Business
16:51, 06-Oct-2017
Forbes launches French edition to chart the 'Startup Nation'
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French President Emmanuel Macron's attempt to turn his country into a "startup nation" will be tracked by the new French edition of Forbes, the business magazine famous for its annual ranking of the world's wealthiest people.
The English edition of Forbes is published every two weeks but the French edition will be released as a quarterly.
The first issue will retrace the 100-year history of the publication and look ahead to the next 100 through interviews with business magnates including Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and French internet billionaire Xavier Niel.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg speaks during the Alumni Exercises following the 366th Commencement Exercises at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US, May 25, 2017. /Reuters Photo
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg speaks during the Alumni Exercises following the 366th Commencement Exercises at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US, May 25, 2017. /Reuters Photo
France has a reputation for being a place where it is difficult to do business and for being sniffy towards the self-made. Forbes first stuck a toe in the market last year by launching a French-language website.
"Many people say France is becoming the 'startup nation' and the discourse is changing. We have a president who is promoting entrepreneurship and free enterprise," Dominique Busso, the media entrepreneur behind the venture, told AFP.
"We must not be afraid to say that you can succeed in France, nor have fear of failure," Busso said, echoing former investment banker Macron, who has said he wishes more young French people dreamed of becoming billionaires.
French President Emmanuel Macron is seen prior to his meeting with Iraqi Prime minister Haider Al-Abadi at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, October 5, 2017. /Reuters Photo
French President Emmanuel Macron is seen prior to his meeting with Iraqi Prime minister Haider Al-Abadi at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, October 5, 2017. /Reuters Photo
The French magazine is being produced under license from Forbes. It will contain some material translated from the American edition but give pride of place to local content.
The first issue will have a print run of 100,000 copies.
Source(s): AFP