2008 Winners: Arsene Wenger (Sportsman), Eva Green (Artist), Nicole Farhi (Entrepreneur), Pierre Gagnaire (Chef), Hélène Darroze (Rising Star) , Jean-François Cécillon (CEO), Yoël Zaoui (Banker), Anne Brugière (Talent)
Arsene Wenger
Arsène Wenger joined Arsenal in September 1996 following spells as manager with Nancy and Monaco in his native France and Grampus Eight in Japan. He guided the Club to their second League and FA Cup double, in his first full season at Highbury in 1998 and won further League titles in 2002 and 2004. He has won four FA Cups to date, including last season’s and his Arsenal team have never finished outside the top two in the League under his tenure. He also guided Arsenal to the UEFA Cup final in 2000, losing to Galatasaray on penalties and through an entire unbeaten league campaign on the way to the title in 2004. In 2006 he took Arsenal to the UEFA Champions League Final, where the team were narrowly defeated by Barcelona. He is still in charge of the Gunners and has overseen the move from Highbury to the new Emirates Stadium. « After Raphael Ibanez last year, it’s a great honour for me to receive such a prestigious award voted for by the French community here in London.»
Eva Green
French actress Eva Green, was born in Paris on July 5 1980. She attended the St. Paul Drama School in Paris She shot to notoriety in 2003 with her performance as Isabelle in “The Dreamers” by Bernardo Bertolucci, and consolidated her fame as James Bond’s true love, Vesper Lynd, in Casino Royal in 2006. She won the Orange rising star award for this role in 2007, voted for by the public. Eva has spent most of 2008 “Cracks”, directed by Jordan Scott, which will be presented at Cannes in 2009. « “Thank you very much for this award. It is a great honour.»
Nicole Farhi
Nicole moved to London in the early 1970s where she soon became principal designer at French Connection for over a decade. In 1982, she launched the Nicole Farhi label with Stephen Marks. Nicole launched her menswear collection in 1989, and opened her flagship store and restaurant – ‘Nicole’s’ – on London’s New Bond Street. In 2002, Nicole founded ‘202’ in London’s Westbourne Grove, gracefully combining her clothing range and homeware products with a chic all-day café/brasserie. Nicole Farhi now has nine free standing stores internationally, concessions nationwide and wholesale customers in the US, Italy, Russia, Spain, Australia, Scandinavia and the Far East. There are also showrooms in London, New York, Paris, Milan and Madrid.
Pierre Gagnaire
Pierre Gagnaire started his career in France in 1968 and earned his first Michelin star in 1977 while working at his father’s restaurant, the Clos Fleury. Pierre opened his first restaurant in St Etienne in 1980 and was awarded his second Michelin star six years later, and his third in 1993. He opened Sketch in 2002 in London with Mourad Mazouz. Pierre also manages restaurants in Paris, Hong Kong, Dubai, Seoul and Tokyo, and is the author of a number of cookery books.
Hélène Darroze
Hélène oversees all cuisine at the Connaught, including the Gallery and private dining since April 2008. One of France’s most distinguished chefs, Hélène won her second Michelin star in 2003 at her restaurant ‘Hélène Darroze’ on the Left Bank in Paris. Hélène is inspired by authentic regional and seasonal flavours, with roots in her native Landes region of South West France. She worked as Alain Ducasse’s right hand woman at the Louis XV restaurant in Monte Carlo.
Jean-François Cécillon
Jean-François Cécillon’s career in the music and entertainment industry spans 25 years, during which time he was, amongst others, CEO of Saga Europe, Managing Partner of Fleming Media and founder and Chairman of The Music Matrix, a music marketing consultancy.Jean-François held various posts at EMI, before eventually becoming chairman and CEO of EMI Music International from 2005 to 2008. In particular, he signed Robbie Williams as a solo artist during his time as Director of the EMI UK label, who has since become Britain’s biggest-selling male recording artist. In 2003 he also became director and producer of the 46664 project, a music-led worldwide HIV/AIDS awareness-raising initiative in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
Yoël Zaoui
Yoël is currently head of Goldman Sachs’ Investment Banking Division for Europe, Middle-East & Africa and has been since 2004. He is a member of the Firm’s 30 strong Management Committee, the first French national and non American investment banker to join the Firm’s top management body. He joined the Firm in 1988 in Mergers & Acquisitions in New York and moved to London in 1989. Yoël has spent most of his career in M&A and has been instrumental in developing the Firm’s investment banking business in Europe over the last 20 years. He became a Partner of the Firm in 1998. Yoël received a Diplôme from École des Hautes Études Commerciales (HEC) in 1982, a Diplome d’Études Approfondies (DEA) in Finance at Paris Dauphine University in 1983 and an M.B.A. from Stanford University in 1988. He was born in Morocco and lived in Italy, France, the United States and England since 1989.
Anne Brugière
Anne worked for many years as an artistic director and music producer in Paris, while also performing as a singer in a duo. She then moved to London in 2006 to launch her solo career, and began recording an album entitled “Outremanche”. Anne composed two of the songs that appear in the album: “C’est un Fait” and “Je suis là”. For more information visit: www.myspace.com/annebsongs