The first official event of a year-long celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Wedding of Princess Grace and HSH Prince Rainier III was hosted at the Princess Grace Irish Library on April 2, 2026.
The talk was led by Wolfgang Frei, the nephew of Edward Quinn, the Irish photographer who photographed the very first meeting of the Prince and American actress in 1955.
Frei, curator of the Edward Quinn photographic archives, offered a vivid portrait of Quinn (1920–1997), whose lens defined the glamour of the Côte d’Azur during the “Golden Fifties.” Born in Ireland and later based in London before settling on the Riviera, Quinn became one of the most trusted photographers of an international elite that included artists, film stars, and royalty.
Central to Frei’s lecture was Quinn’s unique relationship with Princess Grace and Prince Rainier. Quinn’s discretion and professionalism earned him rare proximity to the royal couple, allowing him to document both official engagements and intimate, historic moments. Most notably, Frei highlighted Quinn’s photographs of the couple’s first meeting in 1955—an encounter arranged during the Cannes Film Festival while Kelly was promoting To Catch a Thief shortly after winning an Academy Award for The Country Girl.
These now-iconic images, taken at the Prince’s Palace in Monaco, captured the poised American actress and the reserved sovereign at the very beginning of a relationship that would captivate the world. As Frei emphasised, Quinn’s photographs were not merely documentary but instrumental in shaping the public narrative of what would become the “wedding of the century” on April 19, 1956.
The presentation also explored Quinn’s broader body of work, including his coverage of Monaco’s high society events such as the Bal de la Rose, founded by Princess Grace. Today, Frei and his wife Ursula continue to preserve and promote the Edward Quinn Archive, ensuring that these defining visual records of Riviera history remain accessible.
According to the Director of the Irish Library Paula Farquharson (above with Frei), this opening event “set the tone for a commemorative year celebrating not only a royal union, but also the photographer who immortalised its very first moment”.
Save the date: On Friday, April 17, MonacoUSA will host a special Networking Event on the eve of the princely couple’s civil wedding in 1956. The Association’s featured guests will be the Groupe Nice-Matin who will present their extraordinary “Hors Serie” magazine which brilliantly captures in 116 pages this historic event in both English and French version editions.
Article and photos courtesy of Annette Ross Anderson. Article first published April 3, 2026.
At first glance, the story of Sabrina Gazza’s may seem familiar enough. The Monegasque dreamed of becoming a teacher and picked up a mathematics degree from the University of Nice. But then, like for many of us, her career path took an unexpected twist. “For the past twelve years, I’ve been working at a temporary employment agency as part of a wonderful team,” says the married mom to 15-year-old twin boys.
But any similarities end on April 19, 2023. The then 42-year-old and her family were in St. Barts visiting her niece who had an internship at the time. Sabrina, born and raised in Monaco, had grown up next to the Mediterranean but had a lifelong fear of the sea and lacked navigation skills. That particular day, the group had decided to go out on a boat but stayed close to the coast so that Sabrina could swim.
“There was a bit of a swell, and we began to dangerously drift towards the rocks,” Sabrina describes. “To avoid causing damage to the boat, I jumped into the water with my sister, Albane, to push it back. Once the boat was in the clear, the captain opened the throttle. I was still leaning against the side of the boat and was sucked into the propellers.”
Sabrina took a deep breath, convinced she was about to drown.
“When I resurfaced, everything went silent. I paddled to keep myself afloat, aware that something was wrong, but not knowing what. Albane immediately saw the gravity of the situation. Without panicking, she pulled me out of the water and applied makeshift tourniquets with whatever she could find.”
Suddenly the silence was broken – “screams, commotion, panic”. “That’s when the pain overwhelmed me”
As it happened, doctors who were vacationing nearby heard the commotion and rushed over, carrying her to the harbour where emergency services took over.
Just before being airlifted Pointe to Pitre University Hospital, Sabrina was able to say to her mom: “It’s just an accident, no one is to blame.” Her mom understood immediately that her daughter was going to fight for her life. “And that’s exactly what happened. I had no other option but to pull through, for myself and the sake of my loved ones.”
Sabrina had a double amputation below her knees. After 10 days in intensive care at Pointe-à-Pitre, she was transferred to the Princesse Grace Hospital Centre in Monaco for a fortnight before being sent to Pasteur Hospital in Nice for another two weeks. She then spent four months at the Hélio-Marin Centre, a rehabilitation facility in Vallauris specialising in musculoskeletal, neurological, and amputation care. “That’s where the real work began.”
As she recalls, “The hardest thing in rehabilitation was seeing how lonely some patients were – no family, no friends, only other patients to support them. I realised how lucky I was. I really didn’t face any difficulties, and for the first time in a long while, I was solely focused on taking care of myself.”
From Monday to Friday, Sabrina underwent two physiotherapy sessions and a workout every days, plus there were visits from family and friends. She spent the weekends at home. “This routine helped me stay focused and keep going without my mind getting the better of me.”
She says it was the unconditional support of family, friends and health care professionals – from start to finish – that kept her going. “Since the accident, I need more reassurance and to be acknowledged. I may appear to be strong but the truth is I often need to be comforted. The fact that they are there for me every day has helped me cope and continue moving on.”
To be able to walk with prostheses, Sabrina had to strengthen her abdominal muscles. She tried different sports, but they were too limiting. Then in May 2025 the assistant secretary of the Sociéte Nautique de Monaco (SNM, Monaco’s rowing club) introduced her to Ludovic Savoye, who would become her rowing partner. “Rowing ticked all the boxes … except for being a water sport. But they convinced me to give it a try. So I started with the ergometer, which gave me access to the sport without going out on the water straight away.”
By September, Sabrina decided to try rowing with the club at Lake Saint-Cassien. “It was the logical next step. Like everything since the accident, the day I decided to return to the water, I did so without questioning myself at all.”
In January 2026, Sabrina started rowing in an adapted single skull in Port Hercules. “I feel some apprehension, but I’m confident it will eventually pass.”
Sabrina combines four weekly sessions on the ergometer with one or two outings on the water, with the goal of skulling more and more frequently. “On the days when my progress feels slow, Ludovic and my family are there to remind me of everything I’ve achieved and this helps put things into perspective. And, two or three sessions later, I get back into warrior mode and continue to push ahead.”
Warrior indeed. In January 2026, eight months after first trying the ergo, Sabrina competed in her first French National Indoor Rowing Championship in Paris. She placed first in the PR3 Mixed Inclusive 4×500m Relay, in which each team has one para-athlete; third in the women’s 500-metre PR2 category – a class comprising functional use of arms and trunk with a fixed seat; and fourth in the 2000 metres. (Photos: Sabrina on the ergo, above, and with first place team SNM below. Facebook Fédération Française d’Aviron.)
