Roche Bobois this year hopes to become more international than French. "We should exceed the threshold in 2012 for 50% of our revenues generated outside our home market," states Gilles Bonan, CEO of Roche Bobois. Look outside the borders, nothing is more natural for this family company whose reputation has been built from 1960 on the distribution of Scandinavian furniture. Today, it was his Mah Jong sofa that draws customers Italians, Americans and Chinese.

"We continue to open this year a store per month, with many more applications for candidacy for the franchise a few years ago, says Gilles Bonan. Philippines, Argentina, Seoul, Abidjan, Indonesia at the end of the year, Roche Bobois, accompanied by the word "Paris" out of France, succeeds in distant lands.

In this context, Roche Bobois is looking for a new shareholder. While the group has lost one of its founders, Philippe Roche, a sale of a majority is no longer on the agenda, ensures Gilles Bonan. Three years ago, families and Roche Chouan had sought to organize a "transmission process more meaningful capital", having already sold a 15% share to funds and Azulis Siparex in 2001. Both funds "are intended to come out and be replaced by a new minority shareholder," according to the leader, and it likely this year.

Manhattan, Harrods and Printemps

2012 will also be marked by the reworking of the upcoming flagship store in Manhattan low fee cash advance. "We are in the Americas since 1974, but sales have nevertheless increased by about 20% in 2010 and 2011," Bonan said Gilles. Another success for the premium brand, which is not to be perceived as luxury, his corner at Harrods in London. Opened in 2010, he became the fourth store in its turnover. Even the more mature markets are reservoirs of growth. Germany is thus in the viewfinder of the sign: a third store has just opened there, but the potential is estimated at thirty.

In its home market, Roche Bobois returned last September to Spring Boulevard Haussmann. "In France, while the market is stagnating, sales rose 3% in 2011," says Gilles Bonan. An increase similar to that of total turnover, from 3.8% in constant number of stores. "These past five years, with the exception of 2009, growth was more than 3%," added the leader. Three years ago, sales were down 4%, and Roche Bobois had given Colonial House, House and renamed Co. This year, priority will be to the continued recovery of another sign of the group, Natuzzi, which saw its sales drop 12% last year. Five stores brand Italian sofas come close. Moreover, the sign Leather Center was "repositioned", with sales growth of 7% in 2011 to the key.

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One of the first stars to have turned in an advertisement for PepsiCo was James Dean. It was in 1950.

Since, there are many who have lent their brand image, including Michael Jackson in the 1980s. Following an agreement between the managers of agribusiness etles image of the former king of pop, this will again be the case in 2012 faxless cash advances.

The limited edition Pepsi cans bearing the likeness of Michael Jackson. Photo credits: Uncredited / AP

The time is in final preparation for town hall in France, before the presidential election. For the latter, the bill for the organization of these exceptional weekend will be more or less salty. According to the Association of Mayors of France, you need a budget of around 15,000 euros per day to vote for an average city of 20,000 inhabitants. "This represents about 1 per registered voter," said Philip Lawrence, vice president of the Association and Mayor of Sceaux (Hauts de Seine).

According to the latter, the bulk of this budget is absorbed by personnel costs unusually mobilized for the weekend of presidential and legislative elections. "On Saturday, the day before voting, employees adjust any polls that are often located in public buildings or classrooms. The number of desktop depends on the number of registered voters, knowing that it takes no more than 1000 voters for an office. In a city like seals, so they are 14 offices that are developed, "says the mayor of this town of Hauts-de-Seine. "Then the Sunday vote, you have two people permanently. That's two teams of two for a 12-hour day, which must be added the support staff to ensure that everything goes well. " At Sceaux, there are 100 municipal employees who will be on duty for each day of voting.

For them, the days are long lasting and beyond counting. But allow them to receive a specific payment. "This is the most expensive for the town hall. There are many volunteers in the office but their role is only to monitor, register voters, get them signed. Requires municipal employees on site, such certificates to those who do not have their voter registration card, "said Philip Lawrence.

