(العربية)(Francais)

History of CODE41

CODE41 is a new brand in the Swiss watch industry. What sets it apart? Its community aspect. Its objective is to bring together enthusiasts with brilliant ideas and to take those imaginative designs from concept to fruition. Each supporter of the brand becomes a valuable member of the project.

Its founder, Claudio D’Amore, has worked for the biggest watch brands, such as Tag Heuer and Montblanc. In 2016, he founded CODE41 based on a policy of total transparency relating to the origin, costs and development of watches. Today, the company has managed to amass a community of over 300,000 members.

Swiss Arab Entrepreneurs participated in one of these community events to discover the latest CODE41 watch, the DAY41.


Swiss Arab Entrepreneurs (SAE): CODE41, a Swiss start-up in the watch industry, "a Swiss watch" in the footsteps of Nicolas Hayek of the 80s?

Claudio D’Amore: CODE41 is a Swiss watch brand that was launched just 3 years ago. It’s one of the up and coming brands, and it has been generating a lot of buzz in recent years.

SAE: Why this name, CODE41?

Claudio D’Amore: +41 is the country code for Switzerland and, in computer science, CODE 41 is a system error. We liked that analogy, since our project represents an anomaly in the Swiss watch system, so we ran with it.

SAE: Can you tell us about your professional and entrepreneurial journey?

Claudio D’Amore: I initially studied design and I have created many furniture and accessory pieces over the course of my career. But watchmaking has always fascinated me, and I’ve now decided to concentrate on this sector. In the first instance, I created my own design workshop where I had 3 employees working alongside me. Here, we carried out work for around forty different watch brands. But I was always interested in going through the experience of creating and establishing my own brand, from the first steps to the last.

SAE: How did you get the idea to create CODE41?

Claudio D’Amore: Basically, I am a watch designer, but the desire to launch my own watch brand steadily began to intensify, year upon year. Yet it never seemed the right time to go it alone with my own brand (economic situation, saturated market, etc.). However, at the beginning of 2016, in a contextual watchmaking crisis, where every watch suffered from an overly rigid and conservative approach, I told myself that it was time to shake up the established rules while taking advantage of the revolution started by the internet. And so, the CODE41 project was born.

SAE: In three years, succeeding in launching a successful watch and conquering watchmaking companies that are well established in the Swiss economic landscape, is not it an easy mission? What are your tools / secrets for success?

Claudio D’Amore: Believe in your ideas, have a vision, do not look back, market research does not allow you to innovate, you have to create unique products by thinking outside the box.

SAE: Your business model and your marketing strategy?

Claudio D’Amore: We share all stages of watch development with a community of enthusiasts by being completely transparent. We contact our consumers directly and sell the watches upfront before turning our attention to producing them.

SAE: Your success is linked to the fact that you had a media echo, or the support you get from your fans on social networks ... etc?

Claudio D’Amore: IIt’s all about our community, we rely a lot on word of mouth. The press is important too, but they will only cover your story if you have interesting things to say. That’s why we have to continually innovate.

SAE: To cross the wall of silence and publicize your project, you have embarked on a daring communication which denounced the label "Swiss made". Can you tell us about this label please, what does it mean?

Claudio D’Amore: This desire for transparency stems from my own personal feelings. As a consumer, I like to understand what I buy, who is behind it, and how it is made. The day I discovered that a so-called “Swiss Made” watch could have almost all of its components from Asia, I felt betrayed and it’s not the kind of feeling that I want any of my customers to experience.

Some have called our approach to transparency revolutionary. But in reality, we are simply reconstituting what a customer-brand relationship should be: a clear explanation of our process, without distortion or hyperbole. I think that this approach pays off in the medium and long term because the customer is never fooled. With our company, they have the opportunity to learn, compare, and pass comment before buying.

SAE: Aren't you likely to have counter attacks?

Claudio D’Amore: We are totally transparent. We have nothing to hide. We are not afraid of attacks just because competitors prefer not to make noise around the true meaning of a Swiss Made designation.

SAE: You put a lot of community spirit into developing your project, and you managed to attract fans and detractors very quickly. This community is currently made up of 300,000 members who share the values of CODE41. Can you tell us about your fans? Who are your clients?

Claudio D’Amore: These are mainly men between 35 and 50 years old, who are already fans of watchmaking and often have more than 3 watches. They find, through our project, a way to advance their passion even further. They become an agitator, giving their opinion, participating in the design process, and ultimately wearing a watch that they proudly co-created.

SAE: You offer a price that is three or four times cheaper than the big brands, how do you get there?
Claudio D’Amore: We simply removed some intermediaries by selling directly to the end customer. Additionally, we do not utilize marketing positioning, we just apply a fixed multiplier to the production price, and that’s it.

SAE: You talk about the hidden costs in traditional industry. Can you tell us a little bit more?
Claudio D’Amore: The price of a watch is generally established by estimating its perceived value, in other words, how much someone is willing to pay for it. For luxury items, the price is often pushed up because it is deemed to be a sign of quality. For our part, we explain the costs of each component and apply a multiplier that allows us to make the project profitable.

