12:45
The Paul Ricard circuit, Formula 1 circuit and heart of a business hub
It is one of the mythical places of motorsport in France. But alongside the races that are held for 270 days each year, from F1 to motorcycles or trucks, the Paul Ricard circuit also wants to be a center of economic activity.
“The circuit is at the heart of an ecosystem, we have an activity area with nearly 200 companies established, explains Guillaume Paul Stéphane Clair, general manager of the Paul Ricard circuit (Le Castellet) at the microphone. ‘among them are related to motorsport or mobility”.
Research, applied research, industrial trials, new engines, the circuit also looks towards the mobility of tomorrow. “The world is changing, we are moving from the combustion engine, which has been the basis for many years, to an acceleration in recent years where we wanted to change everything and wanting to change everything means finding solutions: electric, hydrogen…, continues Stéphane Clear. These solutions are developed in the companies and we test them on the circuit”.
2500 employees work in the area of activity, in addition to the hundred permanent employees of the circuit and 1500 induced jobs.
One of the highlights of the season on the Paul Ricard circuit will be held on July 24, with the Formula 1 Grand Prix de France. 200,000 spectators are expected over the three days, the race on Sunday is already sold out. And negotiations seem well underway to find Formula 1 again in France, at Paul Ricard next year – the first five-year contract between the circuit and Formula 1 ending this year.
“The negotiations are underway and I think that with the popular success that we expect, we have a good chance of being able to hope to continue for several years in one form or another, with a rotation regime or not, everything is in discussions,” says Stéphane Clair.
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12:26
RC Toulonnais contributes to the attractiveness factor of Toulon
The Rugby Club Toulonnais (RCT) is the image of the city in the sporting world and beyond. This club, world champion in 2015, is one of the city’s attractiveness factors.
“The RCT creates jobs by bringing in tourists, we organize visits to the Mayol stadium and the Campus. The club is involved in the attractiveness factor of Toulon”, explains Bernard Lemaître, President of RC Toulonnais.
The club boss is looking to grow the brand. For this, he recruited François Pesanti, former director of RMC Sport.
“He is in charge of finding new resources. With him, we have created a development plan for our resources nationally and internationally”.
The RCT is also a social player. He created a CSR program.
“We have actions in many areas with young people from neighborhoods and single women”, reveals Bernard Lemaitre.
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12:12
On the program of 120 Minutes Business
This afternoon, from Toulon, Guillaume Paul and Lorraine Goumot receive:
- Stephane ClairDirector of Circuit Paul Ricard at Le Castellet
- Laurent MoserDirector of the Toulon site of Naval Group, Director of the Mediterranean Division
- Charles BerlingDirector of the Liberty Theater
- Francois de CansonPresident of the Regional Tourism Committee
- Basile GertisPresident of the CCI Var
- Bernard LemaitrePresident of RC Toulon
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9:00
The Charles de Gaulle, a floating city in the harbor of Toulon
Captain Sébastien Martinot, Commanding Officer of Charles de Gaulle, received BFM Business on the French Navy’s aircraft carrier. It is equipped with a runway for the landing and take-off of naval fighter planes.
“It’s a floating airport the size of three football fields. Landing is not a soft landing, quite the contrary. In addition, the pilot is looking for an extremely precise area on a runway as wide as a tennis court”, explains the captain Sébastien Martinot.
But the aircraft carrier is also a floating city with up to 1900 people at sea between the crew, the entire carrier battle group which consists of other vessels such as frigates and submarines.
The ship is currently on a maintenance break in the harbor of Toulon before returning to sea in September for trials and training of the new crew.
“The sailors change unit, even profession, regularly. We will leave for a training area in the Mediterranean, off Corsica. Then, we will be at the orders of the Chief of Defense Staff to meet operational needs. “, reveals the commander of Charles de Gaulle.
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8:04
Photonics, a sector of excellence with 18 billion euros in turnover
Fiber optics, autonomous vehicles… The photonics sector generates 18 billion euros in turnover. In Toulon, the Optitec center is devoted to these technologies.