“Obviously, I was nervous beforehand but as soon as the starter went off, that tension turned into energy. The atmosphere – intense and welcoming – allowed me to stay focused and push myself.
“What made the moment more special was the presence of most of my family and friends, who had come to Stade Pierre de Coubertin to cheer me on. Seeing them in the stands and feeling their support was invaluable. And I think my children were really proud of their mom. For me, that was one of the greatest rewards of this first competition.”
The medallist now has her eye on the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles for the mixed doubles event. With Ludovic, the teammates are going to compete in as many competitions as possible to show that they deserve a spot at the highest level. The only slight complication is that Ludovic is not Monegasque. “Despite this, we are moving forward together, with the same goal in mind.”
As Sabrina puts it, “Participating in the Games would be a dream come true, a chance to take my life back. Not an end in itself, but a symbol – a symbol of everything I have rebuilt, of everything I refused to give up on. And when I look back … I could never have imagined this, even in my wildest dreams.”
“What I would like people to take away from all of this is that we all have a strength within us that we don’t realise. We don’t choose the challenges we face, but we can choose how we deal with them. In my case, I decided to move forward, to fight, and to continue living life to the fullest – even if it’s different.”
Sabrina doesn’t see herself as a source of inspiration. “I just move on with what life has given me, trying to stay positive and do my best. But if my story can help someone, then I’m happy.”
Société Nautique de Monaco gave her “a warm welcome and kindness” from day one. “There is a real sense of solidarity, a simplicity in communication, and, above all, a shared desire in a passion for rowing.
“My rowing partner, the coaches, the club members … everyone, in their own way, has helped me find my place. I feel supported, encouraged, and never judged. It’s an environment where I can progress, surpass myself, and feel fully legitimate. After everything I’ve been through, that means a lot.”
Article first published on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2026.
If you ask Barbara Buljat Raymond, PhD, about her favourite childhood toy, she’ll fondly recall how her grandfather once gave her a blackboard from the school where he worked as a handyman in Croatia. “I dreamt of becoming a teacher and my younger cousin, poor thing, often played my student.” That all changed when she was given her first computer at age six. “From that moment on, I became the family’s ‘IT Guy’.”
The Monaco resident describes Croatia as a young country that embraces its historic cultural influence. “In my hometown of Rijeka, people live in beautiful villas from the Austro-Hungarian era, my Grandma speaks to me in Italian, we produce our own Mediterranean olive oil, and every morning we drink Turkish coffee. That’s quite the mix, right?”
Having grown up in a large family home with her cousins, and with a budding professional volleyball career, the thought of leaving Rijeka never entered Barbara’s mind. She obtained a double degree in Business Informatics and International Management from the Faculty of Economics and Business Rijeka, where she later became a lecturer and researcher teaching IT-in-Business and Digital Marketing courses. This opportunity led her to France.
Her doctoral studies required research abroad and Barbara is “endlessly thankful” the faculty supported her suggestion of the University Cote d’Azur (formerly the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis). Living in France was a dream come true but there were a few hurdles.
“I had to combine my teaching activities in Croatia with my research work in France, which meant a lot of logistics and back-and-forth trips. I had done a couple of student exchanges before so studying in English was easy but, honestly, French is still a challenge!”
Her research was in the field of Management Sciences, a discipline in social sciences dealing with problem-solving and decision-making in human organisations, closely linked to management, economics and business. “I know it all sounds abstract and scary, but we, mysterious academic people, need to be precise about the terms and methodologies we use.
“For example, in my PhD project, I investigated the use of technology and information systems to address the challenges of environmental sustainability communication. More precisely, I focused on motivating individuals to adopt green behaviour – like reducing the consumption of single-use plastics.”
She elaborates, “Behaviour-changing information systems are digital tools built with the intention to change somebody’s behaviour. For instance, we developed a mobile app that used augmented reality to simulate direct experiences of plastic pollution in 3D environments. We wanted to investigate whether ‘living’ an environmental issue first-hand had a different effect on people rather than reading an article or watching news about the same issue.”
In 2023, Barbara earned her doctorate in Management Sciences. “The hardest part of my PhD path? Definitely self-discipline! It requires a lot of alone time, a great deal of intellectual effort, reading complicated literature and attempting to explain complex things in a simple manner. Above all, it demands effective time management. It is very easy to get lost along the way.”
Her long-term career goal is to remain connected with academia to share her knowledge about digital tools for communication, but also to apply it in practice with digital marketing and communication services.
With nearly a decade of doing digital marketing as a “side hustle” including 15 successful projects under her belt – and the four years she spent researching digital tools for communication – Barbara decided to “make things real”. She launched a specialised digital marketing and communication agency, The Pink Cat.
“Well, on the one hand, it is not so different from my studies but on the other hand, it is indeed another world. I am finally able to produce concrete, tangible work and immediately apply it in real life, something I was really missing in the research world.”
The Pink Cat offers a range of digital services – logo design, website creation, visual identity, video creation, social media management, digital marketing strategies and promotional visuals (flyers, posters, brochures). “Additionally, we provide teaching to empower others to acquire those skills,” Barbara emphasises.
But what really sets The Pink Cat apart from other agencies is the scientific background. “While other experts with a doctoral degree either stay in the academia or provide consulting services, I like to manage projects from the beginning to the end – from the strategy through the creation and implementation.
“There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach in communication and every brand campaign requires prior research and strategy,” she stresses. “After four years of applying rigorous research methods to study how different communication impacts human attitudes and behaviour, I am pleased to apply this knowledge in every step of our marketing projects.
“Nowadays, customers demand and expect a lot of entertaining, visually appealing and interesting content from brands, often involving the management of multiple communication platforms simultaneously. The advantage of having one agency who manages all this at once lies in consistency – we ensure that a brand’s visual identity and style remain continuous across all channels.”
For Barbara, a logo is a brand’s face. “Yes, the logo is often the first thing people notice about a company and creates a lasting impression on consumers but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. A strong visual identity, encompassing consistent designs across web, social media and printed materials, plays an equally important role in establishing a memorable brand presence and positive impression.”
Following her heart, Barbara eventually moved to Monaco and found it tough in the beginning due to the language barrier. “If you ask what Croatia is special for, hospitality is definitely something we are proud of , but luckily for me, people in Monaco were as well so nice and welcoming that I soon felt at home.”