SAE: Can you please tell us about the different types of watches that you offer to your customers?
Claudio D’Amore: We only have mechanical movements, because that is what we think is the most magical. We have either standard movement, mass-produced (which has the advantage of being inexpensive), or manufactured movements such as our very own X41. These specific movements are a result of watchmaking excellence. They are produced in small batches, assembled by hand, and have special features like the peripheral mass.

SAE: Do you have offers for female customers and young people?

Claudio D’Amore: At the request of our community, we launched our women's project, DAY41, whereby women had the sole right to vote. The result demonstrates that women really appreciate mechanical watches just as much as their male counterparts.

SAE: What are the biggest challenges for your project?

Claudio D’Amore: We have to strengthen our market share over the course of the next decade since, for watchmaking in particular, most people rely only on the big established brands. As a relatively new brand we must prove that we can deliver beautiful watchmaking without having a century-old history behind us.

SAE: Can you tell us about the Chinese competition?

Claudio D’Amore: We are not affected by Chinese competition.

SAE: Do you use direct online distribution? Is this your secret weapon of success, can you tell us more about it?

Claudio D’Amore: Being in direct contact with the client is indeed a powerful weapon, but our most effective tool is the creation and proposal of new ideas. We will soon be working with retailers in order to expand our reach.

SAE: What advice do you give for choosing a watch? How can we buy your watches?

Claudio D’Amore: In watches there are many aspects to consider. But for me, real watchmaking is defined by mechanical movements as opposed to electronic. The X41 watch that we launched a few months ago represents what I like most in watchmaking. It has a unique movement, made 100% in Switzerland exclusively for us along with special features (such as the peripheral mass) which is controlled only by a few brands. Our watches are available for sale only on our web site.

SAE: Are you ready to hear the ideas of your potential customers? like for example making a high-end watch with the Hijri months - Arabic calendar? Or if not a design inspired by Arab culture?

Claudio D’Amore: Our project is based solely on listening to our customers. All the projects we launch are voted for by the community. We propose various different projects and develop the one that secures the most votes.

(العربية)

Born on May 11, 1995 in French-speaking Switzerland, Naomé Schenk spent her childhood in a small village bordering Lake Geneva. Although she suffers from a genetic disease, his wheelchair does not prevent her from discovering with curiosity the world around her. She is passionate about new technologies, fashion and art.

Her creative spirit and determination are the essential assets that characterize her. With a spirit of initiative, Naomé has, in addition to her studies, already used her skills to carry out various ambitious projects including: “I Am Naomé”, a marketing agency specializing in luxury, the creation of NGOLD Gstaad, a lifestyle brand, BY NAOME, a high-end fashion brand for charitable purposes.

“Luxury has always been a passion for me, which was evident since childhood. I have always been fascinated by the prestigious houses that give us magical experiences. These make me dream again now, and I, myself, would like to continue this dream. "

Swiss Arab Entrepreneurs: an you write us a summary on you? Your personal history, professional story? Can you describe to us your journey: main activities, how do you manage your project, what do you read? events you attend?...etc.

Naomé Schenk: Of course, thank you! I'm Naomé, I'm a 24-year-old woman entrepreneur focused within the luxury sector. Parallel to my professional activities, I am finishing my Master’s Degree in Luxury Marketing in Geneva, and I am very much involved in environmental causes through my own association and with By Naomé.

I am really passionate about what I do, I have so many ideas, desires and ambitions. My dream is to have a real positive impact, while living my dream life. I’m also obsessed with becoming a better person every day. I spend a great deal of my time reading personal and business development books, often drawing inspiration from great entrepreneurs who have succeeded on the path I am setting out on.

I'm constantly inspired by the success stories of ambitious people who’ve made a lasting positive social impact. I am a big believer in networking, and the development of my personal network has had a huge influence on helping me get to where I am today.

I invest a lot of my earnings back into conferences, courses, mastermind groups, and online training. These products and events give me access to valuable communities of entrepreneurs. Finally, my main networking tool is Instagram, where I am very active with my @iamnaome profile!


SAE: What is your project(s); can you give us a description? You also have a foundation: can you tell us about it? You succeeded to create different new products can you tell us more?

Naomé Schenk: passionate about luxury brands, fashion, and marketing. When I look my life’s endeavors objectively, all my professional and academic activities are also my passions. That's why I've been able to accomplish so much, because I'm so passionate about what I do. I’ve never counted my working hours or my ROI, I just do everything out of a burning desire to do so.

Concerning NGOLD Gstaad (my lastest brand), it's great because I have a very fond attachment to crystals, right from my childhood. I truly believe in the benefits of these stones. As a child (and to this day!) I’ve always had Amethysts on my bedside table. For those of you that don’t know, Amethyst is reputed to help both sleep and harmony. I'm over the moon to have created a brand that suits me down to the ground. Having my own bottle of water to take everywhere with me (preventing plastic waste) and having the energy benefits of the stone form part of my daily life.

Concerning By Naomé, it's simply my childhood dream to create a brand that’s proudly 100% Swiss-made, ethical, ecological, and that gives 100% of its profits to charities. We collaborate with contemporary artists, conceptualizing and designing each collection. This is a project I am extremely proud of. We launched our first collection in mid-2019, and subsequently held a Charity Gala in November.

Yes, we are recognized as a public body, which means that we have a cause that is recognized by the state as tax-exempt (meaning donations are also tax-exempt). This is a worthy recognition, but it’s not been easy to get there. Earning this status required a lot of paperwork, and a long list of appointments. As they say, it’s the administrative work that takes the most time!

