The initial idea for an Observatory dedicated to measuring intangible capital came to light at a Cercle Finance 100 luncheon in France in June 2005.
It was then that Jean-Marie Descarpentries and Alan Fustec, speaking before 25 CFOs from companies listed on the SBF 120 , demonstrated with concrete examples that measuring and comparing intangible assets, indeed the enhancement of their value, had both a financial and managerial dimension.
At the same time the Minister of the Economy and Finance, Thierry Breton, set up the Levy-Jouyet Commission to study the economy of intangibles.