Married now for nearly two years, Barbara has settled in to life and is focused on expanding her professional network with The Pink Cat. “There are many inspiring brands who, I believe, have interesting stories to share. And I am happy to help them do so.”
The Pink Cat’s Tips for logo creation
Does your logo accurately reflect your brand?Ask friends and colleagues to guess what the logo represents. If it’s supposed to be for a clothing store but they think it’s a restaurant, it’s time to reconsider.
Is the logo versatile? In other words, does the logo look good on various background colours, in different sizes and on different communication channels – like social media and printed materials?.
Will the logo still hold up in 5 years? While it is tempting to be trendy, it’s always better to go for something classy and timeless. – Barbara Buljat Raymond, PhD
Article first published April 12, 2024. Photos and video copyright Good News Monaco.
Did you know that according to the World Atlas, Croatia and its 1,244 islands earn the #22 spot on the list of 50 countries in the world with the most islands (Sweden leads the way with 267,570)? One of the most popular television shows of all time, Game of Thrones, was filmed in Croatia, both in Split, and Dubrovnik, which was the location for Kings Landing.
Growing up in the outskirts of northwest London, Roisin Wittstock played piano and tennis at county level from a young age. “My whole family are musical and sporty but my passion love and obsession was always dance. This has never left me,” says Roisin, whose Irish name is pronounced ROW-sheen.
Some of Roisin’s earliest memories are when her mom used to take her to West End shows, where she would spend the entire time visualizing herself on the stage. “I was determined to make it happen. I danced every day after school from the age of five, and when I was 11, I begged my parents to let me audition for stage school.”
She was thrilled to be accepted to the arts educational school on the dance course with an emphasis very much on classical ballet. “I had a fantastic and tough training learning the importance of technique along with a very dedicated work ethic.”
In 2003, at age 16, Roisin decided to audition for Millennium Performing Arts college in London and was awarded a scholarship. Although she continued her daily ballet and dance training, she was also introduced to the more musical theatre aspects of arts including drama and singing.
“My career began from there. I had wonderful contracts that took me to countries around the world where I learned so much about the industry and myself!”
One of those bookings included a show in Monaco in 2010. “I fell in love with the Principality – and my husband,” grins the mother of two.
For Roisin, choreography has always had a special calling and she created MC Performers in 2015, the same year she got married. “I wanted to be creative again and loved producing and choreographing events for Monaco.”
Her dream was always to open her own dance studio. “MC Dance felt like a natural progression in my dance life and career, and I am so happy I decided to go for it. We opened in September 2023.
“To have a studio to call my own is incredible and to dance and work in that studio every day feels like coming home. I spent years of my life in a dance studio with happy memories and I’m so glad I can now be a part of that again for other people in Monaco.”
Roisin adds that she is “so proud” of the two children’s dance courses –Petites Primas and Petites Performers – which run Monday to Saturday and are instructed by the “wonderful teacher and friend” Jodie Penasa.
Located in La Condamine behind AS Monaco Boutique (down from Starbucks), MC Dance has a selection of dance and fitness classes that will appeal to all music and dance enthusiasts. It is a pay-as-you-go policy and the Monday to Friday timetable “is growing organically on demand”. To-date you can take part in adult ballet, dance fit, yoga, full body burn and, for those who love wearing heels, dance femininity.
“I wanted to create a safe space for women to enjoy movement and music with dance and fitness in a non-judgmental happy place,” says the entrepreneur. “Everyone leaves MC Dance happier, more energised – and sweatier!”
Securing its reputation as a serious training facility, MC Dance also offers one-on-one Gyrotonic sessions using the Ultima Pulley Tower Machine. This stimulates the body’s movement to flow in circular and spiralling patterns to help increase range of motion, improve strength as well as movement efficiency. “Gyrotonic is the perfect workout created specifically for dancers and led by the amazing Emma Wilkinson.”
All MC Dance teachers and instructors are former professional dancers with “incredible experience and qualifications”. The first-floor studio space is modern with natural light.
“Personally, I absolutely love teaching dance fit and giving non-dancers a glimpse into our world. The sense of achievement and confidence I see in these amazing women when they master a choreography is very inspiring to me and it brings infectious energy,” beams Roisin.
Her advice to the unrhythmical or those who feel inhibited about dancing in front of others? “Dance is for everyone. No matter your level, I promise you will be warmly welcomed and encouraged. MC Dance is a happy and positive environment.”
On Friday, a French court handed down a 25-year jail term to 36 year-old Jonathann Daval, who was found guilty of killing his wife, Alexia, and then burning her body in 2017. The verdict has brought to a close a saga that rocked the country, especially as Jonathann had moved in with the victim’s family after he reported her missing.
The 6-day trials ends just before International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women 2020 on Wednesday, November 25.
This year of Covid has particularly highlighted the issue. During spring confinement, a police headquarters in Paris witnessed a 36% increase in domestic violence reports in just one week. So urgent was the need for intervention that the then French minister of interior, Christophe Castaner, created an alert system that would allow victims to get help by going to a pharmacy and use the code “mask 19.”
According to a 2019 IMSEE report, there were 33 cases of violence against women recorded by the police services, including 31 acts committed in Monaco. 58% of the 33 victims resided in Monaco. (For more Monaco statistics, see Box at end of article.)
Monaco resident Vibeke Thomsen, founder of SheCanHeCan, has been involved with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women since 2013, and helps to make sure the Palace, Tour Odeon and Conseil National are glowing orange is solidarity on the night of the 25th.
In previous years, SheCanHeCan would co-organise events but with the health pandemic, the non-profit association has instead launched an online campaign working jointly with Fight Aids Monaco and the Committee for the Promotion and Protection of Women’s Rights.
“We sent out a call to find 100 men to send us their picture and to choose a message to publicly say NO to violence against women,” explains Vibeke. “We reached 100 in less than two days! It’s been heartwarming to see this silent majority of men – who we seldom hear from but are against violence – stand up and publicly show their face.”
The #violencesfemmesjagis campaign of 100 portraits and messages, including from Princess Stephanie’s son Louis Ducruet, freediver Pierre Frolla and F1’s David Coulthard – ambassadors of SheCanHeCan – has gone live today.
“Next year, we are already planning a larger in-person campaign and we would love to see the community involved, so stay tuned,” Vibeke adds.
Vibeke is a huge supporter of the Monaco community. Born in Copenhagen to Danish parents, the family moved to Geneva when she was a baby. “Surprisingly to the people who meet me today, I was a very reserved and shy child,” she admits. “I was an avid reader and loved to write, too. Somehow I skipped a grade so I was a year younger than my classmates, which contributed to my shyness.”
