Roland Decorvet, CEO of Philafrica Foods, sees similarities between 1990s China and the Africa of today. He cites Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa as an example, saying it looks like Beijing back in 1992. “It has strong government involvement, infrastructure being built, and a subway many European cities don’t have,” says Decorvet. In part two, he calls for more meaningful investment in Africa and talks about the role Switzerland, and Europe overall, must play to support growth.
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Africa is the new China, says Roland Decorvet
Roland Decorvet, CEO of Philafrica Foods, sees similarities between 1990s China and the Africa of today. He cites Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa as an example, saying it looks like Beijing back in 1992. “It has strong government involvement, infrastructure being built, and a subway many European cities don’t have,” says Decorvet. In part two, he calls for more meaningful investment in Africa and talks about the role Switzerland, and Europe overall, must play to support growth.
The world’s largest private hospital ship has a bigger one on the way
Founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens, Mercy Ships has operated in 75 countries, bringing life-saving surgeries and medicine to those without access to such care. Roland Decorvet, chairman of Mercy Ships Switzerland, refers to the ship as a “floating village” that reaches “the forgotten, the poorest of the poor,” and requires thousands of volunteers and millions of dollars each year. Decorvet says an even bigger USD 130 million version of the ship is coming soon.
Wolford aims to have 50 percent of products in circular economy by 2025
Wolford has been developing sustainable products since 2013 without any turnover, says director Andreas Röhrich. But the hefty investment has paid off in the form of a coveted certification from Cradle to Cradle, a global measure of sustainable products. Röhrich was a presenter at the Good Brand Guru event in Zurich last week to show how Wolford is marrying lingerie with sustainability.
“Our competitor is the naked leg,” says Wolford exec Röhrich
Austrian hosiery company Wolford is yet another in a long line of apparel brands feeling the pinch of slowing sales. Andreas Röhrich, director of product development, innovation and sustainability, says its biggest competition is not Swiss brands like Fogal and Falke, but rather a shift in trends. Röhrich says a foray into the Chinese market, and a renewed focus on innovation and sustainability, will help boost Wolford in the years ahead.
EU “getting rather impatient” with Switzerland, says Matthiessen
The framework agreement between Switzerland and the EU has been a decade in the making. “It’s been 10 years of discussion, five years of negotiation, and a year since there’s been a text on the table,” ambassador Michael Matthiessen points out. In part two of our interview, he warns of potential consequences, including no new market access as well as an “erosion” of ties between both parties.
