Sciences Po Alumni UK

Dear friends and fellow members,

2009 has been a rich year for us. Some of the highlights include:

• Sciences Po Alumni UK Charity Gala at the House of Commons, under the patronage of alumnus H.E. Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, sponsored by MP and former minister Denis MacShane, hosting alumnus Baron David de Rothschild, in the presence of Richard Descoings, where Assia de Juniac and Roger Seydoux scholarships were awarded.

• Launch of the Sciences Po UK Board, with 20 leading UK seniors led by Charles de Croisset, and private dinner with former foreign minister and alumnus Hubert Védrine.

• Dinner-debates with alumni business leaders – e.g. Clara Gaymard – and Sciences Po academia – e.g. Olivier Duhamel, and economists Yann Algan/Etienne Wasmer – as well as a memorable conference/dinner-détente/after-dinner with novelist Frédéric Beigbeder.

• Conferences and talks with alumni Professor Marie Mendras on Russia, François Bujon de l’Estang and others on Obama organised with Columbia, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins and Tufts, Jean-Pierre Jouyet and Howard Davies with FBC, economist Nicolas Baverez, thanks to Samir Assaf and HSBC, and prominent UK alumni – Samir Assaf, Nicolas Cattelain, Benoit d’Angelin,Chris Masek, Arnaud Vaissié – at the IHEE London seminar.

There is no reason why 2010 should not be an even richer one for us, starting with:

• An invitation accepted by former prime minister Alain Juppé, who will be hosted at a private donor dinner, who will speak also at a public venue at 6pm on 13 January.

• A lecture at the Institute by Dr Florence Deloche-Gaudez, Sciences Po –LSE, with the participation of John Henley, The Guardian, on “A New EU ‘President’ and ‘High Representative for Foreign Affairs’- after the Lisbon Treaty, who leads Europe”? at 6pm on 21 January.

• A dinner-debate with François Rachline, managing director of think-tank l’Institut Montaigne and professor at Sciences Po, on28 January; also, we will be associated to an event hosting Claude Bébéar, founder of l’Institut Montaigne, in London in the spring.

• Next Sciences Po Wednesday on 3rd February at the RAC.

• A meeting with Nicole Guedj, former human rights minister, leading humanitarian relief figure, with the popular movement on 4 February.

We will publish further details of these events at the beginning of January; in the meantime, please let us know which you intend to attend.

We hope that 2010 will be a rich year for everyone; needless to say that it will be an even richer one for us if you subscribe to Sciences Po Alumni UK; in order to do so, please visit our membership section and/or contact our treasurer Stefan Lavau (stefan.lavau@hsbcib.com).

In the run-up to the London Olympics, may we leave you with words from a famous Sciences Po alumn Baron Pierre de Coubertin: “the important thing in life is not the victory but the contest; the essential is not to have won but to have fought well”; may you have both contests and victories in 2010, even though for some the future may not be what it used to be.

Thank you for your support. Warmest Wishes from Sciences Po Alumni UK for 2010.

Amicalement votre,

Stéphane Rambosson

President