SAE: What is your business model?

Naomé Schenk: Whether it’s my my businesses or my personal projects, I invest myself to the maximum, both personally and financially, doing everything I can to make them work. Then, once the business model starts to gain traction, I review it; evaluating what went well, and more importantly, assessing what I can learn from what didn’t. Then I try to look for ways to simplify and automate the business or project as much as possible! I'm increasingly interested in crypto currency and real estate, the logical next step for me now is to start to invest intelligently.

SAE: When you started your project?

Naomé Schenk: I left home at the age of 16 to start at an art & communication school. It was at this point that I started to undertake my first projects. I had a blog where I wrote about the luxury lifestyle, and that led to several experiences in the business press, I also spent a lot of time on community management. I then decided to specialize further within luxury. I experimented a lot too. I'm very curious – so many businesses pique my interest! With the advent of the internet, we are so lucky, we have so many opportunities that are just one Google search away. The online world has completely dismantled social and economic barriers affording anyone the opportunity to rise out of their current socioeconomic situation.

SAE: How you find the idea to start your project?

Naomé Schenk: I paired my passions with current growth trends.

SAE: What countries are you operating in / geographical coverage?

Naomé Schenk: I both work in, and have the majority of my clients located within Switzerland. I also have business locations in Paris, London, and Monaco. As far as NGOLD Gstaad is concerned, we are looking to go global!

SAE: How did you finance your project in the first stage? how you deal with the competition?

Naomé Schenk: I’ve self-financed all of projects! I’ve sometimes had the support of partners and sponsors, which was the case for By Naomé, for example. From 2020 onwards, I'm going to increasingly seek external funding sources because I sometimes put myself in difficult situations at the beginning of a project.

Competition is only a mere matter of marketing and positioning, which is good, because it allows us to demonstrate how we are better.

SAE: In which stage are you now in your projects?

Naomé Schenk: I'm currently in a phase where I'd like to simplify and automate my projects. We've achieved some early success, and now is the time to surround ourselves with some expert help. We're in a strategically interesting period, and past the initial difficulty of the startup phase.

SAE: What is your future objectives?

Naomé Schenk: To grow and to have a greater positive impact. I would like to grow my business to as big as it can possibly be, and I’m not afraid to display such ambitions.

SAE: What are the major obstacles you faced/you are facing? Can you tell us about the most fascinating moment in your professional life / in this project? I got that you got an offer from a very rich businessman, can you tell us about this offer?

Naomé Schenk: My greatest difficulty was, first and foremost, my illness. Being in a wheelchair and having significant breathing difficulties, I had to learn how to adapt to my illness in order to succeed while retaining the integrity of my health. But no matter the difficulties I face, we all have potential excuses for not moving forward, right? We just have to do it! I'm sure that my passion and determination to succeed will actually help to improve my health when all is said and done! It’s all about your state of mind. Sometimes the pressure can be intense, but it still often boils down to a question of mindset. The greatest difficulty is to persevere in the absolute worst moments.

The most fascinating thing about my journey has been the emotional ups and downs. You can go from a state of despair to immense joy in just a few minutes. While I do have a lot of pressure and responsibility on my shoulders, I love the challenge of continuing to carry this challenging and exciting dream forward.

Yes, having an increasing number of billionaire friends must be a good sign for my business, right? As I start to meet more and more incredible people, everything falls into place and grows. I'm finally starting to see my efforts pay off. I know that the future will be even more beautiful, because I know that all it takes is just unlocking one contact, or one opportunity, and suddenly your life can literally become forever changed! I personally put a lot of value in networking, which I’m certain to continue!

SAE: What is your next step?
Naomé Schenk: Goal number one is to grow, to have a greater positive impact, and to start investing. Developing NGOLD Gstaad internationally, especially in Dubai, is among one of the next steps. By Naomé will launch its second collection in September and I will personally dedicate a lot more time to learning about investment. I have lots of ideas and projects, and I still feel like I’m just at the beginning of my journey!

الآثار الجانبية للفيروس: فرصة مراجعة الأولويات في خضم الجنون المعاصر، نشارك نصًا جميلًا بقلم الدكتور رفائلي موريلي (Raffaele Morelli)، الطبيب النفسي والرئيس المؤسس لمعهد الطب النفسي الجسدي في رزا (Riza) (ايطاليا).

"أعتقد أن الكون لديه طريقته في إعادة التوازن بين الأشياء وقوانينها، عندما تصبح هذه مزعزعة للغاية. اللحظة التي نعيش فيها، مليئة بالشذوذ والمفارقات، مما يجعلنا نفكر ...

في هذه المرحلة التي وصل فيها تغير المناخ، الناجم عن الكوارث البيئية، إلى مستويات مثيرة للقلق. اصبحث الصين أولا، ثم العديد من الدول الأخرى، مضطرة لتطبيق الحظر. الاقتصاد ينهار، لكن التلوث يتناقص بشكل كبير.

الهواء يتحسن. نستخدم القناع، لكننا نتنفس...

