How will the Junior Chamber International Monaco overcome the COVID-19 crisis?

While the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Junior Chamber International Monaco to suspend its event, the President, Marion Soler, analysed the current situation and revealed how this chapter of the JCI, an international economic organisation, is restructuring.

“We need to take the time to rethink the Junior Chamber International Monaco, in a world of constant change, by helping entrepreneurs develop their career path while highlighting Monaco chamber’s local benefits and general appeal.” Marion Soler makes no secret of it; after some difficult months, marked by the unprecedented economic crisis, the JCI must reinvent itself to help its members and Monaco’s entrepreneurs as much as possible.

Two phases of crisis management

“We’ve gone through two phases in crisis management. The first, when we became aware of the situation, we said that we would have to be innovative and bring in some changes, in particular by digitalising our events which are usually organised face-to-face. We, therefore, live-streamed our breakfasts networking sessions and webinars, enabling us to exchange with local entrepreneurs who were able to share their experience and opinion of the crisis,” explains the JCI Monaco President. “Now, we are entering a second phase where we see that health measures are still in place and public gatherings are limited, which made us decide to stop all our events, except for the business proposal contest and some online training courses.”

Numerous innovations despite the crisis

A membership-based group made up of entrepreneurs and young leaders, they hold networking events and talks to help business owners or start-ups, hoping to bring these themes to other institutions and establishments that the representatives of the JCI Monaco are involved in. Members of the JCI have built relationships with several innovators during the crisis and put on a series of events involving them, notably Erwann Grimaud (MC CLIC) and Antoine Bahri (creator of the app Carlo). “We are very proud of these initiatives that are very closely linked to the Junior Chamber,” says Marion Soler. “Antoine Bahri is a former winner of our business proposal contest, who has done a lot of work with gift vouchers for shopkeepers during the crisis. This is an initiative supported at the grassroots level by us, just like that of Alexis Lanari, founder of Thoody, who has launched a delivery app for restaurants (Pica & Piya).”

On a mission to promote Monaco around the globe

These innovative concepts are in line with the JCI’s desire to promote the Principality internationally. “We are a key player for the Principality’s leaders and entrepreneurs, with a mission to develop the economic appeal of the territory through our international links. Abroad, we represent the Principality through its strong luxury, yachting and real estate industries, but also its economic and development values that go beyond the image often conveyed of Monaco, given the hundreds of SMBs and many thriving companies.” All of this, while gearing themselves towards the digital world where many of their initiatives have been launched — it’s safe to say the JCI Monaco is a real vehicle for innovation in Monaco.

Photos : P. Fitte