STUDY: Winter Olympics, a mountain of questions…

5 January 2026

Despite its undiminished prestige, the economic model of the Winter Olympics is on a dangerous downward slope: an average deficit of $4.7 billion since 2010 and a critical shortage of viable venues (only 30 left in 2080). Our study, “Winter Olympics: a mountain of questions,” poses an ultimatum: faced with local opposition (35% of bids withdrawn) and climate change, the “more is more” approach is obsolete.

To avoid going off track, Circle Strategy is modeling a structural break: the “permanent hubs” scenario. By establishing a rotation between five historic sites that are already equipped, this model would reduce construction costs by 72% and halve carbon emissions. The survival of the Winter Olympics now depends on putting an end to the ephemeral.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

10 December 2025

STUDY: Hypermarkets in 2030

In its study “Hypermarkets in 2030: prospects for a retail model that must reinvent itself to survive,” Circle Strategy makes a blunt assessment: the traditional model is at a structural impasse. Faced with a market share falling to 39% and parks where deficits are...

3 July 2025

STUDY: The Tour de France, a meteoric rise

For more than a century, the Tour de France has embodied a certain idea of France. Created in 1903, it remains a popular, free event with strong regional roots, attracting 17 million spectators to the roadsides in 2024. The Tour de France is exceptionally...

29 June 2025

Focus : Sustainability monetisation

How to extract natural value from a sustainable offering ?  Sustainable products and services remain scarce, despite growing expectations from consumers, authorities, investors, and even some companies. ‘Too expensive for customers and not profitable enough for...

27 March 2025

Opinion : “No, Europe is not doomed!”

The aggressiveness of the United States and the threat of economic war with it, reinforced by geopolitical tensions, highlight the urgent need to redefine Europe's priorities. To regain its place, Europe must reinvent itself, strengthen its sovereignty and dare to...

26 December 2024

Opinion : Network banking versus zero banking, who will make history?

BoursoBank, Revolut and Nickel open more accounts than any other network bank in France. But the latter still capture the vast majority of the sector's revenues. Circle Strategy's Christophe Baniol analyzes the situation.In France, 2024 was the year of the online...

24 October 2024

Interview : Will AI (really) revolutionize the banking sector ?

Artificial intelligence promises to reshape the banking landscape, but to what extent? In a compelling interview with Boursorama, Christophe Baniol, Partner at Circle Strategy, analyzes this revolution alongside Laurent Grassin.Artificial intelligence is on...

20 October 2024

Study : AI in Marketing

A little over a year after the launch of GPT-4, Circle Strategy and Square Management, in partnership with OpinionWay, unveil the real impact of AI in this strategic field. This unprecedented study is based on the testimonies of 300 marketing leaders and provides...

19 October 2024

Keynote: Sustainable Consumption for Mumbai in 2047

Discover below the speech delivered by Jean-Marc Liduena, CEO of Circle Strategy, during the Entretiens de Royaumont in Mumbai. This prestigious event brings together leaders, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers to address the major strategic and societal questions...

7 October 2024

Opinion: Monetizing Sustainability

Sustainable” products are in short supply, despite consumer expectations. “Too expensive for customers and not profitable enough for companies”. All it takes, however, is the right monetization strategy, writes Florin Istrate, Partner at Circle Strategy.Sales of...

3 October 2024

White Paper: AI in Retail Banking

AI will be THE transformative technology for the financial sector over the next decade. Its use cases will affect every link in the banking value chain, profoundly reforming the banking industry's distribution, production and risk management models. This revolution...