في لحظة تاريخية، عندما يتم إعادة احياء بعض الإيديولوجيات والسياسات التمييزية في جميع أنحاء العالم، مع التذكير بقوة بماضي وضيع، يصل فيروس، مما يجعلنا عرضة، بين ليلة وضحاها، لنصبح نحن أيضًا من يعاني من التمييز، نصبح نحن المميزون، المعزولون، أولئك الذين يتم حظرهم عند الحدود والذين يجلبون الأمراض. هكذا دون اي ذنب. حتى لو كنا من البيض، الغربيين، ونسافر في الدرجة الأولى (عقدة الرجل الأبيض القوي)

في مجتمع قائم على الإنتاجية والاستهلاك، حيث نعمل جميعًا لمدة 14 ساعة في اليوم بعد أن يكون من غير الواضح لماذا، ناهيك عن يومي السبت أو الأحد، بدون مزيد من فترات الراحة في البرنامج.

فجأة، يتوقف كل شيء. ويتوجب لزوم المنزل لأيام وأيام، لنشرع في حساب الوقت الذي فقدنا قيمته، بمجرد أن لم يعد من الممكن قياسه بمقدار المال أو الربح. والسؤال: هل نعرف فعلا ماذا نفعل به؟

في الوقت الذي غالبًا ما يتم فيه تفويض تعليم أطفالنا، بحكم الظروف، إلى شخصيات ومؤسسات مختلفة، يغلق الفيروس المدارس ويجبرنا على إيجاد حلول بديلة، بحيث يتم لم شمل الأمهات والآباء مع أطفالهم.

إنه يجبرنا على إعادة بناء "أسرة".

في ظل بيئة يتم فيها تشكيل العلاقات والتواصل والتلاحم الاجتماعي بشكل أساسي في وسط افتراضي من خلال الشبكات الاجتماعية، مما يمنحنا وهم القرب، يسلب الفيروس القرب الحقيقي فعلًا: لا يجب أن يلمس أحد أحدأ، لا تقبيل، لا عناق، مع الحفاظ على مسافة، فهي علاقة باردة تفتقد الى الاتصال.

منذ متى اتخذنا هذه الطرق في السلام ومعناها أمرا مسلما به؟

في المناخ الاجتماعي حيث أصبح التفكير في نفسك هو القاعدة، يرسل لنا الفيروس رسالة واضحة: الطريقة الوحيدة للخروج منه هي المعاملة بالمثل، والشعور بالانتماء، والمجتمع، والشعور بكوننا جزء من شيء أكبر يحتاج إلى رعاية ويمكن أن يهتم بنا.

المسؤولية المشتركة، الشعور بأن أفعالنا لا تحدد فقط مصيرنا، ولكن مصير الآخرين، جميع من حولنا. وأننا نعتمد عليهم.

لذا إذا أوقفنا "البحث عن المذنب"، لنسأل أنفسنا عن الخطأ ولماذا حدث كل هذا، ولنسأل أنفسنا بدلاً من ذلك عن ما يمكننا تعلمه، أعتقد أننا جميعًا لدينا الكثير لنفكر به وما نعمله.

لأنه مع الكون وقوانينه، من الواضح أن لدينا دينًا مفرطًا.

إنه يذكرنا بها بثمن باهظ، من خلال فيروس.

ترجمة عن الفرنسية

https://www.vh.ma/actualite-news-express-maroc/news/lamour-temps-corona/

On 31st Dec 2019, the government of Wuhan, China, confirmed a dozen cases of severe pneumonia. Researchers in China later identified Covid-19 or coronavirus as a new virus that has infected thousands of people in Asia. As recorded by Worldometer:

• In the past two months, the virus has spread to 109 countries
• Infecting more than 116,711 people across the world
• The death toll has reached 4,095 including 3,136 deaths in China only

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Covid-19 or Coronavirus “a global health emergency.” The virus has not only affected humans but has adversely impacted the world economy and businesses with its uncontrollable outbreak. Its spread to Europe and the Middle East has started a fear of global pandemic. To which global financial markets are reacting strongly, and business leaders are questioning the growth and recovery of the world economy.

What Coronavirus Outbreak Could Mean to the Global Economy

With the start of the year 2020, the trade war with the United States left the Chinese economy to expand at a low pace in 30 years. In addition to this, it is estimated that nearly 4 million people lost their jobs in 2019. As if this was not enough for China to manage, the outbreak of coronavirus put a brake on the economy.

According to Standard Chartered, due to the lockdown in China, the virus could affect 42 percent of the economy. The banking industry may face non-performing loans of $1.1 trillion as the companies fail to make payments.

The outbreak is not only impacting China, but it is also crippling the world economy.

Let’s shed a light on the sector or businesses that are facing economic crisis globally.

Stock Markets

Global Shares take a hit

After the 2008 financial crisis, the world stock market started to experience a severe impact in February 2020. It was estimated that the impact would be limited to companies that have a direct and indirect connection with China.

Now, the virus has reached 109 countries, investors are worried about its impact on buying and selling shares. Investors are nervous; therefore, they are selling into an overvalued market to save profits. The US central bank has decreased interest rates. In order to make the borrowing cheap and to encourage people to spend in the share market. But due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, many companies have stopped their operations.

Global Manufacturing

China is famously known as “the factory of the world.” From 15 to 20 years, China has single-handedly managed the supply chain of international companies. Due to the coronavirus, this has been interrupted, and many global companies have shut down their operations.