The presidential ballots be borne by the State

These are not purchasing urns or damaged booths that make invoice salt. These are purchased from private companies such as Form XL, the leading provider of French municipalities. Meuse in this business, it takes 94 to 327 euros for a traditional ballot box and 213 to 425 euros for one to three polling booths in places. "These expenditures, investment in the budget of the city, are negligible and are amortized from one election to another," says Philip Lawrence.

So what is the state to relieve the town halls? The latter is involved in all these costs up to 2,500 euros, according to AMF. Prefectures establish "cost of assembly, composed of a fixed amount per polling station and an amount based on the number of voters," says one to the Ministry of Interior. The envelope stuffing and mailing of election propaganda (posters, leaflets, creed and ballots) to voters is the responsibility of prefectures which in turn mobilize staff or rely on outside providers.

The State shall also be responsible for printing and mailing of ballots to municipalities for president, according to the memento sent to candidates by the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs. For legislative candidates and print their ballots may be reimbursed for these expenses if they obtain at least 5% of the votes cast in the first round. But the rules are strict: the paper used must contain at least 50% recycled or benefit "of an international certification for sustainable forest management." According to the Senate, the total estimated cost of the presidential election for the state and is estimated at 217.3 million euros. That of the general elections is estimated at 122.3 million euros this year.

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"A tightly controlled campaign

Critics have not kept waiting to condemn the Japanese government project to restart two nuclear reactors. Since the disaster of Fukushima and security measures that followed, almost all of the park which provided 28% of the electricity of the Archipelago has been shutdown. Today, one unit is still running and should be stopped for maintenance in the coming weeks. So far, Japan has managed this failure by attempting to reduce energy consumption and increasing imports of oil and gas.

However, with the approach of summer and peak demand associated with the use of air conditioners, electric companies, industry and the government becomes more pressing to restart some nuclear sites. Kansai Electric Power Company, now deprived of all its reactors, and says she may suffer from inadequate power of 20% during peak summer.

Obtain an understanding of citizens

Friday, the government Yoshihiko Noda had approved the reactivation plan of units 3 and 4 of the Central Oi (a hundred miles from Kyoto). Ensuring that the reactors in question comply with new security standards, the industry minister, Yukio Edano, nevertheless said: "The revival will be once we have obtained an understanding of citizens, starting with the local population. "

Nothing is less certain for now. Environmental groups are quickly mounted slot, as the Japanese press. "It is difficult to understand why the government so anxious to restart the reactors," wrote an editorial Sunday in the general Japanese daily Mainichi Shimbun, saying that more thorough inspections should be made before any restart. For its part, the daily Asahi Shimbunregrette "inconstancy" Noda government in its nuclear policy. Before taking office, the Prime Minister had indeed promised to continue the denuclearization of the country. "Independent studies show that there will be no shortage of energy," says his side Wakao Hanaoka, an activist of Greenpeace Japan.

While the population does not seem ready to return to nuclear, renewable energy has found a new attraction. Last week was thus launched a solar power plant of 70 megawatts, the largest in the country.

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Unions of La Poste have been heard. Rocked by three suicides in six months, the postal group has taken the measure of social malaise that reigns within its walls. According to the Journal du Dimanche, its CEO, Jean-Paul Bailly, is expected to announce Monday a suspension until September of the reorganization of the branch e. A break of nearly six months during which discussions will be held with employees to improve their working conditions. At the local level, first, the regional offices of the Post Office will begin negotiations on the reduction of work patterns in post offices. At the national level, then, Jean-Paul Bailly launch the establishment of a "social warning unit" and could also release a budget to support the weakest agents, specify the sources cited by the weekly Sunday. Contacted by The Figaro.fr, the group was not immediately available for comment.

La Poste has accelerated its timetable for ending the crisis, after the suicide last Sunday as part of a group in Britain. In a folder left behind, this forty, who had been off long illness since November and was found hanged at his place of work in Brittany, had denounced a hard three years from its hierarchy. This was the second suicide in Breton Post in ten days. February 29, Jeremy Buan, a senior of 28 years, had committed suicide by jumping from the top floor of La Poste in Rennes, in the Ille-et-Vilaine. He too had reported his "outstanding work" in a letter released by his partner. Immediately, the Post Office had opened on Tuesday for talks with the unions on "health and welfare at work", promising that "proposals" would be made "before summer".

