During a prize-giving ceremony, the Frederique Constant brand announced the name of the joint winners of the first Passion Awards. “Live your passion!” For the watchmakers at Frederique Constant, this remains a fundamental factor in the success of any company. Armed with this conviction, the manufacture decided to encourage achievements of passionate men and women who have been able to develop their ideas, moving quickly from an innovative concept to a fast-expanding company.


Peter Stas with the four nominees Mr Inamoto from Japan, Mrs. Cotton from Switzerland, Mr. Marcolini from Belgium and Mr. Boon for The Netherlands

It was in the presence of the ten finalists and in front of an audience of 800 handpicked guests, that the second Passion Awards prize-giving ceremony took place. During a very passionate concert by the Chamber Orchestra of Geneva, Peter and Aletta Stas, both passionate about watchmaking and kind-hearted entrepreneurs of the Frederique Constant brand, honoured two prize-winners chosen from among the ten international candidates in contention for the Passion Awards:



•Pierre Marcolini is the founder and CEO of Pierre Marcolini Chocolatier. Belgian by nationality, Italian by origin, Pierre Marcolini Chocolatier is the known producer of « Haute Couture » chocolate. Created in 1995, the company now counts over 15 flagship stores around the world. A meteoric success that is the result of excellence, audacity, and a passion for all things gourmet.


Passion Award 2008 Pierre Marcolini

•Laura Cotton is the founder of Paint a Smile, a Foundation dedicated to the improvement of hospital environments. After a tragic accident in her family, she decided to dedicate her life to the improvement of the hospital environment. Paint a Smile’s mission is to reduce the anxiety and de-dramatize a stay in hospital by permanently transforming the cold and impersonal environment into a colorful and welcoming world. Today, Laura Cotton is the passionate President of the Foundation.


Non Profit Passion Award 2008 'FORTIS Prize' Laura Cotton, Paint a Smile Foundation

The jury, made up of Peter and Aletta Stas, respectively CEO and COO of Frederique Constant, Dominique Turpin, marketing and strategy professor from the IMD Institute of Lausanne, Carlo Lamprecht, Former Chairman of the State Council of Geneva and
Dr. Haig Simonian, Bureau Chief of the Financial Times in Switzerland, hailed Pierre Marcolini and Laura Cotton for their enthusiasm and passion. The prize-winnering companies will receive a personalised case study by Professor Dominique Turpin from the IMD of Lausanne on the subject of their choice, as well as a gold Frederique Constant Heart Beat Manufacture watch. The ten participants retained received a steel Heart Beat Manufacture watch.

The Financial Times is the Passion Award’s official media partner. The Passion Awards Ceremony and Concert was organized in partnership with Fortis and ABNAMRO.

Criteria and Process for the Award are clearly outlined on the Frederique Constant Passion Award website (www.passion-awards.com). There are no restrictions of gender, age or nationality of candidates. Submissions from Social Entrepreneurs are also welcome.

Frederique Constant timepieces are created with passion. Indeed, passion is the driver of our company’s success. With its slogan ‘Live your Passion’, we aim to attract customers who have a passion to succeed. Peter and Aletta Stas, both passionate watch aficionados and entrepreneurs at heart, founded Frederique Constant in Geneva in 1988. The company has achieved a 25-30% annual growth rate over the past ten years. In 2008, production will reach over 90’000 pieces.

Source: Macher S.A. / Frederique Constant

www.frederique-constant.com
www.passion-awards.com
Contact: [email protected]
(Please credit europastar.com)