Sarkozy on a tech comeback trail

I was in Singapore last week at the invitation of Bidvest to mediate a discussion with former French president, Nicolas Sarkozy.

Singapore is my kind of city/state. The people are friendly and law-abiding and keep their streets spotlessly clean. The prime minister drives around in a small, dark blue Volvo, followed discreetly by two security men without Ray-Bans or bad attitude. You're fined for jaywalking and punishment for vandalising a surface with graffiti is six cuts with a cane in conjunction with a six-month jail sentence.

Sarkozy was elegant, charming and effusive. In a private breakfast preceding the interview, asked why he had hardly touched his omelette, he gestured, drawing his finger across his throat, that his wife was Italian and would murder him if he developed a big stomach.

His wife, of course, is acclaimed singer-songwriter and former supermodel, Carla Bruni. They have a two-year-old daughter who, he joked, was younger than his five-year-old grandson from a previous relationship. For his little girl, especially, he wanted to remain a youthful father for as long as possible.

In truth, the 59-year-old former premier believed that, as a public figure, it was vital to remain in good physical shape and always appear crisply dressed.

The evening before, shortly after arriving at the hotel after a long flight, he ventured out for an hour's jog around the streets of Singapore. He said it invigorated his body, cleared his mind and allowed him to discover more about the culture of the people he was visiting than he could from a convoy of motor vehicles.

His bodyguards didn't always share his enthusiasm for late-night exercise and often tried to dodge his quirky custom by cautioning him that the weather was either far too hot or far too cold.

It was agreed to conduct the interview for Bidvest's senior management in camera so Sarkozy could impart his views on Europe, world leaders and other political hotspots with impunity. He shared light moments about his relationship with other world heads, the challenges of sitting through hours of boring political speeches and his passion for sport. He remains fervently committed to a united Europe, arguing that the need far outweighs disadvantages. Throughout his chat on the eurozone, in true Gallic form, he'd turn to me, grab my forearm and persuasively put his point across. With current President François Hollande's approval rating below 20%, it would not surprise me to see Sarkozy making a comeback, although from our conversations it seems Madame Sarkozy could be his biggest obstacle.

Europe is the largest economic bloc in the world, making up around 26% of world GDP. Recently, European Central Bank head Mario Draghi highlighted the growing risk of deflation and confessed that the risks in the eurozone are still on the downside. The IMF estimates Europe will expand at 1% this year. On the other hand, the US could grow up to 4%, the UK at 2.7% and China at 7.5%.

If Sarkozy wants to re-enter the political fray and fulfil his vision of establishing an innovative European Union, he will have to join forces with Germany and together begin breaking down the socialist policies, entitlement programmes and high tax regimes that impede the region's progress and lead to capital flight and a loss of high-level skills.

Hollande recently paid a state visit to the US to encourage US businesses, particularly in the field of hi-tech, to open factories and development centres in France.

Though I was invited to the Bidvest management conference primarily to interview Sarkozy, the theme of the gathering was to understand and embrace the technological changes shaping the world. I was permitted to attend presentations by speakers who are at the forefront of transformation.

I will cover what I learnt in next week's column. Bottom line, though, is that the US remains at the vanguard of the technological revolution and Hollande's greatest challenge is preventing his young engineering graduates from being drawn by the allure and rewards of US tech hubs such as Silicon Valley, Austin and New York.