Her family relocated to Monaco when Vibeke was eight and she attended local schools before heading off to boarding school for a couple of years. “Monaco was different then, less international, less dynamic, less cultural offers and less activities for children. Going to the local school felt very normal. There were no parties on yachts, it’s much more low key than what people expect when they hear I grew up here. I was lucky to find incredible friends, many of who I’m still close to 30 years later,” she shares.
She left Monaco at 16 and for the next 13 years reinvented herself, living in many places around the world. “Travelling definitely helped me come out of my shell as I had to open up and meet new people.”
During her time abroad, she worked in a bank in Frankfurt, with the Danish Delegation to the OSCE in Vienna and spent three years in the US – one in Washington D.C. working for a non-profit to end the death penalty and then two in Ann Arbor, MI, where she picked up a double Master’s degree in Public Policy and Arts in Russia and East European Studies.
“When I came back, Monaco had completely changed,” she describes. “It became a much more dynamic city with many cultural offerings – you can go out every night, which is surprising for a city this size. There are now more families with young children, more activities, restaurants and bars to enjoy, too. Every week, you can meet new people from every path of life and that’s what I enjoy about living here.”
Vibeke’s favourite haunts were the Bombay Frigo in Emilie Palace on blvd Princesse Grace – “incredible for drinks, dinners and dancing on that bar, it’s a shame it closed.” – and the Sea Lounge at the beach club: “It was a fun place for parties, especially the White Night party in August.”
Vibeke created her non-profit association GenderHopes in 2012, which in 2017 became SheCanHeCan, a name change “to better reflect our work locally and with the community, which is our main focus.” She has a team of three volunteers and five ambassadors.
“I had a 3-year experience in Brussels working in security, including for women in post-conflict countries and reconstruction. That’s when I got bitten by the bug and when I moved back to Monaco in 2011, I tried to find ways to continue in the same field.”
Pre-Covid, SheCanHeCan did various events, including movie screenings, fundraisers, the “A Confident Girl” exhibit at the Columbus Hotel featuring over 20 artists, and the launch of the Equality Pledge in 2019.
Every International Day of the Girl on October 11, SheCanHeCan invites students to the Conseil National to meet with the president and the (mainly) female MPs, to better understand the role and importance of women in politics.
Last year, the association launched the Red Box Project Monaco to address period inequality by bringing period products to local schools, raising awareness about organic menstrual products and breaking the taboo when speaking about periods in schools and in the workplace. The International School of Monaco was the first school to adopt the Red Box and provide free period products to its students in middle and high school.
In terms of companies and/or institutions providing free organic period products, it has been a learning process. “Most of us have learned that periods are private, almost secret and shameful and something not to be discussed in public spaces or at your workplace. It has been a fascinating experience to see how quickly the mindset and approach can change once we become aware of period inequality,” Vebeke relates.
“The environmental impact of period products is also important and often overlooked so, along with our partners Freda and FabLittleBag, this is something we work to address and raise awareness about. Overall, I would say the welcome has been positive but it’s been slow and that’s partly due to Covid.”
And for the past three years, SheCanHeCan has hosted a parent child Book Club in which we read inclusive stories,” relates the mom of three whose children go to local schools.
“I think life with kids is relatively easy in Monaco. There are many moms with young children and a wonderful informal support networks and supportive mums. There is a great play group, twice a week, at the St Paul’s church on avenue de Grande Bretagne, and the Princess Grace hospital provides some support in terms of breastfeeding.”
Vibeke, who speaks Danish, English, French and German, considers herself fortunate. “In confinement, I was able to spend time with my three children in a way we might never experience again, outside of daily stress and routine and with more time to listen and focus on each other. Despite homeschooling and work, we found time to just be together, go for long walks, talk, play, do activities. I’ll cherish this time, also because I know confinement has been a difficult experience for many.”
Vibeke Thomsen pauses for a moment. “In terms of what’s come out of it, I’ve realised the importance of focusing on the people who really matter in your life.”
Article first published November 23, 2020.
Need help?
0800 91 90 10 Free hotline in Monaco for victims of all violence (rape and sexual violence, violence perpetrated within the family, sexual harassment …) and on their rights available to them.
WHO reports that 1 in 3 (35%) of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime. For more information about getting help during Covid, click here.
Monaco in numbers
According to an IMSEE report, there were 33 cases of violence against women recorded by the police services in 2019, including 31 acts committed in Monaco. 58% of the 33 victims resided in Monaco.
The average age of the women aggressed was 37; for the perpetrator, he was around 42. One in two cases were committed at the victim’s or perpetrator’s home, with 58% committed by the spouse or ex-spouse of the victim.
Nearly 60% of cases concerned physical violence while 25% were sexual violence.
113 women were admitted to hospital, including 83% suffering from physical violence and while these cases was recorded at CHPG, not all these acts of violence took place in Monaco.
In 2019, 74% of cases of violence committed in Monaco in 2019 resulted in a complaint being lodged and 33 proceedings were opened.
At the time of IMSEE’s publication, 15 cases were subject to legal proceedings, or under investigation. Of these cases, perpetrators were on average 39 while the victim was 35. There were 4 convictions and 2 protection orders for acts committed in 2019, all against men. There were no condemnations for rape in 2019 in Monaco.
Helene Guillaume was in town today to speak to students at the International University of Monaco. Based in Portugal and working between the UK and US, the 36-year-old entrepreneur grew up Belgium, Hong Kong, Japan and Peru, although her family settled in Monaco a decade ago.
A competitive rugby player who went on to compete in 100-km ultra runs, Half Ironmans, ice swimming and surfing, Helene had little understanding about her own physiology. “I was training and eating like a man,” she recalls. “I wanted to transform an industry through sports performance and female health.”
The “outdoor addict” combined a passion for sport with her Master’s in Finance and Financial Risk Management, as well as her scientific background as a management consultant optimising internal risk models using AI to Fortune 500 companies (including Fannie Mae) to found WILD.AI in 2017 in San Francisco. The app has a free and paid version available on Apple and Google Play.
Although women make up nearly half of the population, a 2018 paper on “Sex Bias in Neuroscience and Biomedical Research” showed that 80% of the animals used in research are male. “These findings cannot be applied to women who are impacted daily by the 500 menstrual cycles they’ll experience over 40 years,” explains the first-time mom. “More so, a 22-year-old taking the pill has different nutritional needs, physiology and digestion than a 47-year-old perimenopausal woman.”