For instance, Starbucks closed all its stores in the region due to the outbreak. Apple and Honda also closed their manufacturing unit in February.

In addition to this, more than 51,000 global companies have at least one supplier in the region affected by the pandemic.

Let’s not forget the tension between the US and China caused by the global trade war, and the manufacturing sector is already at a loss. We have to wait and see how coronavirus would impact the global supply chain in the coming days.

Oil and Gas Market

The outbreak of the coronavirus has impacted the oil market to hit the deepest level in oil production cuts. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) are also having disagreements that have caused the prices to go more down.

Saudi Arabia ended up lowering the oil prices that fumed a price war causing U.S. crude oil prices to plunge by 25%. Since 2016, for the first time, U.S. crude oil barrel price went below $30.

According to the American Automobile Association, in the second week of March, the average national gas price has reached to $2.38 per gallon. This is the third week in the United States, where the gasoline stocks decreased, and demand has increased.

The oil price war has raised major concerns in the United States energy industry, and how they will manage the decreasing oil prices globally.

Travel and Tourism

The lockdown has also impacted the Chinese airlines as their planes are forced to stay on the grounds. Nearly $12.8 billion losses may be faced by the Chinese airlines, and the global airline industry is expected to lose $29 billion (IATA).

There has been a lot of trip cancelation, as China and Italy are facing serious lockdowns, and millions of people are quarantined. Entry in Iran has also banned due to the increased number of people getting infected.

Education

According to UNESCO, over 290.5 million students have been affected due to the virus outbreak in more than 22 countries.

• Italy- has been recorded as the most affected region in Europe, with 200 deaths. Therefore, they have shut down schools till 15^th
• Spain- The government of Spain, has closed education centers from nursery schools to universities in Madrid.
• China has been in lockdown for more than two months; millions of students are home bound and relying on online learning

Coronavirus – an opportunity?

When there are losers, there are winners too. Coronavirus has shaken the whole world, and people are living in a state of fear. On the other hand, some people are also benefiting from this novel outbreak.

• Prices of a mask, hand sanitizers, hand-washed, etc. have been increased in no time boosting sales for health sector and pharmaceutical sector. Reckitt Benckiser, Getz Pharma, are some names who are on the winning side.
• Due to the lockdown, people are turning towards online shopping, which has increased the sales for e-commerce sectors such as Amazon and Ali Baba.
• Some business events have been shifted from real offline events to online, like Seedstars summit in Switzerland.
• Walmart sales were also increased as people shopped the necessary items in bulk, leaving the shelves empty.
• Given the closure of schools in certain regions due to health risks, distance education has flourished during this period
• Increase and improvement of domestic production and self-sufficiency.
• While the reduction of economic activities is harmful for economic growth, it is beneficial for the environment, we can observe a significant reducing of pollution and carbon emissions.

Coronavirus has impacted the world in the worst way possible, and as the numbers of the virus victims are increasing, the world economy will face more implications.

Following are some key points to keep in mind:

• Now is not the time for individual investors to take risk with the money, wait till the market settles. However, if you want to rebalance your portfolio by buying stocks to reallocate resources, the time is feasible.
• Keep your travel plans on hold, especially to the affected regions.
• Focus on post-crisis management in order to deal with the aftermath.

©Swiss Arab Entrepreneurs Platform

Information sources: Forbes, Al Jazeera, BBC, abc News.

(French) (عربي)

On a rare sunny day during Geneva's winter, we met Abdallah Chatila at the headquarters of his real estate group, m3 Real Estate, whose premises reveal his passion for art. Successful entrepreneur and jack of all trades, he welcomes us as a simple man, dressed in jeans and a T-Shirt decorated with a smiley.

Swiss-Arab Entrepreneurs: How did you become a "serial entrepreneur"?

Abdallah Chatila: I learned the commercial spirit from my father, but he was very conservative and careful, while I am careful but not conservative. You have to know how to seize opportunities when they arise. I wanted to do a lot of things, and when I started making money with real estate, it got me started on all kinds of projects. I was lucky to be successful! These are sequences of circumstances. It all depends on the opportunity and the people around you. My strength is that I am not afraid of losing. I do a lot of things hoping to do them well. But I am realistic and I accept both loss and gain. When we have multiple projects we can more easily imagine failing and we take more risk.

SAE: Based on your experience, what advice would you give to other entrepreneurs? According to the literature, 80% of entrepreneurial success is based on psychology and the mindset and 20% on strategy. What do you think?

AC: Yes of course, everything is mental and a matter of perception. To hesitate is normal, I hesitate too. But at some point, you have to decide whether to go ahead or not. The problem with people who are too hesitant is that they end up doing nothing at all. You have to study your file, do a market study, make comparisons, but then you have to make a decision. I make my decision quickly. You have to believe in what you do and do what you believe in.

In business, it is essential to know how to lose in order to win. I experienced failure. But only once, with the bankruptcy of the company I made with my brother, a new watch brand. At 24-25, we were too young and inexperienced for such a complicated enterprise and such a heavy task.

Sharing your experience is important to motivate others. I coach people every day. In jewelry, I understood the importance of knowing how to manage information flows. My philosophy: to attach to people rather than things.

