Germany
My first foray into the food business was as an organic baker in Northern Germany in the early 90s. Since then, my professional focus has been on the European fresh produce sector - both organic and conventional - in which I have had a wide range of responsibilities. My engagement with sustainability started during my student days in the UK and the US, during which I combined my love of the performing arts with environmental activism. My academic background is literature and art history, This might seem somewhat odd, but you would be surprised how useful a knowledge of Shakespeare can be when dealing with the demands and challenges of the food business (or any other, for that matter). I see sustainability as the challenge of our generation and would call myself a "qualified optimist," as defined by John Elkington. "Our species may have backed itself into the mother of all evolutionary corners, but sometimes such moments are when our best work is done. The qualification of my optimism stems from the fact that we have to choose to evolve not only ourselves but also capitalism and democracy, none of them trivial tasks." (quoted from Elkington's "Green Swans" Fast Company Press, 2020) When not working, I enjoy reading, making and listening to music, riding my beloved Brompton bike, coaching, cooking, Tai Chi and spending time with the family, preferably in the Drome area of Southern France.