Using the catchphrase “Unleashing the beast in female athletes,” Helene and her 10 employees want to radically advance female health by building the largest record of female datasets— across all ages, life stages and ethnicities—to help women understand their bodies. “Based on fitness trackers, blood tests and pap smears, women have vast amounts of data but it’s not stored in one place. We understand our cars more than our own bodies.”
Through WILD.AI’s research and algorithms, the app can not only predict that in two days a woman will experience bloating or menstrual pain, but also advise how to alleviate these symptoms. It can indicate that during ovulation, when the body is particularly strong, workouts can be pushed, and even be able to foretell a window of a higher sex drive.
According to Statista, the femtech market in 2021 was worth some $51 billion worldwide and is expected to reach $103 billion by 2030. Helene, a former Hedge Fund quant, says angel investors and advisors have been critical to the startup’s growth, enabling WILD.AI to reach some of the most renowned researchers in female health, such as Dr. Stacy Sims, senescence, and human performance.
Funding early on came from the London-based deep tech incubator Entrepreneur First (which includes board member and Linkedin cofounder, Reid Hoffman, and is backed by Greylock Partners, Founders Fund and McKinsey), as well as The Refiners in San Francisco, started by three French entrepreneurs, including Géraldine Le Meur (LeWeb).
In August 2021, Helene appeared on Dragon’s Den to pitch her startup (WATCH Videobelow) and today WILD.AI has partnerships with Adidas, Garmin and Oura, which she has worked non-stop to develop. “Running a startup is like getting fired a few times a day,” she shares enthusiastically. “Between investors who pull out or strategic partners who don’t come on board … and being a founder is way less sexy than it sounds.”
Kasey Robinson has always been a champion for fairness. “My mother would tell me I was the child that made sure the little kids got their turn on the slide or was the first to share my snacks with friends,” she recalls.
Born and raised in the UK, Kasey’s sense of fairness is something she has carried into adult life and has “had the privilege” to build into a career. She shares the position of codirector at SheCanHeCan (SCHC) with founder Vibeke Brask Thomsen. The Monaco-registered non-profit association looks to inspire and support girls to take leadership roles.
WATCH VIDEO ABOVE: Kasey Robinson talks about The Blobcast podcast.
The British-Jamaican says, “Monaco is a small place filled with luxury, folks can often be confused as to what sort of work needs to be done here. Access to education on certain topics, rights and resources need to be addressed globally and SheCanHeCan was an organisation doing their part in addressing that and I want to play my part in supporting them.”
The Monaco resident describes how she was raised to speak up for herself, to be informed, polite and considerate but she’s not sure about the label of activist. “It might just be semantics for some but I think at the core of what I do it’s about fairness, care and community. Sometimes I wish that didn’t have to be labelled and it was just what all of us did in our lives in the ways that we can,” expresses Kasey.
With a Master of Science degree in Gender from the London School of Economics, Kasey is somewhat of an expert in the field of menstrual health. In October 2023, she was interviewed by The Independent about the drop in school attendance for girls on their periods. A phs Group report on Period Equality: Breaking the Cycle found that teenagers in the UK are missing 54 days – the equivalent of 11 academic weeks – due to their periods. Cramps (82%) were cited as the main reason, along with embarrassment about being on their periods (19%) and one in 8% saying no period products were available to them.
“The most important thing to understand about stigma, shame and lack of access to period products is that it is a global issue. In our society it’s very easy to label this as an issue ‘over there’ but there is no country in the world that can yet say that they have overcome this.
“Lack of access to products is also an important topic as again it affects so many of us. One might first think of a girl in a village in a remote part of the world but it also includes the number of young people in the UK who cannot afford to buy period products or even a student in a school in Monaco who can’t go to the toilet and get the products they need such as toilet paper and soap and so either have to go without or pluck up the courage to go and ask the school wellbeing officer. All of these examples indicate lack of access.”
Embarrassment about periods is impacting young people’s education. “The shame and stigma is ultimately rooted in sexism; there is a long and dark history of women and menstruating bodies being otherised, ignored, reduced and silenced and sadly that legacy is still alive today. It might come in different forms in different places but the fact that most people don’t say the word ‘period’ out loud and instead use code words like ‘time of the month’ or as they say in French, les ragnagnas, is evidence of that legacy of shaming periods.”
Kasey adds that research also shows that teachers don’t have adequate knowledge about periods and menstrual care and so there is a risk of the same stigmas being perpetuated in classrooms. “Teachers are some of the most hard-working people in the world and many are working in underfunded schools with limited time and access to learning resources.”
She is hoping The Blobcast – a podcast about “literally all things periods” – will help to address the resource gap. She was brought on as host by the phs Group. “I had already had two television appearances in the UK on the topic of periods and so I was lucky enough to add this to my list of community outreach work.” Guest experts join her in four “eye-opening episodes that cover everything from pain, shame, period basics, to products and their costs.”
As an EDI & Anti-Racism Specialist, Kasey recognises hiding your feelings creates problems. “If you ask the average person on the street, they’ll probably tell you they never had a proper period education in school or at their workplace. Periods are a normal, healthy part of life but they remain a taboo, a secret and something that many people do not feel comfortable talking about openly.”
SCHC are changing that. “Through our work, campaigning and outreach efforts we are closing that gap on access and education when it comes to period health. With support from the Monaco government we are going into schools to give them workshops on period wellbeing and confidence – with boys too! Not only this but our workshops have been delivered in schools across the Côte d’Azur and by September 2024 we will have installed period product distributors in ALL Monaco schools. This is HUGE.”
And while Kasey is immensely proud of this achievement, she says there is more work to be to done. “We want to see every company, restaurant, hotel and establishment with toilets provide free period products so that Monaco can be the first country in the world to do so!”
Along with the in-school workshops, SCHC have developed a period guide that has been created with a local gynaecologist to inform young people and answer their questions about periods. “We know that a lot of young people rely on social media to get informed about topics the grown-ups around them don’t want to talk about. While that’s okay in some respects, when it comes to their health and wellbeing, young people need to be getting a comprehensive education at home and school before they’re on socials so that they are equipped to more responsibly navigate the misinformation that they might come across online. Please get in touch if your schools need copies of the period guide.”
May 28 is Menstrual Hygiene Day, or what SCHC refer to Menstrual Health Day because words “sanitary” and “hygiene” sends the message that periods are unsanitary or unhygienic. “This day is super important but it’s also about our ongoing work. And we have a pretty exciting announcement to make soon about period products in Monaco … so watch this space!”
