The Lunch at the Circle (LAC, L@C) events started early 2003. The very first meeting was a lunch with twelve friends of mine, all in the tech sector. It was a very turbulent time for technology companies. Much more so than these days.
It was “just” a lunch, without a speaker. Together with two friends (one of whom is in a picture below), we decided to make it a regular event and – to add a little extra value – we agreed to have an invited speaker every time. This made it even more valuable than “just” a networking event.
The events have mostly taken place at the Cercle Suedois (Swedish Club) in Paris. But even if that is the case, there is no link between Lunch at the Circle and the Cercle Suedois. LAC is a totally independent “organisation”.
The first even, as well as several of the following ones, were in “The Nobel Room”. It is called thus since in a corner there is a small 19th century desk, and on that desk Alfred Nobel wrote his will, the will that created the Noble Prize. On the wall above the desk there is also a copy of the will.
After some time, there were too many attendees to fit into that room (it only takes twelve people) so then we move out into one of the salons of the club.
During a couple of years we held the events at the Restaurant Maceo instead. It is an excellent restaurant not far from Les Halles.
I happened to look through my picture archive the other day and by chance if found two photos from one of the first lunches. It is not the very first lunch but rather it is the first or the second, I believe, with a speaker. You can see the speaker at the back of the photo. Some of the people on the pictures are still occasional participants at the LAC.
One of the first Lunch at the Circle event on April 23 2003
One of the first Lunch at the Circle event on April 23 2003