SAE: Entrepreneurship is gaining importance in the USA, Europe and elsewhere. How do you see the entrepreneurial world of tomorrow?

AC: If entrepreneurship has always existed, it is much easier today to have ideas. The Internet and social media play an important role and generate many new ideas. They allow you to be inspired by what others do and make people want to do business. But to be an entrepreneur, you also need to have money and therefore be able to borrow from banks or find investors. To find investors, you have to enter insider circles. As for the banks, they must be open and ready to support entrepreneurs.

This is the case in France where state aid is also available. Entrepreneurship therefore has a cultural effect but also a political effect. In Switzerland, it is very difficult to borrow from banks for entrepreneurial projects and there are not many state support programs. The Ecole Polytechnique de Lausanne (EPFL) is a good example. Supported initially by the cantonal state, it has set up a business incubation structure, offers grants and meetings with investors.

SAE: How do you view the Arab world and its needs in the fields of economics and entrepreneurship?

AC: The problem in the Arab world is that people are caught between the traditional world and the modern world. Religion is taking up more and more importance, the economy is blocked and political instability is dominant. All this makes foreign investment difficult. Political instability is a major risk for investors. Even Arab countries with natural resources find it difficult to attract them.

The region is also experiencing a flight of people and capital. I myself am a child of a family who had to leave his country like many others in the Arab world. The people who live in Europe and Switzerland are used to a well-defined and structured economic and legal system. Despite their patriotism, people are selfish and will not invest their money in an unstable country just because it is where they come from. Transfers from Arab Diasporas are generally intended for the consumption needs of their families and not for investment. An investor with a choice will look to other countries.

Certainly, there are investments in the Arab world. But they are limited to certain sectors such as tourism or energy, whereas the investment needs are enormous. Entrepreneurship cannot thrive without an appropriate policy framework and a supportive ecosystem. Internal policies need to help attract investment. And the issue of political instability should absolutely be addressed to create a stable and attractive environment, which is essential for any investor.

SAE: The 4^th industrial revolution and digital economy are underway. At the same time, some economists predict an economic crisis within one to two years. How do you prepare for it?

AC: We believe in digital and we invest a lot in it. This is the big change to expect for the next 5-10 years. In the digital hotel era, online platforms are obviously competitors, but that doesn't scare us. However, we have no concerns for our real estate sector: our clients are people who want to live in their apartment or work in their office.

Economic indices cannot go up constantly. Fluctuations are common. The current economic and political instability is causing uncertainty and causing markets to fall. But what happened in 2008 and what is happening now are two completely different things. A crisis is possible but in the form of a market correction of a past period of excessively good economic indices, and not the explosion of a bubble. Experience over the past ten years has shown that after the fall, everything started to go up. The stock markets have doubled, everything has doubled and it is therefore normal for a correction to occur at some point. Either way, today's cycles are short - one or two years - and the economies will recover quickly. Central banks also have the means to offset the crisis. We are also fortunate to live in Switzerland, a place that many consider a refuge country. As we saw in 2008, real estate business was difficult for a year but it quickly recovered.

 (French) (English)

التقينا بالسيد عبدالله شاتيلا في مقر مجموعته العقارية في يوم مشمس نادر في فصل الشتاء في جنيف، الشركة العقارية م3، التي تكشف مبانيها عن شغفه بالفن. رجل أعمال ناجح ومتعدد المواهب، يستقبل ضيوفه كرجل متواضع، ببنطلون جينز وقميصاً مزيناً بعلامة ابتسامة.

رواد الأعمال العرب السويسريين: كيف أصبحت "رائد أعمال متسلسل"؟

عبد الله شاتيلا: تعلمت من أبي الروح التجارية، لكنه كان محافظاً وحريصا للغاية، أما أنا، فانني حريص ولكن لست محافظًا. على الشخص أن يعرف كيفية اغتنام الفرص عند وجودها. كنت أرغب في تحقيق الكثير من الانجازات، وعندما بدأت في جني الأموال من العقارات، سمح لي ذلك بالانطلاق في شتى أنواع المشاريع. كنت محظوظاً بأن أحقق نجاح في كل ما قمت به! كان ذلك نتيجة لسلسلة من الظروف المواتية. كل هذا يتوقف على الفرص والاشخاص المحيطين بك. تكمن قوتي في أنني لا أخاف من الخسارة، أقوم بالكثير من الأشياء على أمل القيام بها بشكل جيد، لكنني شخص واقعي وأقبل الخسارة بنفس الدرجة التي اقبل فيها المكاسب. عندما يكون لدينا مشاريع متعددة، يمكننا أن نتخيل الفشل بسهولة ونتحمل المزيد من المخاطرة.

رواد الأعمال العرب السويسريين: بناءً على تجربتك، ما هي النصيحة التي تقدمها إلى رواد الأعمال الآخرين؟ وفقًا للأدبيات، يعتمد 80٪ من النجاح في الأعمال الريادية يعتمد على الجوانب النفسية والذهنية مقابل 20٪ فقط على الاستراتيجية. ما رأيك بهذا القول؟

عبدالله شاتيلا: نعم بالطبع، كل شيء مرتبط بالذهن والإدراك. يعتبر التردد أمر طبيعي، وأنا بطبعي متردد أيضًا. ولكن في مرحلة ما، عليك أن تقرر ما إذا كنت تريد المضي قدمًا أم لا. تكمن المشكلة مع الناس الذين يترددون كثيراً، في أنهم في نهاية المطاف لا يقومون باتخاذ أي خطوة على الإطلاق. يجب عليك تقييم قدراتك وإجراء دراسة السوق وإجراء مقارنات، ولكن عليك اتخاذ قرار، أنا أتخذ قراري بسرعة. عليك أن تؤمن بما تفعله وتفعل ما تؤمن به.