Article first published May 28, 2024. All photos and video copyright Good News Monaco.
Anne de Hauw has always loved discovering new places. “To me, travelling is like oxygen – absolutely liberating, inspiring and eye-opening. And aviation is the preeminent enabler for travel, a key driver in economic development and, pre-Covid, generating 13.5 million direct and indirect jobs.”
Born and bred in Belgium, Anne studied fashion marketing in Paris and Florence before moving to the Principality in 2004 to work for Misaki, a Monaco-based pearl jewellery company mainly providing travel retail and duty-free markets.
“After a few years, I was hired by a global airline catering and retail company, where I was in charge of innovation. Even though I became a mom to two boys during this time, I totally enjoyed the travelling this job enabled me to do, meeting new people and discovering new places in all continents across the globe,” says Anne.
And she always loved coming back home to Monaco. “I have been to many places, but none of them is comparable to here, a perfect mix of a cosmopolitan city and a charming village that offers a wealth of opportunities in business, culture and leisure.”
In 2018, Anne decided to quit the corporate world and follow her dream to create her own venture – IN Air Travel Experience, the very first boutique consultancy focusing on customer experience, innovation and sustainability for air travel. (IN stands for Innovation, Inspiration, Influence and In-flight.)
“During my corporate life, I noticed there was a significant shift in the decision-making power within commercial airlines towards customer experience,” Anne explains. “Historically financially and operationally driven, airlines started to increasingly put the passenger in a central position within their strategy. And this is where I saw an opportunity for them to externalise passenger journey analysis and get unbiased strategic advice on how to improve certain touch points.”
With her extensive network and passion for improving passenger experience, combined with an expertise in transformational innovation, in-flight catering and retail, it was an obvious choice for Anne to create a niche consulting agency supporting airlines to ultimately increase passenger satisfaction.
But it is hard to gauge passenger satisfaction on board when there are no flights, as the global pandemic caused unparalleled disruption in many sectors, travel and hospitality being in pole position. “Even if the Covid crisis isn’t over and although the immediate future will continue to be tough, it also presents a unique opportunity to rethink the future travel experience, accelerate business transformation and embed purpose and sustainability into business strategies and day-to-day operations,” Anne explains.
“As airlines recover, restructure and re-evaluate, they must seize this moment to unlearn old habits and embrace new behaviours and new ways of working, rewriting the rules of business that are fit for the future the aviation industry needs. More than ever, it is important for businesses to truly commit to a purpose and ensure they use it to guide their thinking, planning and decision making.”
The travel consultant says that the pandemic has accelerated consumer desire to seek out organisations that aren’t just talking the talk when it comes to supporting social and environmental progress. “People want to engage with companies that are contributing to a positive impact on society and the planet.”
For IN Air Travel Experience, the announcement of lockdown in the spring meant “literally” all of its customer related airline projects came to a halt in just one week. Anne used “the unique opportunity” to accelerate a focus on innovation and sustainability. “To give you an example of one of our ideas, we developed the IN.bowl, a revolutionary in-flight dining concept that positively impacts the passenger experience. Unusual for airline food, this delicious and nutritionally-balanced dish that combats the negative effects of air travel is ultra-efficient in cost, space and handling. It is also environmentally sustainable in material use, weight and waste reduction. A triple win for the people, planet and the airline,” Anne describes.
Anne champions and defends waste reduction for air travel in order to support the industry in achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. IN Air Travel Experience is a founding member of the International Aviation Waste Management Association, a non-profit organisation providing airlines and airports with a base of research and expert knowledge and aiming to advance circular economy knowledge and adoption in global aviation.
“In summary, 2020 was very different than initially expected,” she reflects. On the home front, Anne and her family went into lockdown in Monaco in March. “It was quite a radical change from our usual busy schedules, but I was grateful we were home together, safe, healthy and had food in the fridge.” Over the year, face-to-face business meetings, presentations and industry events have been replaced by endless video calls. “Despite the imposed social distancing and the seemingly people-less world out there, I believe an increased ‘togetherness’ matters more than ever and we stay connected with our customers all over the world through video conferencing.”
She admits that in terms of her bottom line, the year has not been brilliant, but her company is well advanced on purpose-driven projects and continues to build a solid foundation for the future. “As for 2021, I sincerely hope governments will cease to block travel – closing borders, quarantine measures, lockdowns – and people will be confident to fly again.”
Anne de Hauw pauses. “You know, I am still amazed how humans have managed to build a vehicle that can go up in the air and move! And I would love to learn to fly myself, one day, in a post-Covid world.”
According to Business Wire, this year’s passenger numbers are expected to drop to around 2.26 billion (similar to 2006) with passenger revenues tumbling from $612 billion in 2019 to $241 billion in 2020. Additionally, the ResearchAndMarkets.com report released yesterday states that total revenues for the industry look to fall from $830 billion to $418 billion over 2019-2020. “Despite generating around $590 billion in 2021, the industry is forecast to bear a significant loss of $15.8 billion. Restrictions on international travel and lockdowns evaporated passenger demand, with total passenger traffic estimated to decline by 52.7%.” (Source 2022)
Every year, the Société des Bains de Mer (SBM) Group, the Principality’s largest private employer, holds a grande braderie for their employees. In 2025, the sale of some 800 items of furniture, tableware, and decorative objects from SBM establishments raised €14,237.
“Since its inception, SBM has been closely linked to life in Monaco. Supporting those who are committed to the community is therefore a priority for us,” says SBM President Stéphane Valeri, who on January 16 presented a cheque to Valérie Barilaro, president of Ecoute Cancer Réconfort Monaco.
Valérie has been president for the past ten years, and Princess Stephanie is the honorary president.
Photo: Manuel Vitali/Direction de la Communication
I had the genuine pleasure to meet Valérie and learn about Ecoute Cancer Réconfort at a MonacoUSA event, the first after the pandemic lockdown. The Monegasque association was created in 1992.
Cancer support is something Valérie Barilaro knows all about. “My father, who left too soon and too young, died of cancer 27 years ago. And as a beautician, which is about wellbeing, touch and listening, I naturally leaned towards helping and supporting others, in particular with Ecoute Cancer Réconfort.”
“Thirty years ago, support did not really exist for cancer patients,” explains Valérie. “Our first president, Martine Vacarezza, realised there is an emptiness when you come out of heavy treatments after spending months going to the hospital almost daily. Overnight there is nothing left, no more appointments for three months for that first post-cancer assessment. On the outside everything seems great but for a cancer patient a deep anxiety sets in with the loss of those reassuring hospital landmarks – meeting doctors, routine tests – even if you just want to take your life back.”
