Latest news with #Alexandre
LeMonde
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- LeMonde
In Angers, you can find world-class fries
Where can you eat the best fries in the world right now? Not in Lille or Brussels, nor in Zuydcoote or Knokke-le-Zoute, the seaside resort of Knokke-Heist in Belgium. The answer lies in Angers. While the French city is known for its gentle climate and culinary specialties like dried pears, few expected it would also be home to top-tier fries. Ever since winning the world championship for "authentic fries" – a title they earned in September 2024 in Arras – brothers Alexandre and William Laigo, aged 30 and 28, have been riding high. Customer demand surged so much after their victory that they recently opened a new restaurant in Angers, nearly three times the size of their original 35-square-meter eatery, where just three tables squeezed in. The name remains the same: Badem, a subtle nod to their Breton roots and the town of Larmor-Baden. "Since Baden was already registered by a German restaurateur in Baden-Baden, we simply replaced the 'n' with an 'm,'" they explained. Originally, fries were just a simple "side dish" on their menu, which was otherwise made up exclusively of tartares. Whether beef, fish or vegetarian, their 100% homemade preparations are available to eat in or take away, fast-food style. When they opened in January 2023, they offered two types of fries: a "classic" version fried in sunflower oil, suitable for vegetarian palates, and another that is blanched and then refried in beef fat, following the tradition of Belgium and northern France.
IOL News
07-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Gallants back youth and vision as 28-year old Alexandre takes the helm
Marumo Gallants chairman Abram Sello says new 28-year-old head coach Lafitte Alexandre was appointed for his vision and hunger, not his age or nationality, as the club targets top-eight success in the upcoming PSL season. Photo: Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix Age or nationality is neither here nor there for Marumo Gallants chairman Abram Sello when it comes to appointing a new head coach. Gallants have named Lafitte Alexandre as their new head coach, replacing Abdeslam Ouaddou, who recently joined Orlando Pirates. At just 28-years old, Alexandre becomes the youngest coach in the DStv Premiership ahead of the new campaign. But this is not unfamiliar territory for Gallants, who previously appointed 31-year-old Romain Folz. Although Folz's stay at the club was brief, he went on to make a name for himself at Horoya AC, Fifa, AmaZulu, and Mamelodi Sundowns. Speaking at Alexandre's unveiling at Hotel Sky in Sandton on Monday — alongside the club's new signings — Sello explained their approach to recruitment. 'I think as our payline, Bahlabane Ba Ntwa, when we look for someone, we really mean business,' Sello said. 'We happen to be lucky by speaking to the right people — we study first, check the profiles, and consult. With that help, it makes us feel great about the candidate. 'We had previous coaches where the media said, 'look how young he is'. But they ended up at Mamelodi Sundowns, Fifa, AmaZulu or Horoya. That kind of development makes us proud, especially if you look at where Romain Folz and Abdes (Ouaddou) are right now. 'We just wish them luck when they go elsewhere. We don't block anyone's way up the ladder, coach or player, because they were with us.' Though Gallants have shown a pattern of hiring French-speaking coaches — with Alexandre and Folz both French, and Ouaddou holding French nationality — Sello denied there was any national bias. 'It's not necessarily French or Moroccan,' Sello clarified. 'We were looking at the profile and the intention of the candidate to understand our vision and mission. 'We interviewed a number of coaches and chose the one aligned with our club's growth and his hunger for success. We will give him the platform to develop himself and the club. It's not about nationality — the profile and intention are key.' Alexandre joins Gallants with a lofty reputation. The 29-year-old led Stade Abidjan to their first Ivorian title in 56 years during the 2023/24 season and guided the team to the CAF Champions League group stage at just 25-years old. Sello believes Alexandre's credentials speak for themselves — but he's not expecting miracles. 'We expect much when we look at his profile,' Sello said. 'We wish and anticipate that he can do what he did before, but it's difficult to win the league. After finishing in the semi-finals of both the Carling Knockout and the Nedbank Cup, we want to get to a final. 'In the league, we're aiming for a better position — closer to the title, as a dream. If things go well for him, we could get there. But let's start simple — get a Top 8 finish.'
