBA at Harvard began as an analyst at Goldman Sachs. Then created, in 1992, his investment fund: 21 Investimenti. He is now head of a portfolio of over 1.3 billion euros of investments in diversified companies with high potential.

Within the family group, he also chaired between 1988 and 1998, Benetton Formula, in a difficult again. The team won two titles at the world championships for drivers, before being sold to Renault in 2000. Benetton racing cars are on display in the historic factory of the group became a museum showroom near Ponzano Veneto, a small town north of Venise.Alessandro, and amateur kite ski, lives with his wife The ski champion Deborah Compagnoni, and their three children, in a modern and discreet built by the architect Tadao Ando. Benetton is also headquartered in an equally magnificent Villa Minelli sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, restored in the state of the art. This is where Alessandro Benetton has given us an exclusive vision of the future Benetton

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Presidential in major cities Paris | Leeds | Lyons | Toulouse | Leeds | Sheffield | Liverpool | Bordeaux | Lille

"All that remains of the old Thomson is a part of the debt," exclaims Frederic Rose, CEO of Technicolor. Inheritance is heavy, but Technicolor also received shares in a beautiful portfolio of 40,000 patents that generates 13% of turnover and 73% of the EBITDA of the group. On the one hand, a debt "excessive", according to Frederic Rose, more than 1 billion euros, which swallows every year 120 million euros of financial expenses. Other, patents essential technologies in audio screens or images that drive essential any industry consumer electronics. "Today, 80% of electronics manufacturers worldwide use patent licenses held by Technicolor," boasts the DG.

Debt and patents. It is around these two faces of Janus that will crystallize the future of the former flagship of French industry of electronics. The activist funds Third Point and Apollo, who are its shareholders first, salivating over the potential jackpot of patents. It is true that these intellectual properties has become the real challenge of the technology world. Last summer, Google acquired Motorola's $ 13 billion to get their hands on patents that will ensure a future in the mobile. Apple, Samsung, Yahoo!, Sony are fighting in court about patents AOL, which has sold 800 patents to Microsoft for $ 1 billion. The stuff of dreams funds activists are upset that Technicolor weighs only 400 million euros in stock! Their idea is simple: he would sell the patent portfolio to pocket a windfall, even after the repayment of debt. The remaining activities of Technicolor? They will find many buyers!

This is the heart of the dispute between the direction of Technicolor to its shareholders. For Frederic Rose, it is not about to dismantle the group. The patent portfolio has value only if it is fed regularly by the group of 400 scientists – including more than half in France – working in industrial activities free business cards. "We file patent enough each year to maintain the portfolio at its level. These are our main activities in the world of images and technologies of houses connected to power this portfolio, "Analysis Frederic Rose. In services industries of the image, Technicolor works with most production studios film and audiovisual. It is the world leader in the industry, and this accounts for half of its turnover, with an EBITDA margin of 13%. This is the basis of activity and the growth drivers of Technicolor.

Close the Angers plant

However, the group is faced with major strategic decisions to be taken on its third business: decoders. If Technicolor wants to preserve the activity of design and software for decoders, it can not continue to produce them in France. Hence decided to close the Angers plant this summer. "Since 2008, I promised to keep the Angers plant for three years. We lose 10 million euros a year on this plant. I had warned the government that lower tariffs on these products would ruin the opportunity to perform in France, "said Frederic Rose. The loss of the supply contract to France Telecom Livebox precipitated the decision to close the factory that employs 350 people. "The president of Thomson Angers talks with four potential buyers for the conversion of the site," says CEO Technicolor.Un serious social issue. But beyond the problem of this plant, Frederic Rose explains that he seeks to consolidate the industry in 2012 with one of the other global players in the sector. In this market, Technicolor competitor for Pace, Sagemcom and Motorola. "The goal is not to lose money in the decoders in 2012."

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Children dressed in suits and ties at the controls of a gelatin factory teddy, preparing delivery giant Haribo sweets. This is the wildest dream of any toddler … To swallow his delicacies across the Atlantic, Europe's leading confectionery, world No. 8, put the package. Its first national advertising campaign is currently broadcast on several cable channels (Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, Cartoon Network). Millions of samples are distributed from New York to Los Angeles. And a Facebook page was launched.

Installed in the U.S. since the 1980s, Haribo now want to throttle. "The United States is the world's largest market in confectionery, says Jean-Philippe Andre, president of Haribo France, which has also taken over the reins of the U.S. subsidiary, based in Baltimore. We realize there are some fifty million dollars in sales, it's nothing compared to the potential of this market. "

Sales of sugar confectionery (candy, lollipops, toffees …) have approached last year $ 10 billion (1.3,%), which over a third for gummies, the specialty of Haribo, according to Euromonitor. With its flagship product, the teddy gel (Gold-Bears), imported from Germany and Spain, the German manufacturer has experienced double digit growth for five years, including more than 20% in 2011.

Officially, it gives a year to see if consumers respond to his seduction operation. In reality, it prepares its weapons against the heavyweights of the category, Twizzlers (Hershey), Starburst and Skittles (Mars). But not only. "In the land of crisps and snacks, we must impose our candy share of stomach," says Jean-Philippe André.

Recycle the classics while modernizing

This is the second step in the internationalization of the group after the Eastern Europe (Hungary, Bulgaria, Russia …) in the 2000s. Born in Germany in 1920, Haribo was first spread in Denmark, France, Spain and Belgium. The company, which weighs about 2 billion euros, exports its candy in 105 countries, Germany remains its largest market. The International is one of the sites and Hans-Guido Riegel Hans-Arndt, nephews and successors Hans Riegel, 89, still in command of the company he founded with his wife in Bonn.

Recipes for success should remain the same. Production is local. In France, the only country where strawberries are sold Tagada and Dragibus, nearly 90% of the candies are manufactured in two factories in the South. And is recycled by modernizing the classics. For proof, since the launch last fall candy spicy Pik. This is the segment that the fastest increase in radius confectionery (13.2%, according to Nielsen).

Challenger is the leading Lutti, Haribo has already captured 16% market share, especially among adolescents, and intends to grow further thanks to Smurf, crocodiles or coke bottles now available spicy declined. "For six years we have a growth of around 5% in France, second largest group, but we still have significant room for improvement," said Jean-Philippe André, whose sales rose by 7, 5% last year to 180 million euros.

Since 2006, he revived the radius to blow promotions, capitalized on the quarantine and delivered Tagada strawberry marks (Tagada Dragibus, marshmallow) on the screen, betting on particular spots in 3D cinema.

Prevail in hotels and sports stores

His roadmap for the future: Haribo impose beyond the supermarket shelves, which represent 80% of sales, use and renew with new formats. Apart from sachets of 50 g generalized for three years, he tested since the beginning of the year a case of three candies (or Tagada Dragibus) to 0.30 euro that can easily slip into his pocket. "The ambition is to be available everywhere, like Coca-Cola, responding to opportunities to use multiple means of specific packaging," says Jean-Philippe André.

After opening two stores in the outlets (Toulouse and Troyes), Haribo is gradually in toy stores (Toys'R'Us, King Jouet), hobby or sport (Intersport). And he intends to push his pawns in the chains of hotels and restaurants. After the strawberries in desserts Tagada Quick Dragibus and coffee served in restaurants in Indiana, Haribo hopes to strengthen its presence in Accor hotels. When will Tagada strawberries on the pillow in arriving at a Novotel?

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French television production has nothing to envy to the cinema and proved, in 2011, its dynamism. "By volume and investments, all indicators of audiovisual production are green," says Benoit Danard, director of studies, statistics and forecasting at the National Cinema Centre.

With 4830 hours of programs assisted and an investment of television channels from 782.8 million euros, on behalf of audiovisual support beats a record since its inception in 1996. In total, the value of stock programs – fiction, documentary and animation – representing 1.477 billion, while funding by the CNC is around 200 million.

Yet, while fiction is the kind preferred by the French, the French drama production is struggling. In its annual report on audiovisual production in France, presented on Wednesday morning, the CNC recalls that "in 2011, a French watched 288 hours of drama on national television is free 5 hours 33 per week, representing 26, 8% of the television consumption ".

But this enthusiasm helps primarily foreign series whose presence continues to grow on antennas French from "in 2011 from 431 to 491 nights." On some channels such as M6, the AcSB notes that 91.1% of nights are American fiction. That says a lot about the dependence of the chain towards Hollywood and its ability to reduce in future years. And successes as "Gear", "Braquo", "short" (Canal +), or "Men of the Shadows" (France 2), "Scenes from" (M6), or "Do not they do not "(TF1) are rare.

The documentary, a genre cheaper

Worse, under three sets were produced in 2011 over the previous year while four new foreign series appeared on our screens. France is also a tentative entry into the world of big international co-productions like "XIII" (Canal +) or "Transporter" (M6). This funding abroad grew by 70% and represented 36.6 million euros. Small consolation, the format of the Franco-French 90-minute film is now less in favor of 52 minutes and short formats, more suitable for export.

Finally, Eric Garandeau, Director General of NCC, draws attention to "low investment of new DTT channels." If they represent "15% of the advertising market and 23% of the television audience, their investments do not exceed 17.5 million euros", or 2% of investment in production chains. Worse, in terms of fiction, only two channels TF1 Group invested TMC with "The Mysteries of Love" and NT1 with "My fridge told me." Most of the new DTT channels indeed prefer to invest in the documentary, a genre less expensive. They account for "11% of volumes ordered."

Suddenly, the CNC agrees today a new aid plan for fiction. It "seeks to promote the renewal and installation of the series," says Eric Garandeau, executive director of CNC. In Focus, support for early seasons of the new series. Thus, production for the programming of the day and evening before, as well as those for new DTT channels will be better supported. Similarly, the prime-time series of international formats (45 and 52 minutes) will receive a "bonus for their help when the order will exceed at least six episodes." This increase in aid should be an allocation of around 8 million euros.

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