The bracketing, albeit provisional, of the restructuring of the business mail should satisfy the unions who denounced social climate "anxiety" since the suicide last September of a 52-year employee who was, also, défenestrée the fourth floor of the financial center of the 15th arrondissement in Paris payday loans. "This situation is unfortunately not unique to the post office," said Antoine Le Séguillon this week, a union representative GSC in Figaro.fr. "And it is not unique to Britain," he said hoping that the leadership would engage quickly "concrete actions".

Action plan against erosion mail

Faced with the erosion of its mail business, which it considered that the volumes would collapse by 30% over 2008-2015, the Post Office had drawn a new plan in 2009. Jean-Paul Bailly had emphasized that this branch should "reinvent themselves" by offering new services. Gradually, the schedules of post offices have been extended throughout France, robots have been installed to reduce waiting times for customers and, last September, The Post has completely redesigned its line of mail.

A strategy that has "paid off", welcomed the group during the presentation of its annual results on March 8. While lower volumes continued with a decrease of 3%, after falling 3.3% in 2010, the mail business recorded a turnover stable at EUR 11.5 billion (+ 0.3%), more than half of the total activity of La Poste. But for the unions, these good results have been costly to employees. According to the CGT, it was obtained "at a price of 10,091 job cuts" and an increase in sick leave.

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The European carbon tax causes coughing sector of the European air. Corroborating sources, and six Airbus airlines are head wind against the tax for the European fight against the emission of carbon dioxide, which is theoretically in force since 1 January 2012. This tax, imposed on all companies operating in the EU whatever their nationalities, for a total of nearly 4300 companies, and would cost 705 million euros for 2012 those involved in the air around the world.

The aircraft manufacturer Airbus and the airlines British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, Air France, Iberia and Air Berlin have thus associated to "alert" on "economic consequences" of this tax, in letters to the heads of the French government, German, British and Spanish. French equipment Safran and German MTU would also be associated with this outcry.

These groups believe that the application of the tax threatens "inadmissible" for the sector as it could revive a trade war with China, but also with the United States and Russia, the Financial Times. The protagonists also challenge "the unilateral nature of this measure and require" the establishment of a general discussion with all stakeholders within the ICAO, "the Organization of International Civil Aviation, told a familiar with the matter told AFP.

In fact, China has threatened trade retaliation at the expense of Airbus, said Thursday the group EADS, parent of Airbus. Beijing could well cancel orders for 45 Airbus (10 A380 superjumbo and 35 long-haul A330) amounting to several billion dollars. The freeze order would represent a potential shortfall of $ 12 billion for Airbus, according to the catalog prices. More than 2000 jobs would be directly threatened by the Financial Times. But so far, the EU refuses to yield, saying Friday that it stands ready to respond to any discriminatory provision in Beijing.

The Swiss Parliament voted yesterday the revision of an agreement allowing the U.S. to get lists of bank customers Helvetian for suspected fraud. This addition to the double taxation agreement of 2009, which may be applied retroactively, goes much further than those signed thus far. The IRS will not need to demand details in the form of 'group applications', confidential information to banks Helvetians.

A major issue

This new cut to the sacrosanct banking secrecy does not delight the Swiss deputies. "Nobody does it with a light heart, but we have no alternative, said Christophe Darbellay, president of the Christian Democratic Party. Play the showdown with the Americans could have serious consequences. "The stakes are high: eleven Swiss banks (Wegelin, Credit Suisse, Julius Baer …) are the subject of a complaint for helping U.S. taxpayers evade taxes. If Bern does not play the game, Washington threatens to withdraw the banking license to establishments Helvetians.

Yesterday, only the Central Democratic Union (UDC) has objected to signing the text. "Banks have done wrong and they should pay the bill, but it's not MPs to bow down," says Guy Parmelin, vice president of the parliamentary group CDU.