The South African
26-06-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Marumo Gallants appoint a 28-year-old as new head coach
Marumo Gallants have officially appointed Lafitte Alexandre as their new head coach effective from 1 July 2025. Alexandre is a 28-year-old mentor who was most recently on the books of Ivorian side Stade D'Abidjan. State D'Abidjan are the same team that reached the group stage of the 2024-25 CAF Champions League. They are the same team that faced Orlando Pirates in the CAF Champions League but couldn't come out of the group stage. Now, Alexandre comes in to take over from Abdeslam Ouaddou who recently joined Pirates from Bahlabane Ba Ntwa. Alexandre becomes the youngest coach in the PSL for the upcoming season, and he is Marumo Gallants' youngest coach after Romain Folz who joined them at 32. Marumo Gallants appoint Laffite Alexandre. Image: Club statement Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Hindu
13-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Moet Hennessy woes test Alexandre Arnault's credentials
If successful, the 33-year old could gain a leg up in the closely watched succession contest among five siblings to lead the $280 billion luxury conglomerate headed by his father. On Tuesday, Alexandre accompanied his father to Washington, where they attended the swearing-in of Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, broadcast on local channel Fox 5. U.S. President Donald Trump, who greeted the pair among others at the White House, was heard in the broadcast referring to the younger Arnault as "the future" and a later meeting with them. LVMH declined to comment on the meeting. All five Arnault children hold management roles in the luxury empire which spans over 70 brands including fashion label Dior and jeweller Tiffany, though their 76-year-old father remains hands-on and has shown no sign of stepping down. Delphine, 50, is CEO of Dior, while Antoine, 47, is head of group communications. Frederic, 30, recently took up the role of CEO of Loro Piana and Jeanne, 26, heads marketing for Louis Vuitton's watches business. Mr. Alexandre, the third sibling, previously held a senior role at U.S. jeweller Tiffany, joining Moet Hennessy in February as deputy to new CEO Jean-Jacques Guiony, a trusted adviser to Bernard who was LVMH's finance chief for two decades. The asset-light division, which sells drinks through third-party distributors and whose initials make up half the LVMH name, has traditionally served as a cash generator for the group, generating nearly $6 billion in turnover in 2024. But last year, as demand in both the U.S. and China sagged, sales fell for the second consecutive year, while operating profit shrank by one-third. Since champagne and cognac can only be produced in the eponymous French regions, they are subject to U.S. tariffs on imports from the European Union, currently fixed at 10% but due to rise to 20% in July. Mr. Trump has threatened much higher tariffs of as much as 200% should the EU go ahead with plans to tax bourbon whiskey in an escalating trade dispute. Reinvigorating the business will require both diplomatic and business acumen. "The true test as a manager is how you manage events through tough times," said Markus Hansen, portfolio manager at Swiss bank Vontobel, adding that it would be hard to replicate the success of Bernard Arnault. Wealthy clients In their first big internal announcement, Mr. Guiony and Mr. Alexandre said on April 30 they would cut staff at Moet Hennessy by 13% and concentrate marketing budgets on their biggest global labels, according to a video address seen by Reuters. Mr. Alexandre told employees the situation was "very difficult". "Their message seems to be candid," said Frederic Merceron, labour representative for the Force Ouvriere union, adding that staff were still waiting to hear about concrete proposals to reignite sales. Alexandre also told staff last week he would personally oversee one of the shrinking division's key assets: the Moet Hennessy Private unit that caters for the wealthiest clientele. The unit, which has around 80 employees, offers exclusive experiences and personalized spirits blends for the ultra-rich. It famously sold a cask of Ardbeg Scotch for 16 million pounds in 2022 to a private investor in Asia. "We've decided to take this business unit... and make it its own entity, reporting to me directly," Arnault said, according to the video. The emphasis on high-end customers might help moderate the wider impact of tariff threats and flagging consumer demand that is causing the slowest luxury industry growth in a decade. Moet Hennessy's larger base of middle-class clients, however, might be reluctant to splash out on a bottle of Moet if the price creeps above current levels of $50 or $60 per bottle because of tariffs, said HSBC analyst Anne-Laure Bismuth. Hidden value? A steady stream of profit from Moet Hennessy, which merged with Louis Vuitton in 1987, for years helped fund Bernard Arnault's acquisitions of brands including watchmaker Hublot and jewellery label Bulgari, and the opening of new stores. Drawing on centuries-old winemaking techniques to sell products like Hennessy XO cognac, known for its curved bottles, and yellow-labeled Veuve Clicquot champagne, the division provided over 40% of group operating profit in the 1990s. "This unit has been structural for the family, and has enabled the development of the group," said Mathieu Devers, a representative from the CGT union at Hennessy, employed in the Cognac region. While symbolically important to LVMH, which used the Moet & Chandon label in prestigious sponsorship deals for Formula 1 car racing and the Paris 2024 Olympics, the division's economic contribution to the group has diminished. Wines and spirits last year accounted for just 6% of group operating profit, down from around 20% in 2015, according to figures from Bernstein analysts. If spun off, the division could be valued at 14 billion euros ($15.8 billion) once restructured, according to HSBC estimates. Bernard Arnault, who famously tends to cling to his assets, has, however, dismissed the idea: "Divestment is not on the agenda," he said in January. HSBC says a sharper focus on "pure luxury" products such as fashion, leather, watches and jewellery would give LVMH a "tighter, more coherent portfolio that the market might value more highly". For Mr. Alexandre and Mr. Guiony, the clock is ticking. "Let's give them two years to show what they can do," Bernard Arnault said after they took up their posts. ($1 = 0.8886 euros)
