A rumor? Jean-Sébastien Martinez, chief of staff of the mayor of Nice, would replace Lauriano Azinheirinha, head of the Nice Côte d’Azur metropolitan tourist and congress office (OTM), himself appointed chief of staff of the mayor and who took up his new position on November 2. Rudy Salles, deputy president of the OTM, brushes it aside. “Never heard of it.”
For the moment, it is a woman who takes over the reins of the establishment responsible for promoting and selling, in France and internationally, the destination Nice and its surroundings. This is Catherine Anouilh, marketing and communications director of the office.
“Best suited”
A strong-willed Niçoise, a professional who knows the tourist house by heart, who, since 1994, has climbed numerous levels there and who had already taken over as interim manager, when Denis Zanon left, in July 2022. “Best suited”comments Rudy Salles.
And now? “A call for applications is launchedunfolds Rudy Salles. Candidates have until December 30 to submit their application.”
A jury will then be set up at the beginning of January. Chaired by Rudy Salles, it will bring together around ten metropolitan elected officials and professional representatives. His mission: “Hear the candidates, deliberate, form a steering committee which will appoint the future director.”
And the mayor of Nice in all this? He is the titular president of the office. Can he veto the nomination submitted by the committee? “He has no reason to veto, because he trusts the jury…”
Catherine Anouilh is interim director for a period of three months, “renewable if, within this period of time, we have not found a candidate”.
It is up to her to implement the guidelines launched by her predecessor, including the Nice in winter program, to manage the 115 people running the Nice structure and the 23 reception offices scattered throughout the metropolitan municipalities and villages. “Offices that we have not closed and which make the Nice Côte d’Azur metropolitan office the leading tourist office in France.”
