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Meet the Mayor of Bellevue, the city that will host our new headquarters
When it came to choosing a location for our future head office, Bellevue, with its uninterrupted views of Lake Geneva and the Alps, quickly stood out. Alexandre Meyer, Lombard Odier Managing Partner, took the chance of a meeting with the Mayor of Bellevue, Bernard Taschini, to learn more about the town where our new global headquarters will soon be located, and explore the legacy 1Roof will create for local residents.
Alexandre Meyer: What facts and figures should people know about Bellevue?
Bernard Taschini: Bellevue is one of eleven Geneva municipalities with access to the lake. With a population of over 4,000, known as Bellevistes, the municipality covers an area of 4.4km². It is mostly residential, with a good mix of individual and collective housing. Two key features distinguish life in Bellevue, namely its village spirit and its privileged access points to the lake: Port-Gitana, Port Saladin and le Vengeron. In fact, the origin of Bellevue’s name lies in its exceptional location: from Bellevue, you can see the lake and its sailing boats, the Môle and the Salève, and the majesty of Mont Blanc in the background.
You may know that in 1340, a castle was built on the Nant du Vengeron and placed under the jurisdiction of the Counts of Savoie. In 1924, the local lords, the Tavel family, gave their coat of arms to Bellevue. This castle was practically on the site of the future headquarters of Lombard Odier.
Bellevue is still a relatively small commune. How do the local authorities and the people of Bellevue view the arrival of our bank and its 2,000 employees?
The local authorities are delighted. Until now, the number of jobs in the municipality has been relatively limited, at around 1,000. This figure will triple with the arrival of Lombard Odier. As for the residents, they are pleased to see the development of the Champ-du-Château sector, with new shops and infrastructure that will benefit the whole community. I’m thinking in particular of the future Les Orchidées footbridge, which will link this district to the Vengeron beach. The collaboration between the local authorities and the Bank’s Partners and staff involved in the 1Roof project has always been excellent. I’m sure it will continue to be in the future.
With the arrival of 2,000 employees in Bellevue, transport and mobility are essential. We’re working together on a number of projects; can you tell us a little more about them?
While not directly related to the arrival of Lombard Odier, the municipal authorities have always been committed to providing an efficient public transport network. Bellevue is already very well served, with the airport just 5 minutes away, the motorway and the Léman Express, with its stop at Les Tuileries.
We are also very involved in the Voie Bleue lake shuttle project, working closely with Left Bank municipalities and private partners including Lombard Odier. As mentioned above, we are currently working on the Les Orchidées footbridge project, which will link Lombard Odier’s new 1Roof building with the Route de Lausanne and the Vengeron beach.
With 1Roof, we wanted to offer a range of services to make our employees’ daily lives easier: a wide choice of catering options, a fitness room with separate showers and lockers for sports enthusiasts, a concierge service to receive parcels directly at work, etc. The Commune also offers a wide array of services and attractions that our colleagues will be able to benefit from. Can you tell us about them?
Life at Bellevue follows the rhythm of the seasons, with a surge of activity during the summer months. Our three main access points to the lake, Port Saladin, Port Gitana and Plage du Vengeron, all offer a refreshment bar during the summer, which is very popular with Bellevue residents. Gitana beach, which has been extensively redeveloped, is a place for relaxation and leisure, with a magnificent gravel beach.
The Vigne Blanche sports centre offers a range of outdoor sporting activities. During the winter season, there is also an ice rink. The Bellevois countryside, which includes a large forested area, offers beautiful walks through the Bois d’Avault, as well as near the Nant-des-Limites, Gobé, Marquet and Vengeron streams. There are also private facilities such as the Espace Santé and the Country Club and, for families, the Bioparc.
There’s plenty going on in the community. I’d like to mention in particular the 1st August festival with its magnificent fireworks display on the lake; the Country music festival, the next edition of which is scheduled for May 2025; ‘Sport en été’ with sports and wellness courses entirely free of charge; and Ciné Gitana. Imagine watching a film by the lake with Mont Blanc in the background the week before school starts...
Important information
This document is issued by Bank Lombard Odier & Co Ltd or an entity of the Group (hereinafter “Lombard Odier”). It is not intended for distribution, publication, or use in any jurisdiction where such distribution, publication, or use would be unlawful, nor is it aimed at any person or entity to whom it would be unlawful to address such a document. This document was not prepared by the Financial Research Department of Lombard Odier.
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