Dome boss reopens national divide

Pierre-Yves Gerbeau: "London is where it is happening in Europe"

Soon after becoming head of the Millennium Dome, Pierre-Yves Gerbeau threatened that, at the end of 2000, he would name the politicians responsible for the attraction's failure.

One cannot do proper business in France

Pierre-Yves Gerbeau, chief executive, Millennium Dome

But in the opening salvo of his naming and shaming campaign, Mr Gerbeau has potentially caused more embarrassment to his native France than to any UK MPs.

He has revealed in an interview published on Thursday that he wants to stay in Britain, and in particular London, after his contract to run the Dome runs out in January.

"One cannot do proper business in France," said Mr Gerbeau, a graduate of Sorbonne, former member of France's national hockey team and vice-president at EuroDisney.

"Had the Dome been in Paris, I would have achieved 10% of what I have done here," he told the Financial Times.

"London is where it is happening in Europe."

Diplomatic fuss

He named France's higher levels of taxation and broader labour laws as particular barriers to him returning to his native country.

Laetitia Casta: Face of France in exile

The announcement comes eight months after Laetitia Casta, the official Face of France, revealed she had moved to London, prompting a diplomatic furore.

"I want to live in London because it is such a diverse, lively city," said Ms Casta, whose image was chosen by French mayors to adorn stamps and coins for 10 years.

Reports said the model, currently appearing semi-naked in a controversial series of US diamond adverts, would also save up to £400,000 in taxes.

Press intrusion

Mr Gerbeau has expressed some reservations about his spell in Britain, which began in February when he was appointed chief executive of the New Millennium Experience Company, which manages the Dome.

In brief: Pierre-Yves Gerbeau

1965: Born in Paris

1989-91: Worked for management consultant TPS Conseil

1990: Became general manager of hockey team Hyerres

1991-98: Worked at EuroDisney, heading 2,000-strong team

1999: Gained an MBA

2000-01: Chief executive, Millennium Dome

The Frenchman, who asked colleagues to call him 'P-Y' but has been nicknamed 'Monsieur Gerbil', is tired of being the butt of anti-French jokes.

"It's OK once or twice, but after that it's hard to take," he told the FT.

He also complained of press intrusion into his private life, and political interference in the running of the Dome.

"When I took on this job, I did not anticipate the level of government interference," said Mr Gerbeau, who is paid £100,000 a year.

He has previously complained of the Dome's status as a "political football".

Takeover bid

But this has not stopped him launching a bid to takeover the ill-fated attraction following its closure on 31 December, by which time it will have attracted a little over half the 12 million visitors the government had forecast.

"I presented my five-year plan to bankers and they thought it made a lot of sense," he said.

The government has instead backed plans by Legacy plc to turn the site into a high-tech business park.

All of which leaves Mr Gerbeau more keen than ever to meet the promise he made in July.

"I will stand up at the end of the year and tell people what went wrong, and why," he said then.

And maybe in the next instalment, he will inflict greater damage to a target on the UK side of the Channel.