At the entrance, the staff welcomes you with a "hello-namaste." In the room, remind you of Paris macarons, but the decor is no doubt: you are in India. At the table, it offers a good curry and burgundy … Welcome to the Sofitel Mumbai KBC, the first hotel brand in India since its move upmarket, which began in 2007. The first stone was laid that year in the new business district of Bombay, near the largest stock of diamonds. The hotel was inaugurated this week. "The biggest challenge in India, the construction time. There are a lot of bureaucracy. We had to ask more than one hundred licenses, "said Robert Gaymer-Jones, CEO Sofitel Worldwide.

The 5-star luxury 302 rooms (first prize $ 250 a night) employing 520 people is to compete with the chains located in Bombay: Indian Taj and the Oberoi, but Four Seasons, Hyatt, Westin and Shangri-Here which opened its first facility in mid-June "There is not enough supply, so there is market share to take," said Denis Hennequin, CEO of Accor, decided to accelerate in India. The group has 15 hotels today and will end the year at 23. We stay away from the expansion in China, where Accor has more than 120 addresses. "There are high barriers to entry into India. Everything takes time. We must find the right partners, "explains Denis Hennequin. Eleven openings are planned this year, with five this month, the first Pullman and Formule 1.

Goal of becoming the first hotel outside India

By 2015, Denis Hennequin is 90 hotels open or under construction and the place of the first international hotel group in India. "This represents a sixty hotels open," says Christian Karaoglanian, managing director of hotel development, which indicates that 30 to 40 million euros are invested annually in India, where the group is developing with local partners. The Sofitel Mumbai represented an investment of about fifteen million euros for Accor, which owns some of the walls. All operations undertaken in India is so far a total of 223 million euros worth of assets of 1.15 billion.

The leading position covered by Denis Hennequin is occupied by Carlson, with 52 hotels. The battle promises to be tight. "We have a very privileged position in India that is the envy said Hubert Joly, CEO of Carlson. We will try to keep it. "The group plans to build 48 hotels and has signed a partnership agreement with the Indian Bestech Hospitalities to open fifty Park Inn by 2024.

But places are to be taken. "There are 150,000 hotel rooms across India, as well as in the city of Shanghai," said Christian Karaoglanian. Accor, the openings will be especially Formula 1, Ibis and Novotel. Sofitel two are scheduled to Bombay with a "So Sofitel" contemporary design. Outside of Bombay, Robert Gaymer-Jones looks as opportunities in Delhi, Bangalore and Goa.

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While fuel prices going from record to record in France, a study by German GIZ revealed by Challenges, shows that the French are not the worst off. Every two years, this independent economic research firm analyzes the price of gasoline and diesel in 170 countries. The experts come to update some of the results to reflect the surge in oil prices. The barrel has indeed increased by about $ 20 since the last measurements in 2010.

According to the survey, the price differences among countries are unprecedented. Gasoline is cheaper and 112 times in Venezuela, where it costs 0.17 euro per liter, as in Turkey where it reached 1.91 euro per liter, and 88 times cheaper than in France (1.50 per liter on average).

Subsidies and taxes are the difference

To explain these price differences, GIZ identified four groups of countries. The first category includes all states like Venezuela disconnects the fuel price of one barrel of oil through grants awarded to distributors. It is only country in the top 20 oil producers like Venezuela, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Algeria, United Arab Emirates paydayloans. The price per liter do not exceed € 0.38.

The second set also includes oil-producing countries but the subsidy policy is less aggressive. Accordingly, the fuel price is a little higher, but remains below the market price is around € 0.58 and a liter as in Nigeria, Kazakhstan, Angola or Sudan.

In the third category, however, there are countries whose tax increased the price of a liter of petrol above the market price. This is the case of the United States, China, Russia or Brazil. The fuel is sold from 0.64 to 1.04 euro per liter.

The last group consists of states where governments have established a strong fuel tax. This is true of all countries of the European Union, Switzerland, Turkey but also in poor countries such as Eritrea and Rwanda. At the pump, the price is greater than 1 euro per liter.