“We are very good at the sensor part,” says Marc Ricci, managing director of the Optitec division.
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8:01
In Toulon, the French Navy unites civil and military talents
In Toulon, the Navy is a real economic powerhouse. But the military do not remain closed in on themselves. They work more and more with civil companies to create usable innovations for the army.
“The creation of the Defense Innovation Agency (AID) in 2018 was a real transformation of the Ministry of the Armed Forces. It created a new approach to innovation, open innovation. It means listening to what is done in other circles than the military”, explains Jérôme Perrin, spokesperson for the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA).
The Navy works is in contact with the industrialists of the region via the Toulon economic development agency or the competitiveness clusters. The aim is to detect civilian projects that could be of interest to Defence.
“As part of this, we have launched Gymnote, an innovation cluster to federate the Navy, the DGA and the entire industrial fabric. 144 projects have already been received”, indicates Jérôme Perrin.
With the AID, the DGA wants to support innovation projects and award subsidies or contracts to companies proposing promising projects for national defence.
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8:00
Eurobiomed: an alliance to form a “French health team”
Eurobiomed, a health competitiveness cluster for the Paca and Occitanie regions, has joined forces with three other French clusters to create a “French health team”.
This sector “brings together a little more than 1,200 companies today”, notes Emmanuel Le Bouder, Eurobiomed’s Deputy Director of Innovation.
The objective is to “raise the voice of these companies on regulatory subjects, to facilitate clinical access, to find funding levers”, he explains.
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7:23
French Tech Toulon South Region: a structured ecosystem
The French Tech Toulon Région Sud has 120 member companies and 850 jobs.
“There is a real excitement” for French Tech in Toulon because it is an “attractive” city and “which is very dynamic on the digital side”, assures Jean Larroumets, President of French Tech Toulon South Region.
It specializes in the maritime sector but also in defense and cybersecurity.
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7:21
La Var, 1st tourist department of France… after Paris
The Var is the first tourist department in France after Paris. It welcomes 3.5 million tourists every year. This summer, that figure could be higher.
“The French are there, but there are already a lot of foreigners, Europeans. In April, we saw an increase in attendance of more than 14% compared to 2019”, indicates Guillaume Decard, President of Var Tourism .
In the department, this sector represents 28,000 direct jobs. As everywhere, these professions have difficulty recruiting.
“There is a shortage. Some establishments choose to close at certain times for lack of staff. We are launching an awareness campaign to attract young people, experts and technicians”, announces Guillaume Decard.
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6:55
Bandol, an exceptional appellation
The AOC Bandol brings together 65 estates and châteaux, united in three cooperatives: 55,000 hectoliters are produced each year. And not just rosé: Bandol comes in three colors.
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6:06
Good Morning Business, le programme
Thursday, June 2, Sandra Gandoin et Christophe Jakubyszyn will receive from Toulon:
- 6:15 – Nicolas Boraccinofounder of Bentix,
- 6h45 – Jean LarroumetsPresident of the French Tech Toulon South Region
- & Xavier LafaurePresident of XL360
- 7×10 – Guillaume DecardPresident of Var Tourisme
- & Bruno WednesdayChairman of Chrysadev
- 7h20 – Emmanuel Le BouderDeputy Director Innovation of Eurobiomed
- & Marc RicciManaging Director of the Optitec division
- 7h35 – Yves ArnalPresident of the Boatmen of the Côte d’Azur
- 7h45 – Jerome PerrinSpokesperson for the Directorate General of the Armed Forces (DGA)
- 8:15 – Hubert FalcoMayor of Toulon and President of the Toulon Provence Méditerranée Metropolis
- 8h35 – Captain Sebastian Martinot, Commander of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle
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6:05
BFM Business is in Toulon!
After Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Nantes and Nice, BFM Business is packing its bags in Toulon for a special day. On the program: business leaders and economic players from the region will come to the microphone of BFM Business to bring to life, decipher and analyze the strengths of Toulon and its ecosystem.
Good Morning Business and 60 Minutes Business, which becomes 120 Minutes Business for the occasion, are in the Var this Thursday, June 2 for the day.
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