Martine had the idea of setting up a support hotline but Ecoute Cancer Réconfort’s founding members quickly understood that more was needed. In the days before VLS (Véhicule Sanitaire Léger/Light Medical Vehicle) taxis that were reimbursed drove people to the hospital, the association offered a car service driven by volunteers to get cancer patients to their treatments. Over time, with a few succeeding presidents, the association evolved with volunteers keeping cancer patients company during chemotherapy.
In 2009, the life-changing Espace Mieux Etre opened its doors at l’Atalante in Fontvieille. This non-medical day care center specialises in free cancer support care provided by seasoned professionals, from psychologists who also practice art therapy through drawing, writing or painting to naturopaths (energy, plantar reflexology, mindfulness meditation, advice on nutrition). Socio-aesthetics (social and aesthetic care) is also on the menu to help manage self-image and confidence in a post-cancer world with treatment side-effects on the skin and nails, as well as alopecia and scarring. Espace Mieux Etre likewise offers sport activities essential to rehabilitation, including tai chi, yoga and hiking, as well as various workshops throughout of the year, in particular, a “self-esteem weekend”.
For anyone like me who has witnessed a family member or friend undergo cancer treatment, this association hits home. Espace Mieux Etre is open to anyone affected by cancer, undergoing treatment or in remission, as well as their families and loved ones, in Monaco and its surroundings.
One cancer patient shares, “There is no way to absorb the news of a doctor announcing face-to-face: ‘You have cancer.’ Time stops and quickly you enter into another world. You do what you have to do but it is not enough. Ecoute Cancer Réconfort is the beginning of mental recovery, a new way of absorbing your sickness. Providing all the various help you need, physical and psychological, in parallel to the treatments, they help you to regain your self-esteem, your strength and advance in your new life. They are not an option, they are an absolute necessity to your full recovery.”
Another expresses, “Ecoute Cancer Réconfort offers us a life despite the disease. We are pampered, like in a cocoon, and this allows us to face everyday life with greater ease. Psychologists, energy treatments, socio-beautician, meditation, conferences, hikes, various and varied workshops punctuate our daily lives and contribute to our wellbeing. The psychological support from each therapist, as well as the benevolence of the volunteers, allows us to go through this period as calmly as possible but also to prepare our future solidly.
“The association is a refuge, a bubble of oxygen and sometimes happiness in our daily lives, and helps us to grow, evolve and come out stronger than before the disease. We can confide without a filter, share our doubts and our fears, which we try to spare our loved ones. It is also very comforting to know that spouses or family can benefit from this support because they need it as much as we do. I am grateful to Ecoute Cancer Réconfort, I wouldn’t be who I am without their help.”
Valérie adds, “A supported patient is a patient who is doing better, who can express his or her fears, talk, exchange with a professional or another patient, or quite simply find an attentive ear, which may not necessarily be the case at home with family or friends. What we see is the evolution of patients over their time with us. Their evolution, their dynamism, their way of bouncing back from the disease when they are accompanied along their journey. We are not concerned only with statistics. ”
In October 2022, the Princess Grace Hospital Centre launched its BreastDay Centre devoting a single day to screening, diagnosis and pre-therapeutic support for breast cancer – providing results the same day.
That same year, Valérie approached Natasha Frost-Savio, president of Pink Ribbon Monaco to help them spread their message during breast cancer month and on Valérie’s initiative, all civil servants in the Principality wore a pink ribbon as a gesture of support and solidarity on October 6. “Even though Pink Ribbon specialises in breast cancer prevention and Ecoute Cancer Réconfort wears several hats, we are partners, like a sorority, and very complementary. Prevention is essential so that we have fewer serious cases on our end.”
Sign up now for the 2026 Pink Ribbon Monaco Walk on February 15.
The association organises a members’ dinner during the winter and lunch in the summer. “For Pink October we had a pink hike where patients could bring whoever they wanted. It gave us the idea to offer it to members for next year. Otherwise, there is the galette des rois in January and the general assembly which allows us to meet our members.”
Valérie says that Ecoute Cancer Réconfort is grateful to those who have supported the association all these years and without whom this would not be possible. “But we always need new sponsors, donors, members and volunteers to continue our actions because more and more people are becoming sick.”
CHPG’s BreastDay Centre is open Monday to Thursday 9 to 12 and 1 to 5 and Friday to 3:30. For more info, contact +377 97 98 99 55 or contact.sein@chpg.mc
Article first published November 15, 2022 and updated on January 30, 2025. Photo of cheque presentation: Stéphane Valeri Facebook.
Natasha Frost was born in London to an American film producer dad and British mom with a passion for writing screen plays and playing the piano and cello.
“At the time he met my mother, my dad was working with United Artists on the Beatles films when he came to London and was involved in the signing off on the first Bond film with Sean Connery, initially to be in black and white,” recounts Natasha Frost. “In 1970, he was also the first American to produce a film for the National Theatre, Anton Chekov’s Three Sisters, starring Laurence Olivier, Alan Bates, Joan Plowright.”
Flawlessly bilingual, Natasha, along with her brother and sister, learned French attending the Lycée Français in South Kensington. When her parents separated, her mom, who was re-writing a screenplay commissioned for TV, brought the kids to Beaulieu-sur-Mer so they could improve their French on holiday while her dad went to LA to produce two films. “My father ended up staying in LA and re-marrying a wonderful lady. Mom loved living in Beaulieu, where she put us into the local maternelle because she saw what a difference it was to bring up three children down here rather than in the centre of London.”
Natasha later became, literally, a kid in a candy store, when her mom remarried a Frenchman who owned (still owns) the family-run candy factory Nice Bonbon.
“While my bio-dad would send us cool things from movie sets and photos of our favourite stars that we would show off at school – a photo of him as VP of Universal Studios with my idol, David Bowie, when he sold the rights to Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, is still my prize possession! Needless to say, we also were quite popular thanks to our step-dad and the silly amounts of candy we would give out!”
Natasha admits she was an “unrepentant book worm who read voraciously,” devouring most of Zola and all Maupassant by the time she was thirteen. “I figured out how to speed read diagonally around 12, but I’m not sure I absorbed the meaning at that age! My sister and brother thought I was a real geek, back in the day when it was not cool to be a geek, but later on in life, especially when I went to LA to finish high school, I found myself quite comfortable with the curriculum. When I read Jules Verne’s Voyage au Centre de la Terre, I decided I needed to become an archaeologist-explorer.”