في مجال الأعمال، من الضروري معرفة كيفية الخسارة من أجل الفوز في النهاية. لقد واجهت الفشل، لكن مرة واحدة حين أفلس مشروعنا أنا وأخي. عند إنشائنا علامة تجارية جديدة للساعات، في سن 24-25، كنا صغار السن وعديمي الخبرة لمثل هذه المهمة المعقدة والثقيلة.

تعد مشاركة تجربتك أمراً مهماً لتحفيز الآخرين. الى جانب ذلك، أدرب الناس كل يوم. في صناعة المجوهرات، فهمت أهمية معرفة كيفية إدارة تدفق المعلومات. فلسفتي: أن أتعلّق بالأشخاص بدلاً من الأشياء.

رواد الأعمال العرب السويسريين: تكتسب روح المبادرة أهمية في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وأوروبا وأماكن أخرى. كيف ترى عالم الريادة في المستقبل؟

عبدالله شاتيلا: في حال كانت ريادة الأعمال موجودة دائمًا، فمن الأسهل اليوم أن تكون لديك أفكار. تضطلع الإنترنت ووسائل التواصل الاجتماعي بدور مهم وتولد العديد من الأفكار الجديدة، تتيح لك أن تكون مصدر إلهام لما يفعله الآخرون مما يجعل الناس يريدون القيام بأعمال تجارية. لكن لكي تكون رائد أعمال، فأنت بحاجة أيضًا إلى امتلاك أموال، ومن ثم القدرة على الاقتراض من البنوك أو البحث عن مستثمرين. وللعثور على المستثمرين عليك الدخول في دوائر علاقات شخصية. أما بالنسبة للبنوك، فيجب أن تكون مفتوحة وجاهزة لدعم رواد الأعمال.

هذا هو الحال في فرنسا حيث تتوفر المساعدات الحكومية أيضًا، وبالتالي فإن لريادة الأعمال تأثيرًا ثقافيًا كما أن له أيضًا تأثيراً سياسياً. في سويسرا، من الصعب للغاية الاقتراض من البنوك للمشروعات الريادية، كما أن برامج الدعم الحكومية ضئيلة. تعد كلية العلوم التطبيقية في لوزان (EPFL) مثالاً جيدًا. حيث تمكنت من خلال الدعم الاساسي من ولاية الكانتون من انشاء هيكل لحضانة الأعمال، وتقدم المنح وتعقد اللقاءات مع المستثمرين.

رواد الأعمال العرب السويسريين: كيف تنظر إلى العالم العربي واحتياجاته في مجالات الاقتصاد وريادة الأعمال؟

عبدالله شاتيلا: المشكلة في العالم العربي هي أن الناس عالقون بين العالم التقليدي والعالم الحديث. يشغل الدين مساحة أكثر فأكثر، والاقتصاد مكبل فيما يهيمن عدم الاستقرار السياسي. كل هذا يجعل الاستثمار الأجنبي صعبًا. يعدّ عدم الاستقرار السياسي مخاطرة كبيرة للمستثمرين، حتى الدول العربية ذات الموارد الطبيعية تجد صعوبة في اجتذابه.

تشهد المنطقة أيضًا هروب الناس ورأس المال. أنا طفل من عائلة اضطرت إلى مغادرة بلدها مثل كثيرين في العالم العربي. اعتاد الأشخاص الذين يعيشون في أوروبا وسويسرا على نظام اقتصادي وقانوني واضح المعالم ومنظم، وعلى الرغم من وطنيتهم​​، فإن الناس أنانيون ولن يستثمروا أموالهم في بلد غير مستقر لمجرد أنهم يأتون من هناك. التحويلات من الشتات العربي تهدف عمومًا إلى تلبية احتياجات أسرهم من الاستهلاك وليس للاستثمار. فإن كان للمستثمر الخيار، سوف يستثمر في بلدان أخرى.

بالتأكيد، هناك استثمارات في العالم العربي. لكنها تقتصر على قطاعات معينة مثل السياحة أو الطاقة، عندما تكون الاحتياجات الاستثمارية هائلة لا يمكن لريادة الأعمال أن تزدهر بدون إطار سياسي مناسب ونظام بيئي داعم. تحتاج السياسات الداخلية للمساعدة في جذب الاستثمار. وانه لمن الجوهري معالجة قضية عدم الاستقرار السياسي لخلق بيئة مستقرة وجذابة، وهو أمر ضروري لأي مستثمر.