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Groupama, Peugeot, Veolia … Many major brands have recently announced a willingness to reduce or completely cut their investments in sports marketing. Yet this phenomenon remain marginal. This is certainly what seems to believe Sporsora, the association of those involved in sports economics, which will publish March 29 at the second conference of the economy of Sport *, the results of its study on the sponsorship of companies.  

Dubbed "Sport in corporate strategy: vision and perception" and carried on the Internet in February 5000 with a major French advertisers file, it brings together the experiences of sponsoring 150 largest advertisers in the Hexagon.

The confidence shown by the marks in the virtues of sports marketing is clear: a large majority of them (68%), in the sponsoring of a component as "full" of their business strategy, and 80% a specific budget dedicated to the promotion of their fame. Better: in times of crisis, and at the hour of streamlining budgets, 61% of advertisers are predicting an increase or stability of these budgets, and 66% of those who already use these modes of communication they retain their confidence, despite the crisis pay day advance.

Distinction sponsorship and patronage

Two thirds of respondents say also that in times of difficulties, it is important to maintain or strengthen sponsorship and patronage. Indeed, 76% say that these channels are different from other types of expressions. Last important lesson of the study, at a time when the concept of return on investment becomes more important as advertisers well distinguished sponsorship sponsorship. For 60% of respondents, the first concept is clearly seen as a mode of communication, and for 62% of them, patronage is identified as an expression of citizenship.

* Dedicated to "The economics of sport in times of crisis, to new growth models." March 29 from 8:30 to 16:30 at the MEDEF headquarters in Paris.

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The main presidential candidates did not wait for the election to take one of their promises. Determined to fight for the Made in France, they sent their activists dressed in Finistere. In January, the campaign manager Francois Bayrou has commanded Armor Lux 5000 T-shirts.

Since then, Young Pop, the UMP and, more recently, the PS bought at MSY Finisterian its famous knitwear knitted cotton. In total, 17,000 Armor Lux has sold T-shirts in the colors of political parties. "From the mesh knitting, dyeing, through cutting and making up the printing of the logo, everything is done here in Quimper," said Jean-Guy Le Floch, CEO of the SMEs of 550 employees, which distributes its products under the Armor Lux, Land and Sea and Bermuda.

Riding this wave of local purchasing, the leader readying ammunition for the coming weeks. He launched the production of gray fabric needed to manufacture 100,000 pieces. "Until the second round of the presidential election, our online t-shirt will turn right", says he. The price difference is however quite sensitive: depending on the model, Armor Lux sells between 7 and 5.50 euros each, while made in China is on the market at around € 1.20.

60% of production is delocalized

In 2011, the company achieved a turnover of 82 million euros, against 75 the previous year. "We develop our downtown retail network a hundred square meters, and around the stores between 700 and 1 000 m². Undoubtedly, consumers want authentic products, "said Jean-Guy Le Floch. On the first two months of the year, sales to the public increased by 12%. Armor Lux has forty outlets and will open in the second half of four new stores, including one of 1,500 m² in Plaisir (Yvelines). A test for the Breton brand, wishing, after creating three stores in Paris, make its products known to Parisians.

This growth in business volume also comes from major public commissions won by the manufacturer. After the Post Office in 2003 and Aéroports de Paris and SNCF, the national police, the Regional Council of Brittany and Truffault Armor Lux entrust today to achieve the work clothes of their employees. Result: this sector represents 40% of the activity. But the logic of increasing prices dragged down leads Jean-Guy Le Floch to outsource nearly 60% of production in Morocco, Tunisia, Romania and Bulgaria. The presidential candidates are notified.

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The government, which did not include this option in the first place, now says not to exclude the idea. "It is the wishes of the parliament, we will discuss," said the spokesman of the government, Valérie Pécresse, on the set of Canal + on Thursday.

The stakes are high for the government because the sugar-free drinks, but with sweeteners that give a sweet taste, is increasingly consumed.Today, they account for 17% of the soft drinks market with strong brands like Diet Coke or Coke Zero.

No figures have yet been provided about the extra tax revenue that would generate this new amendment, if adopted in plenary session. The previous amendment adopted by the Finance Committee of the National Assembly, to double the amount of tax, also remains to be validated by all the members. By itself, it could generate a windfall estimated at 250 million euros a year, instead of 120 million euros initially planned. The rate of contribution on the sodas would be increased to 6.22 euros per hectolitre in 2012.Then he would be raised from the beginning of 2013, to January 1 of each year, at a rate equal to inflation (excluding tobacco) in the penultimate year.

Support the agricultural sector

As announced in the Figaro, the objective of this expansion drinks with sweeteners is to finance the lower cost of agricultural labor "to allow our farmers to sell their products at the same price as Germany and Spain" explains Valérie Pécresse. The government has in fact reduced in 2012 from 210 million payroll taxes on permanent farms. The tax will be reviewed and corrected to about half.

The industrial problems digesting the news. "We said from the beginning that it was normal to participate, provided that everyone involved in the fight against deficits.Simply, we do not want to be the adjustment variable of all the deficits that pass and on which we have not much to see, "said Jean-Rene Buisson, president of the National Association of Food Industries (Ania ). The doubling of the tax sodas would, he said, an estimated increase "between 0.2 and 0.3 cents" per can.

No problem for Michel Diefenbacher UMP (UMP): "These drinks, which are not basic necessities, benefit from the reduced VAT rate.They must be able to withstand the additional load generated by this new contribution, "says he in a sub-amendment.

But for now, nothing is yet definitively confirmed nor on the doubling of the tax, nor about its extension to drink with sweeteners.

End of aspartame in system U

The distribution group Système U has chosen to abandon the use of aspartame in soft drinks sold under any brand, starting in January. For the first time a manufacturer makes such a decision. This choice responds to the concerns of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on the effects of this artificial sweetener.

Système U has already banned the use of parabens in cosmetics and Teflon in cookware. Its chairman Serge Papin, expresses his desire to "become a leader in healthy products."

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In the early morning, Prime Minister Iveta Radicova recognized that there was still no agreement in favor of a positive vote. The government could be forced to get a favorable vote, to offer in exchange for the organization of early elections.That is to scuttle.

Slovakia is the last state to ratify the agreement of 21 July, which must be adopted unanimously by the seventeen member countries of the euro area to take effect. If the vote is negative, in a few hours, the shock could be severe in the financial markets. Sole ground of hope, the Slovak parliamentary system allows in case of negative vote of Parliament to seek a second, which may occur on weekends and offer a last chance for negotiations.

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But Thursday, François Fillon has caused confusion. Referring to the economic convergence between France and Germany, he said that things were moving in the field of corporate tax.He added: "It will take time to go to a joint work towards a common retirement age, to a gradual convergence of economic and social organization of our two countries." But the retirement age with full pension, except for long careers, will be increased to 67 years across the Rhine by 2029.

"Target needed '

Trial balloon of "Fillon-the-discipline"? Clumsiness (this passage was the only improvised his speech)? Applies to defuse his entourage: "Convergence is a general purpose necessary to maintain the competitiveness of France. The recent pension reform is an element of social convergence, and the government does not intend to go beyond in the coming months, "says an adviser.And up, tongue-in-cheek, that the barrier of 67 years had not been mentioned, and that convergence might as well be on "our" 62 years cheap business cards…

In fact, it would be difficult for the Prime Minister to explain that further reform is needed, a year after he hammered the previous balance the books. But in the midst of primary socialist and the day of the budget of the social security, his statement could hardly go unnoticed. For François Hollande, Fillon "revealed the program of Nicolas Sarkozy" in 2012. Segolene Royal accused her of "not being honest", the systems are so different that any comparison between the 67-year German and French 62 years is risky.Exact to the point that Valerie Pécresse also used the argument to play the controversy, noting that the retirement age without financial penalty for people without all their quarters of contribution, would be increased from 2023 in France … in 67 years.

These subtleties have also pushed Martine Aubry to say that the Prime Minister does "not know the subject" and "has a problem with the actual figures." What afoul of Xavier Bertrand: "She would have done better to remain silent. If there is one subject on which the PS has done nothing, other reports and reports of decisions, it's pensions, "responded the Minister of Labour.

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Pierre PRINGUET. – Congratulations to the teams of Pernod Ricard. The group has an excellent performance, with both a strong acceleration of growth of our business and our operating profits. For the first time ever, our net income exceeds one billion euros. These figures show the relevance of our premiumisation strategy and innovation. Our high-end bottles account for 71% of our sales, against 69% last year. Our new products (Wild Tea Absolut, Malibu cocktails …) our limited series and our innovations in advertising and packaging met with success.With a new bottle of Ricard sales increased 5% in France, a market of aniseed stable.

You get ready for a worsening economic environment?

No, I fear neither slowing growth in emerging countries or return to recession in mature markets. The world faces a problem of public debt, with a unique in Greece, the country most fragile. But the political dimension is at least as important as the economic dimension. Everyone was betting on an acceleration of growth in mature markets: the targets are scaled down, but countries will experience low growth in 2011 (1.5 to 2%). And there is no reason for the dynamic growth of emerging countries is slowing. For 2012, the objectives are still serene. IMF sees faster U.S. next year. You can always play to be afraid.But the psychodrama of the summer on the state of the banking system has nothing to do with the situation of 2008 and the general crisis of debt at the time. It is a political problem, but not macro-financial.

There will be no effect on the growth of your business during the current year?

We expect continued moderate growth in mature markets for the fiscal year beginning in July (1.5% last year) and continued strong growth in emerging countries (17% last year) . These will drive our growth: built on solid economic fundamentals, these markets are naturally attracted to our premium brands.

The tension in the markets makes it more difficult to manage your debt?

For our bank debt, we have no due before July 2013.We have an active management of our debt, with two bond issues last year to EUR 1 billion and $ 1 billion respectively. Interest rates remain particularly low, we will seize every opportunity to issue bonds. We will continue our debt reduction, with the aim of achieving 30 June in a net debt / EBITDA of close to 4.

You will be able to resume your acquisition policy …

Does not expect to purchase several billion on 1 July. In the meantime, we will conduct no strategic acquisitions. However, we can make tactical acquisitions, such as tequila Avion in July. It is both a start-up and a brand ultrapremium, sold between 40 and 60 euros a bottle, which allows us to expand our portfolio in the United States.This is the type of operation we will focus in the immediate future. Acquisitions of Brazilian cachaça or baijiu Chinese are possible options. In our business, this is not the type of product that counts, but the brand. Pernod Ricard could also create one from scratch. This is one of the objectives of our internal team called BIG (Breakthrough Innovation Group), whose current head of our German subsidiary, Alain Dufossé, just take the lead.

This summer, Patrick Ricard, non-executive chairman of Pernod Ricard, said at that point the group should aim for first place in the spirits market. What is your strategy to achieve this?

This is the purpose of our project Agility. The goal is not size for size, but the growth momentum. Our sales have grown faster than our competitor's last year. We must repeat that performance this year.We take the market, we are the most innovative, we are well placed to achieve this.

Alexandre Ricard was promoted a few weeks ago. It is well positioned to succeed you …

Two things are certain. One is Alexandre Ricard has an excellent track. That's why I named Executive Vice President in charge of distribution networks. The second is that I leave my post January 31, 2015, when I turn 65, according to the statutes of Pernod Ricard.

"The decree allows to adjust the price cap to the station for the gradual opening to competition of the railway market," says the text. Clearly, to boost the attractiveness and profitability of the public entity within the opening to competition of the European network, SNCF should be able to offer its customers a range of rates much larger, developed based on supply and demand.

Rate increases on the crowded trains

The gain to consumers is mixed.On some busy routes, these new capabilities would enable the public body to go beyond the current full price of the second class in rush hour cheap payday advance. Holidaymakers taking TGV lines busy for example will be expected to pay more. However, for trains shunned by customers, the SNCF would be allowed to go below rates currently charged to attract new passengers.

Such liberalization was requested by the SNCF to the government at the end of last year, in return for the introduction of a tax to finance inter-deficient lines. Neither station nor the government have so far expressed on the subject.Signatory to the decree, the Minister of Transport, Thierry Mariani, was at the time held that freedom of the SNCF tariff should remain regulated, "in that competition does not really exist."

According to Challenges, consumer groups such as FNAUT will be formally consulted before the application of the decree, "probably in the fall."