She was passionate about history and, in the early days of college at Humboldt State University in Northern California, “obsessed” with medieval manuscripts. “The idea had evolved to become a parchment-velum restorer,” she laughs. “Life clearly had another plan for me.”
After getting her degree in 1995, Natasha returned to France for the summer to visit her mom, step-dad and siblings for the summer. “I got a summer job at Stars’n’Bars in Monaco … and never left. I was having way too much fun to go back to school.”
Her plans certainly did change. These days, Natasha is widely known as founder and tireless campaigner of Pink Ribbon Monaco, a non-profit association to support cancer awareness. “I set it up for two reasons. Firstly, I felt there were too many cases of breast cancer that were going undetected for too long. I had family members and friends affected and I can easily say that most of the worst cases would have been easier to cure if detected earlier. I figured, let’s start doing something about it.
“Secondly, I had been to many Pink Ribbon awareness walks in LA, which were way more than a pretty stroll in pink clothes – it was a day of women’s empowerment, women supporting women and joyful sisterhood. I felt that Monaco needed some of that vibe. I thought I could bring something positive to my beloved Principality.”
Natasha was invited to speak at the United Nations in New York representing Monaco for a Breast Cancer event in march 2018. “I am still so proud to have represented Monaco in such a prestigious place,” she understates.
Over the past ten years, Pink Ribbon Monaco has gone from a small and relatively unknown local entity to a calendar event with their annual 5-km port-palace-port walk supported by the Palace (Prince Albert opened the walk last year), the government and Minister of Health and Social Services, Didier Gamerdinger, as well as the President of the National Council, Stéphane Valeri and the Commisson de Protection et Promotion des droits de la Femme (Natasha is a committee member).
“Our main events are the walk, sadly cancelled this year due to Covid, and our Pink October illuminations held on the first Thursday or Friday of October, when we ask key local landmarks to light up in pink in support of breast cancer awareness and the patients fighting the fight. We had to cancel last October, but in 2019 it was under the High Patronage of Prince Albert and attended by our special guest, Oscar winner Jodie Foster, who was awarded the Pink Ribbon Award for her positive impact on women.”
This year, the walk was scheduled to take place on Valentine’s Day, but was cancelled for obvious reasons. Instead, Pink Ribbon Monaco came up with the idea of a virtual support event on social media –#seinvalentin, a play on words as Saint-Valentin in French is pronounced the same as sein, the French word for breast.
“We are simply asking people to show their support on Sunday, February 14, by posting a photo of themselves in pink, holding a sign with a message of support, using the hashtags #seinvalentin and #Pinkribbonmonaco. We will repost everything in our story and hope to get loads of posts. This will show our support to our loved ones and remind everyone to get checked.”
Natasha does not mince her words. “Covid has had a terrible impact on our association, not only because our te10-year anniversary events have been cancelled, but, more importantly as we have been made aware of massively lower numbers of breast cancer screenings. Princess Grace Hospital reminds everyone that these screening appointments are maintained and there is no health risk in going to the hospital to get your mammogram.”
Her message is clear in reminding women that the Covid pandemic should NOT prevent testing. “Pink Ribbon in Monaco and its life-saving message is hugely important to me and I have full admiration for the devoted people at Centre Hospitalier Princesse Grace doing everything they can to fight and cure breast cancer. It is safe and essential to continue testing and ensure family members do so.”
Natasha at theUN in New York.
Family is clearly a priority for Natasha, who gushes how proud she is of “my large, recomposed family and they are all part of the cool things in my life.” Her brother, Matthew Frost, is a double Clio winner (the Oscars of Advertising) and fashion photographer who has shot some of the biggest celebrities (Kate Winslet, Reese Witherspoon, Karl Lagerfeld, Cate Blanchet, Damian Hirst to name a few…) for Vogue, L’Officiel, Jalouse and others. Her step-brother, Noah Wyle, played Dr Carter in the American TV drama ER “for ages.”
Her fashion-designer sister Allegria of Balenciaga and ACNE fame is “an amazingly talented designer who also works tirelessly as an activist for the preservation of the planet.” Her youngest sister Victoria is a business entrepreneur while “my eldest, crazy sister Tabitha has amazing artistic and interior architecture talent which has influenced us all.”
Her siblings on the Wyle side are equally accomplished. “My sister Alex is one of the foremost equine vets in the US with three clinics to her name in California and my brother Aaron is a top executive at HEB in Texas.”
Natasha is currently helping her step-dad rebrand and develop his 75-year-old family-owned candy business. The confectioner has just signed a partnership with the Petit Prince-Saint Exupéry Foundation and has been granted exclusivity for a Petit Prince range of nostalgic, delicious and all-natural range of caramel sweets.
“This is a big deal for me as I have always been passionate about Le Petit Prince, and it was sort of serendipitous to have this opportunity as, since his birth, my son Magnus has reminded me physically of the main character. Way before this happened, I was reading him the pop-up child-friendly version.”
Natasha and Roberto at Blue Coast Brewing launch. Photo: Nancy Heslin
It was nearly nine years ago when Natasha was flying home from a holiday at her step-dad’s place in St Barts when Swede Roberto Savio popped on the flight at the Curacao layover. “He was seated next to me. It was a fun flight to Amsterdam,” Natasha laughs. They married and has Magnus five years ago.
The couple are also business partners. In 2017, the dynamic duo launched Blue Coast Brewing Company, an idea that came to them after a trip to a friend’s brewery in San Diego the year before. “We shared the idea with some friends and investors – including 2018 Monaco Grand Prix champ Daniel Ricciardo, 2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button and founding partner Shane Heminway, amongst others – without whom the project would not have taken off financially. Our plan was that should things go well and become successful, we would pass the show so to speak after a certain amount of time to a new team because we are entrepreneurs at heart.”
Natasha is still the CEO of the French company but is happily passing the torch in the coming month while CEO Predrag Krupez, a “young and super dynamic guy” who was one of the first investors, continues to take the Nice-based brewery to a whole new level. “Thanks to Predrag and the talent of our brewer Robert Bush, we have a great new collaboration beer with a UK brewery and, despite Covid, great things are coming.” The couple is still amongst the top five Blue Coast shareholders.
Meanwhile Natasha is in the process of setting up a communication company, High Octane Communication. “I’ve had so many requests to share my branding and marketing skills,” she says modestly. “And Roberto and I are working together on some exciting new projects together, too. We are a team.”
Post your Pink Ribbon Monaco photos on Sunday, February 14. Remember to hold a sign with a message of support and hashtag #seinvalentin #Pinkribbonmonaco