رواد الأعمال العرب السويسريين: الثورة الصناعية الرابعة، ثورة الاقتصاد الرقمي، تتقدم. في الوقت نفسه، يتوقع بعض الاقتصاديين حدوث أزمة اقتصادية خلال عام إلى عامين. كيف تستعد لذلك؟

عبدالله شاتيلا: نحن نؤمن بالرقمنة ونحن نستثمر الكثير في ذلك. هذا هو التغيير الكبير الذي يجب توقعه خلال السنوات الخمس إلى العشر القادمة. في عصر الفنادق الرقمية، من الواضح أن المنصات عبر الإنترنت تعد منافسة شديدة. لكن هذا لا يخيفنا وليس لدينا أية مخاوف بشأن القطاع العقاري الخاص بنا: عملائنا هم الأشخاص الذين يرغبون في العيش في شقتهم أو العمل في مكاتبهم.

لا يمكن للمؤشرات الاقتصادية أن ترتفع باستمرار، فالتقلبات أمر شائع. يسبب عدم الاستقرار الاقتصادي والسياسي الحالي عدم اليقين ويسبب هبوط الأسواق. لكن ما حدث في عام 2008 وما يحدث الآن هما شيئان مختلفان تمامًا. حصول أزمة أمر ممكن، ولكن هي حركة تصحيح للسوق، مرتبطة بمؤشرات اقتصادية مسبقة كانت جيدة بشكل مفرط، وليس نتيجة فقاعة. وقد أظهرت التجربة على مدى السنوات العشر الماضية أنه بعد السقوط، بدأ كل شيء في الارتفاع، تضاعفت أسواق الأسهم، وتضاعف كل شيء، وبالتالي من الطبيعي حدوث تصحيح في مرحلة ما. في كلتا الحالتين، دورات اليوم قصيرة - سنة أو سنتين - وسوف تستعيد الاقتصادات عافيتها بسرعة. تملك البنوك المركزية أيضا وسائل لمعالجة الأزمة. نحن محظوظون للعيش في سويسرا، وهو مكان يعتبره الكثيرون بلدًا امنا. كما رأينا في عام 2008، كان سوق قطاع العقارات صعبًا لمدة عام ولكنه سرعان ما استعاد عافيته.

International Compliance Association (ICA), the leading professional body for the global regulatory and financial crime compliance community, announces it has partnered with the European Business Association (EBA) to offer its qualifications to compliance and business professionals from all backgrounds and sectors in Ukraine.

ICA will be offering its certificates in anti-bribery and corruption, regulatory and business compliance, customer due diligence and diploma in governance, risk and compliance in partnership with EBA. The partnership is in line with both associations’ ongoing missions to help organisations conduct business in the right way and grow through the adoption of internationally recognised best practice. This new initiative also aims to empower and enable the business community in Ukraine to upskill its employees and safeguard its business from criminal, financial and reputational risk.

The global economy loses $3.6 trillion to corruption each year, having a devastating impact on business and society. In Ukraine corruption is estimated at 2 percent of the country’s GDP, which equates to $2.6 billion, according to last year’s figures. This figure is even higher when lost investment, tax payments, and other revenue-raising opportunities are considered.

ICA has a long history of providing international certifications that combine global best practice with regional insight and delivering training and education in an engaging and accessible way. The focus is always on real-world application of knowledge so that individuals can perform better in their roles.

Helen Langton, CEO, ICA, commented: “I am excited about the opportunity to bring the breadth and depth of ICA’s international experience to Ukraine and work closely with EBA to provide best-in-class training and qualifications to their members. ICA qualifications are designed to equip today’s regulatory and financial crime compliance professionals with the skills they need to manage and mitigate risk in all its forms which in turn contributes to business growth and helps drive Ukraine’s economy forward.”

Anna Derevyanko, Executive Director, EBA, added: “The Association unites more than 1,100 businesses. Every day we work together with international partners, Ukrainian state officials and institutions to create a stable and reliable business climate in the country and strive to reach new goals to make the voice of modern business in the country stronger. We have a wonderful and professional team – in Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Dnipro and Kharkiv – to give our members the highest level of advocacy, besides, developing educational programs and CSR projects, where big businesses share their experience with small ones. But there is always a room for change and qualitative transformations and this joint qualification is our next ambitious goal to help drive Ukrainian business forward.”

– Ends –

About the European Business Association

The European Business Association (EBA) was established in 1999 with the support of the European Commission, and acts as a platform in which members can discuss and find solutions to common problems affecting business in Ukraine. The EBA members come from 59 countries and 97 sectors of activity and together create about 2 million jobs. Today the Association is not about only large companies, but also represents medium-sized businesses. Every year, the business community brings around 400 problems or initiatives to the government and more than 60 percent of those problems are successfully resolved.

For more information visit: https://eba.com.ua/en/

For any media inquiries or interview requests, contact:

Oksana Myronko

Head of Communications

European Business Association

T.: +38 063 63 86 871

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About the International Compliance Association

The International Compliance Association (ICA) is the leading professional body for the global regulatory and financial crime compliance community. It has enhanced the knowledge, skills and behaviour of over 142,000 professionals in 153 countries either through their internationally recognised portfolio of professional qualifications (awarded in association with Alliance Manchester Business School, the University of Manchester) or through accredited in-company training.

For more information visit: www.int-comp.org

For any media inquiries or interview requests, contact:

Slavka Atanasova

Content Marketing Manager

International Compliance Association

T: + 44 (0)121 362 7747 (2306)

M: +44 7561 525126

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