10 • People • C&CI May 2013 Twin and Twin
Trading appoint new Managing Director
Twin has announced the appointment of Nicolas Mounard as Managing Director of Twin, the UK-based ethical trade organisation that works with smallholders in Africa and Latin America in coffee, cocoa and nuts. Mr Mounard joined
Twin from food and drink company Alter Eco (CEO, 2008-2012), where he is credited with significantly scaling up the business into France’s leading Fairtrade company; restructuring and focusing on product quality, switching to 100 per cent organic; and boosting profitability and growth. Twin, perhaps best known for setting up the highly successful farmer-owned Fair Trade brands Cafédirect, Liberation and Divine Chocolate, continues to follow an ethical approach to trade, working with smallholders in areas of conflict such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and championing food safety as a vital missing link in the food security debate. Mr Mounard will also head up Twin Trading, the trading arm solely owned by Twin. Mr Mounard said: “I was attracted to join Twin because of its reputation for finding new ways to improve farmers’ livelihoods through trade, using tools such as Fairtrade certification to access value-added markets and ensuring gender and sustainability cut across all areas of work.” The new appointment was announced at the organisation’s AGM, which was attended by several producer board members from Africa and Latin America. Twin also launched its new environmental initiative ‘ADAPT NOW’ at its roundtable conference ‘Make climate change your business.’ ADAPT NOW works with businesses and smallholders to design climate-smart solutions for smallholder supply chains. Michael Ward, Chair of Twin’s board said: “Nicolas’ appointment comes at the start of an exciting phase for Twin, as ethical consumerism faces a crucial turning point, Twin must continue to be a driving force in the fair trade movement and help businesses satisfy the growing consumer demand for traceable, ethical sourcing. Nicolas’ proven commercial know-how coupled with years working with smallholders in developing countries makes him the ideal match for Twin.”
Nicholas Mounard is Twin’s new Managing Director
Mr Mounard replaces Andy Good, who was Twin’s Interim Managing Director for nine months. Andy, a long-standing leader in the fair trade movement, took up the temporary post to guide Twin through a transition phase and plans to relocate to Australia with his wife.
New chairman at World Cocoa Foundation
The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) has unveiled Nicko Debenham from Armajaro Trading Ltd as its new chairman. Mr Debenham assumed office on January 1 2013, for a two- year term. He is no stranger to WCF, having served as co-vice chairman in 2011-12. In his role as WCF chairman, he will play a key role in bringing together expertise from the cocoa industry to lead the strategic direction of WCF in the development of cocoa sustainability programmes benefiting cocoa farmers and their communities around the world. At Armajaro, Mr Debenham serves as the United Kingdom- based director of development & sustainability. He brings more than 25 years of experience working on cocoa value chains with an emphasis on West African cocoa. He has significant experience in developing and pioneering traceable cocoa systems in coordination with producer country governments, initially in Ghana and now expanding to other producer countries. Previously, he served as head of Africa for the cocoa division at Armajaro Trading Ltd. He is also the director and chairman of Source Trust and designed the Source Trust model approach to address the needs of smallholder farmers and their families with an emphasis on the farmer as the focal point of all training and services. He oversees and directs all development and sustainability programmes for Armajaro and Source Trust globally. Asked what appealed to him most about becoming WCF chairman, Mr Debenham said the main attraction of the post was “the ability to contribute, through a highly respected organisation, to the improvement of the lives of cocoa farmers around the world.” