My Opinions

 

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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No matter which option you are considering while doing comparisons of health insurance, you will still want to know you're getting the best price possible, so the easiest way to be sure that's happening is by getting quotes from a variety of health insurance companies.

 

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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So that was played Saturday night clasico the FC Barcelona-Real Madrid, it's another training professional football in the city, Espanyol that has caused the most press in recent weeks. As the euro area, the club is indeed great lengths to put its finances. Last March, the boss from July 2011 to the current tenth of the Spanish league first division, Ramon Condal Escude, did not hesitate to explain that he would put his players on the transfer market at the end of the season, to bail out. For RCD Espanyol, it's nearly a million casualties in 2011, and a debt of 148 million euros (nearly 69 million euros to the Spanish tax authorities). Abysmal, while the club budget fluctuates from year to year between 40 and 45 million euros.

Fiscal austerity

Ramon Conde, head of the Catalan club and "Merkel football"

 

A small sentence is enough to ignite the Web. The scoop carelessly launched Friday morning by designer Philippe Starck on France Info enough to wake all the fantasies about what could be the revolutionary new product from Apple. For all fans of the brand are convinced, after the iPhone and the iPad, the Cupertino firm should upset a new domain. But which one?

Citing the "cult of secrecy" dear to Apple, Philippe Starck has obviously meant nothing more. He just confessed that he met Steve Jobs, Apple founder has now disappeared, "once a month," and said he would return Monday (April 15) "see the wife of Steve Jobs" .

The care that the Apple brand brings to the design of its products is a sign of his gratitude. And Philippe Starck would not be at his first attempt in the high-tech. He was in New York this week to launch the headphones Zik, French Parrot.

Apple TV

Among the objects that the French could have drawn face on TV, this beautiful Arles Apple. The arrival on the market of ultra-thin OLED screens or flexible opens the field of possibilities in design. Only problem, the two major suppliers of screens are LG and Samsung. They are not necessarily willing to let the U.S. access to their latest technologies. Unless Sharp

.

Another track, the digital table. Samsung has also made a nice demonstration in Paris Thursday, April 12. This table, which resembles a TV a bit thick, is actually a large touch screen that can accept almost any application. A

Thus, the restaurant touch'In is the first to have equipped with the "size" of Samsung, including the ability to choose their cocktails, to prepare the menu and send the order directly to the bar. A London bar has even developed a message function to communicate with neighboring tables. More seriously, the Paris airports have ordered 300 to equip the waiting rooms of Orly and Roissy. But as usual "Apple does not comment on rumors."

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This holiday Belambra French, ex-VVF Vacances, should know the name of its next owner in June. Reportedly, four investors – LBO France, LFPI, Sagard and Montefiore – are in line to buy the 60% held by the Fund at Groupama, Acto. Montefiore would not intervene alone, but could take a minority ticket.

The four financial investors have learned Thursday night that they were qualified for the second round auction, organized by the investment bank Lazard. They had filed their first offers, early last week. The funds have several weeks to refine them.

Tourism and real estate

Came in 2006 with capital of Belambra, Acto structured the group around two areas: tourism and real estate no faxing payday loan. The fund initially was counting on a valuation of around € 200 million, or slightly less. The prices offered by potential buyers would be below expectations.

In 2011, Acto had entered into negotiations with the minority shareholder of Belambra, the Deposit, holder of 34% of its capital. Due to differences over valuation, public institution, also a shareholder in Compagnie des Alpes, declined to take over control of the tour operator. It would, however, weigh in the balance by validating the choice of his future partner.

 

The main corn producer associations announced Thursday it had filed an appeal before the Conseil d'Etat against the decree banning the cultivation of GM maize MON, taken in mid-March by the government.

The General Association of Corn Producers (AGPM), the French Union and the Federation of Inter-seed production of maize and sorghum are waiting to use this new invalidation and cancellation of the ministerial order, as was the case last November for the first arrested, they announced in a statement.

March 16, Bruno Le Maire Minister of Agriculture announced a "precautionary measure to temporarily suspend" the cultivation of Monsanto GM maize (MON810) to "protect the environment," saying the decision was made " due to the proximity of the seedlings. " 

The producers feel that the ban "is based on no scientific evidence seriously and corn growers affected by the borer and borer (insect pests of maize, Editor's note) suffer real economic damage."

2013 goal

They also challenge the "misuse or illegal, the precautionary principle has become an ideological principle of inaction."

In late November, the Council of State annulled, after a long legal marathon, the suspension of cultivation of GM maize from Monsanto taken by the French government in February 2008, following the Grenelle Environment & restoration because last September by the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. 

On 20 February the government, yielding to pressure from environmental groups and public opinion, had asked once again to the European Commission to suspend the authorization of cultivation of GM maize MON810, on the basis of New scientific studies.

Producers who had considered at first to attack the text referred for the taking-off by mid-June, finally chose a hearing on the merits. "We are now planning the 2013 campaign, says the Figaro, Christopher Land, president of AGPM. Indeed, we want to take time to implement the system of coexistence with non-GM crops, which we had already demonstrated the feasibility in 2007. And as the government contribution e no new scientific fact to justify this second ban, we hope to achieve once again prevail. "

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Consumer confidence has rebounded dramatically and unexpectedly in March. The economic confidence index, released Tuesday by INSEE, has actually won 5 points this month. At 87 points, it finds its level in February 2011 but remains low. "This increase, the third in three months, confirms the end of the downward trend of the index," says Alain Carbonne, France economist of Natixis.

Analysts scrutinizing the fine details of the statistics of the day, they explain this evolution wrong. Certainly, households are less numerous than in February to anticipate a rise in unemployment, reflecting the more moderate than before the number of unemployed in February. The indicator addressing the issue is still well above its long-term average, with 57 points.  

Anticipated change

But it is the consumer confidence about their future standard of living that records a boom in March (12 points to -39 points), pulling all the confidence index. It has, since its lowest level reached last November, a cumulative increase of 24 points. "The presidential election seems to be the only factor behind this increase, the economist Dominique Barbet of BNP Paribas Faxless payday loans. It seems that households expect a policy change for the better. "And the analyst noted that the previous record increase of consumer sentiment had occurred in May 2007, after the presidential election.

Depressed consumption

Renewed consumer confidence could result in a moderate recovery in consumption, after two small declines in December and January. Do not expect a dramatic recovery: "The opportunity to make major purchases (eg car), the most important component of the indicator of consumer sentiment from INSEE, remained stable in March despite the upturn in other sub-indices, notes Alain Carbon. And do not forget that consumption is expected to remain depressed throughout the year because of high unemployment and the expected decline in real wages through inflation amputees. "

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It was too dry in southern Europe. Particularly in Portugal, where the month of February was the driest in 80 years, and Spain. "The disturbances do not pass. (…) We are witnessing an upsurge in forest fires and streams experiencing flow rates up to 80% below normal, "noted recently The Weather Channel. "No improvement, or real return of rain is expected," worries do we, as the drought could lead to "catastrophic harvest."

Red indicates a severe drought.

 

The British government is preparing to launch a new phase of privatization of the public sector. The Prime Minister, David Cameron, on Monday launched a consultation on the possibility of using private funds to modernize the country's overcrowded roads. "We lose £ 7 billion (8.4 billion euros) a year because of traffic jams – and yet the last government built only 25 miles (40 kilometers) of new highways, which, incidentally, is Unless the number of ministers of transport of this government, "the Prime Minister justified. He emphasized the dangers to the UK economy of underinvestment in infrastructure, while his government is engaged in a comprehensive program to reduce public spending, including the 2012-2013 budget presented Wednesday will again be the illustration.

To solve this square the circle, the government wants to seek private financing, from investment funds, sovereign funds and other investors. The Minister of Economy, George Osborne, recently visited China to try to convince Beijing to invest in infrastructure programs in Britain. He hopes to attract 20 billion pounds (24 billion) of funds for roads, railways, nuclear or high-speed Internet network. According to the liberal doctrine into force in Downing Street, private companies are better able than government to effectively manage the cost of maintaining and upgrading aging road network.

Vehicle Tax

About 3% of the country's roads, the busiest, would be assigned to long-term concession (several decades) to private companies no teletrack payday loans. But, in order not to incur the wrath of the powerful car lobby, David Cameron has promised that no toll would be allowed on existing routes. A single stretch of motorway, north of Birmingham, is subject to tolls and the coup remains underutilized. When Tony Blair had discussed the idea in 2007 to increase tolls, he had to retreat after a petition signed by more than 1.8 million citizens. Cameron suggests that only capacity increases can justify tolls.

The proposed scheme would be for dealers part of the budget for highways from the vehicle tax, which pays 6 billion pounds per year (7.2 billion euros). "There is not yet determined the business model, says Alasdair Reisner, the Civil Engineering Contractors Association, which will be included in the consultation. One can imagine a shadow toll, paid by the government based on a number of cars on a given axis. If the road is not usable at any given time, the subsidy would not be paid. "

David Cameron cites the privatization of water systems UK under Margaret Thatcher as the model to follow. What consumer groups reacted by denouncing the large increases in bills incurred since by households. "Instead of alleviating the burden on motorists, the government is willing to let private companies take over the strategic road network and make it pay to drivers," denounces Maria Eagle, transport manager at Party Labor.

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Antoine Frérot, CEO of Veolia, has again scored points in the guerrilla who opposes Proglio, former CEO of the environment and current president of EDF. Thursday, the Board of Directors of Veolia was held in the absence of Proglio. The meeting, which took place in calm, devoted to a marked shift in the balance of power between the two men at the expense of Proglio, and in favor of Mr. Frérot.

Esther Koplowitz and Jean-Francois Dehecq, two directors of Proglio relatives, should leave the Board in effect at the expiration of their term at the general meeting on May 16, 2012. The banker at Lazard, George Ralli, hitherto independent director and be close to Proglio, will he, the representative of Groupama, in place of Jean Azema, arrived five months ago the management of the mutual insurer .  

"Engendering the board"

Finally, Serge Michel, the fourth director whose term will soon expire, is the only one to be renewed as it is. 85 years old and named, like all other board members when Proglio was CEO of Veolia, this connoisseur of Veolia always follows the group and its executives very closely.

Antoine Frérot wanted, according to a close, "feminize the board and introduce other adminirtrateurs present and ready to engage in the conduct of Veolia Environnement." Two women, Maryse Aulagnon, founding president of the Affine group, specializing in commercial real estate, and Nathalie Rachou, manager of Topiary Finance, should come to the board at the general meeting, as well as the general manager of the automotive Valeo, Jacques Aschenbroich quick payday loan. Finally, Augustin de Romanet, who recently retired head of the Deposit, Veolia's largest shareholder with 9.2% stake, will be replaced by chief financial officer of the public group, Olivier Mareuse.

Of seventeen directors, only three or four belong, after the meeting, the clan of personalities hostile to Mr. Frérot. The risk of a challenge after the elections, the leadership of this group which the State is not a shareholder, seems to go away.

In February, Proglio had sought to evict his ex-Dolphin Executive Officer of Veolia. He had found the boards of other voices to challenge the implementation of the recovery plan of the group. But the prospect of arrival of former Minister of Ecology Jean-Louis Borloo, opportunely announced in early March, killed the project in the bud. Better, Mr. Frérot then received its directors affirmed its support radical strategy, focused on an overall cost reduction, debt and group activities to local services. Although some have yet to see "how the restructuring is taking place," investors and financial analysts have welcomed the decision of the board. The stock has gained 1.08% Thursday. Worst performance of the CAC 40 in 2011, he returned 43% since January 1. What, again, release the pressure on the group.