According to press Helvetian, the success of the United States in this matter could lead to the European Union, too, have strengthened administrative assistance. An option that the President of the Confederation, Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, refuses to consider. In an interview with Time, it maintains that the priority remains the final withholding tax at source, called the "Rubik" whereby Switzerland would pay a lump sum to partner countries to compensate for the loss of tax revenue.

"Applications bundled"

Despite the optimism of Bern, "Rubik" soon however to be validated by the Germans and did not interest the French authorities. Pierin Vincenz, CEO of Raiffeisen, the third Swiss bank, recently broke a taboo by speaking to the automatic exchange of information. Philippe Kenel, tax lawyer near Lake Geneva, also defended this solution, which in return would allow "the free movement of financial services, that is to say the possibility for Swiss banks to work in European countries."

But the debate is far from over, as Switzerland will have to adjust by the end of the new OECD standards, which should also include 'group applications'. The American victory could turn into an international standard … Meanwhile, the Swiss tax advise their customers in Europe to come to Switzerland to avoid tax evasion charges.

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The State is not the only one to benefit from the largesse of the SNCF. Society of French railroad will indeed pay its railroad a "wage dividend" of up to 400 euros gross to net income for the year 2011, according to the CFDT. This premium, which amount is adjusted according to the time spent in the company in 2011, will be paid on the payroll of March. "The management announced this evening (Thursday) that it would pay to the CFDT from the results of 2011, a dividend of 400 euros gross wage for employees of the company," said the union. An amount that could be much greater than that paid last year because the railroad had received 76 euros. Thus, if the CFDT "welcomes" the payment of a dividend to employees, it "regrets the randomness of its payment" because the amount differs from year to year.

In fact, the group's results do not explain this surge fast cash. Group profit accuses indeed a decrease of 82% to 125 million in fiscal year 2011. A cons-performance however be explained by asset write-downs of 840 million euros, 700 million under its TGV. Last year, operating margin, favored by management indicator, soared 41.2%, to 3.02 billion euros. As for sales, it rose 7.2% to 32.6 billion euros.

But despite mixed annual results, the company unveiled at the end of 2011 the payment of a dividend "record" in the state, said the CFDT. The draft budget 2012 Railway Group provides for a payment of 230 million euros. An amount that should be reinvested in the renovation of the rail network, the government promises.

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"The station will pay a record dividend to the State

Before the French, Nicolas Sarkozy will decide maybe not the word federalism, because it means a loss of sovereignty that they do not approve.Polls show they are committed to the euro – are 77% want to keep the single currency, according to the latest BVA poll for BFM / Challenges / Avanquest. But other surveys indicate that about two out of three French are not ready to "more integration". The ridge is close to the head of state for several months defending the prospect of a further step towards more integration.

"Bargaining"

It should engage in this exercise in front of the French education before or after the European Council of December 8 and 9, as a great speech that will trace the contours of France in the Europe of tomorrow. "Europe must rhyme with protection, not with globalization in the eyes of the French," says William Peltier, a member of the UMP, and patron of the Letter of opinion.

As a result, the company decided last June to associate with a single operator, SFR, for the management of its telecom corners. Last night, Alexandre Bompard, CEO of Fnac and Frank Esser, CEO of SFR, inaugurated the new sales concept to the Fnac in Paris CNIT La Défense. This is the first to rock and eventually all the rays of the 80 mobile Fnac become "SFR space." "We hope to sell 200,000 lines via Fnac stores a year," said Frank Esser.

Specifically, the client who wants to buy a mobile Internet subscription, a fixed line, access to fiber optics as well as terminals or incidental to the Fnac will head to the "corner" SFR located within the store. It will be supported by advisers SFR, distributing only offers from this operator. The sales force, merchandising, and information systems of these areas will be managed by SFR. The operator will share the revenue with the Fnac. In return, Fnac provides SFR with prime locations in city centers and suburbs.

SFR 500 vendors

After the first opening in November in the Fnac of Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, Portet-sur-Garonne, Herblay, Annemasse and Paris la Défense, five new spaces will be installed in Fnac by Christmas in Velizy II Créteil, Nantes, Bordeaux and Parly II.