Keynote SpeakerFrancesco Bongiovanni

“Europe stands on the brink of a monumental fall, wrestling with colossal economic, social, political and strategic challenges. Francesco Bongiovanni reveals the hidden cracks that threaten to tear Europe apart—and what solutions lie ahead in confronting what ails the Eurozone.”

Having witnessed first-hand the dynamism of America and the Far East, Harvard-educated entrepreneur Francesco Bongiovanni returned to find a decaying Europe, prompting him to paint a unique, multi-dimensional portrait of Europe that leads to the conclusion that increasing impoverishment, instability and fragmentation are inescapable.

The author of The Decline and Fall of Europe—which has been labeled “a wake-up call for the twenty-first century” by The Guardian and praised by The Wall Street Journal as the best account to date of the European crises, Bongiovanni takes a hard look at the structural elements, many of which have been in place since World War II, that have collided to produce a Eurozone that is in crisis and having direct implications on the global economic recovery.

Francesco who holds a Harvard MBA and an engineering doctorate, spent several decades in Asia, Europe, Africa and the US as an investment banker in private equity and international advisory and as an entrepreneur.

Francesco is President and founder of “Compagnie d’Investissements Monaco-Asie S.A.M.” (Codima), bsed in Monaco and Singapore. The group’s activities have included merchant banking-type services assisting elite family and business groups from Europe in their diversification and direct investment endeavours across the Far East and vice versa, as well as cross-border M&A and advisory work, launching investment funds in private equity and natural resources and the structuring of direct investments in emerging markets. He is a co-founder of the Monaco Venture Capital Association (MVCA).

Dr Bongiovanni is President and founder of “The Monaco-Asia Society” (MAS), a non-profit organization chaired by HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco and dedicated to humanitarian, environmental and cultural projects between the Principality of Monaco and the Far East. Projects have included the successful multimillion dollar relocating and rebuilding of Sirombu (Island of Nias, Sumatra), an Indonesian village destroyed by the 2005 tsunami. In 2007, MAS launched the “Blue Auction” the world’s first auction (carried out by Christie’s of London) of the names of various species of marine life newly discovered by world famous Conservation International in Asian waters, raising several million dollars for the protection of ocean biodiversity in the Raja Ampat area. Other projects undertaken by MAS include enhancing microfinance capabilities of East Timorese institution Moris Rasik in cooperation with French institution Credit Agricole. MAS achievements have been praised by personalities such as Jim Wolfensohn, previous head of the World Bank, and featured in the international press including The Washington Post.

Francesco spent a few years with American investment banking institution Dillon, Read & Co. in Wall Street and London, where he was involved in corporate finance, M&A and syndications of new securities issues, and during which he became a Registered Representative of the New York Stock Exchange. Dr Bongiovanni moved then to the Far East where he was based for 15 years. His entrepreneurial career spanned various countries and sectors, and included the pioneering of some industries in China in the ’80s, as well as ventures in food processing, packaging, architectural services and information technology.

Francesco holds an MBA from Harvard Business School (Harvard University), where he was awarded the Morgan Guaranty Fellowship. He also holds an Engineering Doctorate from the University of Genoa, Italy, awarded with the highest honors, and a French baccalaureate.

An Italian citizen, Dr Bongiovanni currently resides in Monaco. He was born from Italian parents in Casablanca (Morocco) where he lived 18 years and went to French school. He lived in Europe, USA, North Africa and the Arab world, and in Asia where he spent 15 years. He is fluent in several languages. His personal interests include international affairs and geopolitics, sports (among which competitive beach volley) and playing/composing music.

Francesco is the author of “The Decline and Fall of Europe” published by Palgrave Macmillan in early 2012 and praised by the Wall Street Journal, The Guardian and other prominent commentators. He is a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of The Journal of Chinese Entrepreneurship He has been a speaker in international forums in Asia and Europe in relation to venture capital and private equity, and has been featured on TV in Europe and the far East.

Francesco was made as a Knight of the Order of St. Charles by the hand of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco in 2008 for his humanitarian and biodiversity protection endeavours.

In tailored discussions suited to the needs of the audience, Bongiovanni presents in an engaging and accessibly style based on his meticulous research to provide a balanced, detailed, comprehensive and informative picture of the challenges that face Europe and what the global political and business community must do to confront these issues before its too late.