ESSEC/Agora du sport panel on sport and business

Earlier this month, FGG sports officer Marc Naimark attended a panel discussion organized by French business school ESSEC and the Agora du sport on the theme of sport and business.

Those speaking on the panel included Vincent Prolongeau, CEO of Pepsico France and president of progressive business organization Entreprise et Progrès, Bernard Laporte, former junior minister for sport, Didier Besseyre, president of both the French and European Federations for Company Sport, Antoine Mindjimba, a manager at Ernst & Young and a former professional hockey player, as well as Professor Thierry Lardinoit and Magali Tezenas du Montcel from the ESSEC.

Among the themes covered was that of sport as a tool for inclusion, raised by Vincent Prolongeau, and an opposition between competitive sport, which was described as exclusionary, and participatory sport and physical activity, which was more desirable within companies. Marc countered that there were many competitive sporting events that respect the principle of sport for all and inclusion, including, of course, the Gay Games (or for that matter, the events organized by the organizations represented by Didier Besseyre).

Contacts made should prove useful for the FGG and/or the FSGL. The main Agora du sport will take place at the Rolland Garros tennis center this January.