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chaine du vivant

chain of living

☘︎ Agriculture ⫘ Fisheries ≋

Thierry Monnier

✐ personal web pages ✐

In agreement with agri-food producers and distributors committed to an active approach to business ethics and sustainable development

and to support agri-food activities that boost biodiversity

Our most precious wealth does not belong to us.

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✌︎ Few words of presentation

With 25 years of experience as a Commodity Broker, I have developed in-depth expertise in the international trade of agri-food commodities, primarily dried fruit, between the European Union and the rest of the world. My career has allowed me to acquire solid skills in commercial negotiation, quality control, international logistics, and network management with a 'can do' mentality. I have managed a relationship portfolio of several hundred professional contacts covering the entire value chain of the sector.

To illustrate the scale of the activity in which I participated, the cumulative volume of goods handled over these 25 years is equivalent to the capacity of a current super-tanker, representing several tens of thousands of maritime containers.

I return to this theme to emphasize my gratitude to maritime transport professionals, and especially to the seafarers who, despite difficult conditions and often at the cost of personal sacrifice, ensure the transport of goods around the world. Moreover, I count among my family members representatives of these seafarers, including an illustrious 'Newfoundlander', who all providentially survived their various fortunes at sea and lived a well-deserved peaceful retirement on land.

Currently in professional transition, I remain open to opportunities for collaboration in the import-export sector, where I could use my experience to serve new generations of professionals.

My personal website chaine-du-vivant.com (chain of living) presents my professional background and interests, complemented by a Linkedin news feed where I regularly share content with other experts passionate about the revitalization of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in the fields of agronomy, industry and regional planning.

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⇡ Professional career

Particularly committed to sharing knowledge, I have developed lasting professional relationships with my international contacts, mainly in English and remotely, with occasional meetings at trade fairs or client visits.

My career path is structured around two main axes: 25 years in brokerage and international trading, preceded by 12 years of practice as an architect. These two fields, although seemingly distinct, meet the fundamental needs of humanity: food and shelter. In both sectors, I have maintained a critical and innovative approach, constantly seeking to improve existing practices.

My entry into the import-export sector took place in a particularly unstable global context: the aftermath of September 11, 2001, the subprime crisis and its impact on the Eurozone, the Greek economic collapse, currency volatility, the Covid-19 pandemic, and, more recently, geopolitical tensions on the doorstep of Europe. This quarter-century of instability has made adaptability a survival imperative.

During this period, the global economic and trade architecture has undergone major transformations, driven by geopolitical instability and the tangible effects of climate change. One thing is clear: despite successive crises and constant changes, the degradation of natural ecosystems has rarely been reversed.

The future of the 'world after' as imagined during the Covid-19 pandemic seems to be struggling to get off the ground.

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✎ Specialization and commitment

Sensitized to environmental issues from my initial training, I contributed with unwavering passion to the development of the company's Organic Agriculture branch in which, starting from a blank page, I built up in-depth expertise in quality and regulations, while the competition was mainly focused on conventional products. I drove the growth of this segment while fulfilling my usual responsibilities, and participated in the establishment of strategic partnerships between producers and importers for personalized solutions.

My deep conviction is that the future belongs to short supply chains, the reduction of chemical inputs, and the regeneration of living organisms. Thanks to close collaborations with committed local producers, particularly in Spain, we have achieved significant goals in this direction.

I can attest to the considerable efforts made by many agricultural producers around the world: investments to cope with recurring droughts, improvements in pesticide and fertilization practices, environmental initiatives including the reduction of plastics and the adoption of renewable energies (solar panels, biomass).

Despite the intensification of positive actions to counter the harmful effects of human activities on the environment and incidentally to improve interpersonal relations, particularly in business, demographic pressure and international competition have not yet made it possible to halt the degradation of ecosystems.

I remain available to share my expertise via my website chaine-du-vivant.com (chain of living) or Linkedin, and am open to discussions on these subjects which are crucial for our common future.

Thierry Monnier