Monaco constantly reinvents itself and when it targets to do something, watch out. And Monaco has decided to get serious about going digital. And that means taking the best experience from Google and Amazon and transforming the way we do things in the Principality. And as luck would have it there is a Monegasque in the form of 37 year old Frederic Genta with the right skills forged in a career in Silicon Valley with the aces of the digital world. “When in Rome do as the Romans do” is the saying.” And so when your office is close to Serge Tell, Minister of State, you shed your t-shirt and geeky footwear and look suave in a plush suit and tie. And it is in this disguise that you unleash your digital revolution from the top.
Starting with Ministerial meetings – the Wednesday morning forum where the pinnacle of the Government meets. You can imagine the thick file folders, the circulation of papers as issues are presented and discussed. Imagine a giant suction pump will take all that information and digitize it. And a magic wand will suddenly equip each Minister with the digital weapons of the modern world to conduct these meetings without paper. Tablets, laptops, mobile phones and NO PAPER. Information at their fingertips, easily accessible and exchanged. And then from the top down through each Government department. Swift cultural change from the top.
Digital Monaco is not just about Government and administration. It enters into every walk of life as our students are about to discover on returning to school. To spur on the digital wave more and more classes in specialized areas of IT will be available. More Monaco students will become familiar with coding and what’s “under the hood” in today’s telephones and computers. “Chat bots” will orient them – that is friendly little robots on their screens available to guide and answer questions about their curriculum and their student life.
Look for e-everything as Frederic cuts his swath through the Principality. e-Government, e-education and e-health. With e-health, it’s a case of starting at the beginning – making an appointment from your laptop or mobile phone to see your doctor or dentist. Meanwhile the doctors and dentists themselves are part of this revolution as they get up to speed on sharing medical records between themselves on their screens – and reduce their own paper trail. So quietly a small new army is at work under the direction of Frederic Genta.
Each project area requires a trained team; multiply the projects, each making a wave, and the result – the tidal wave of change that is part of Monaco’s chosen destiny. And to penetrate into every sector requires cheerleaders volunteering in every Monegasque work-place. It’s a team effort that is being spurred on by the Government and Monaco Economic Board (Chamber of Commerce). Teams need coaches and businesses in Monaco need to upgrade their digital skills. So a raft of coaches from Google have been despatched as catalysts to this wave. Google workshops include:
- How to increase business traffic
- How to get your digital projects moving
- How to analyze and leverage all the digital information available to you
- How to recruit and find a job on-line.
Catch the wave – it’s free. The coaches are putting on courses in the Principality from
September 17th through to September 19th. They can only coach so many at a time. So as spots are limited it is important to enrol in advance to secure a place. Enrol on line, of course, at: www.gouv.mc