Fashion Network
13-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Moët Hennessy woes test Alexandre Arnault's credentials
Bernard Arnault 's son, Alexandre, has been handed a daunting challenge: reviving Moët Hennessy, the drinks division of LVMH, which currently stands as the group's worst-performing unit amid an escalating tariff war. If he succeeds, the 33-year-old could gain a competitive edge in the high-stakes succession race among his four siblings, all contenders to eventually lead the $280 billion luxury conglomerate chaired by their father. On Tuesday, Alexandre accompanied Bernard Arnault to Washington, where they attended the swearing-in ceremony of Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, as broadcast on local channel Fox 5. During the event, U.S. President Donald Trump greeted them and referred to the younger Arnault as 'the future,' while also mentioning a follow-up meeting with the pair. LVMH declined to comment on the meeting. Each of the Arnault children holds a management role within the luxury empire, which spans over 70 brands—including fashion house Dior and jeweler Tiffany—although their 76-year-old father remains actively involved and has shown no sign of stepping down. Delphine Arnault, 50, serves as CEO of Dior, while 47-year-old Antoine leads group communications. Frédéric, 30, recently became CEO of Loro Piana, and Jean, 26, oversees marketing for Louis Vuitton 's watch division. Alexandre, the third sibling, previously held a senior position at U.S. jeweler Tiffany before joining Moët Hennessy in February as deputy to new CEO Jean-Jacques Guiony. Guiony, a longtime adviser to Bernard Arnault, served as LVMH's chief financial officer for two decades. Moët Hennessy, an asset-light division whose initials form half of LVMH's name, sells its beverages through third-party distributors. Long regarded as a cash generator for the group, it posted nearly $6 billion in turnover in 2024. However, as demand waned in both the United States and China, the division saw sales decline for the second consecutive year and operating profit shrink by one-third. Because champagne and cognac must be produced in their namesake French regions, they are subject to U.S. tariffs on EU imports, currently at 10% and set to rise to 20% in July. President Trump has threatened to hike tariffs to as much as 200% if the EU proceeds with plans to tax bourbon whiskey, escalating the transatlantic trade conflict. Reviving the division will require both diplomatic finesse and sharp business acumen. 'The true test as a manager is how you handle events during difficult times,' said Markus Hansen, a portfolio manager at Swiss bank Vontobel. He added that replicating Bernard Arnault's success would be no easy feat. Wealthy clients in focus In their first major internal announcement, Guiony and Alexandre informed staff on April 30 that Moët Hennessy would cut its workforce by 13% and concentrate marketing investments on its top global labels, according to a video address reviewed by Reuters. Alexandre described the situation as 'very difficult' in the video. 'Their message seems to be candid,' said Frédéric Merceron, a labor representative with the Force Ouvrière union. However, he noted that employees were still awaiting concrete steps to stimulate sales. Alexandre also announced last week that he would personally take charge of one of the division's key assets: the Moët Hennessy Private unit, which caters to high-net-worth clients. Staffed by about 80 employees, this unit offers personalized spirits blends and exclusive experiences for ultra-wealthy customers. In 2022, the unit famously sold a cask of Ardbeg Scotch for £16 million to a private investor in Asia. 'We've decided to take this business unit... and make it its own entity, reporting to me directly,' Arnault said in the video. This renewed focus on elite clients may soften the blow of tariff threats and reduced consumer demand, which are contributing to the slowest luxury market growth in a decade. Still, Moët Hennessy's broader middle-class customer base may resist buying a bottle of Moët if prices exceed the current $50–$60 range due to tariffs, noted HSBC analyst Anne-Laure Bismuth. Hidden value? Since its 1987 merger with Louis Vuitton, Moët Hennessy has delivered a steady stream of profits that funded Bernard Arnault's acquisitions of brands such as watchmaker Hublot and jeweler Bulgari, while also supporting new store openings. Leveraging centuries-old winemaking expertise, the division built its legacy on products like Hennessy XO cognac—recognized by its iconic curved bottle—and yellow-labeled Veuve Clicquot champagne. In the 1990s, it accounted for more than 40% of LVMH's operating profit. 'This unit has been foundational for the family and has fueled the group's growth,' said Mathieu Devers, a CGT union representative at Hennessy in the Cognac region. Symbolically, the division holds significant weight within LVMH. It has featured the Moët & Chandon brand in prestigious partnerships, including with Formula 1 and the Paris 2024 Olympics. However, its financial contribution has dwindled. According to Bernstein analysts, wines and spirits represented only 6% of the group's operating profit in 2023, down from around 20% in 2015. HSBC estimates that, if restructured and spun off, the division could be valued at €14 billion ($15.8 billion). Still, Bernard Arnault has firmly ruled out the idea. 'Divestment is not on the agenda,' he said in January. HSBC analysts suggest that narrowing the company's focus to 'pure luxury' sectors like fashion, leather goods, watches, and jewelry would create a tighter and more appealing brand portfolio. For Alexandre and Guiony, the clock is ticking. 'Let's give them two years to show what they can do,' Bernard Arnault said after their appointments. ($1 = €0.8886)
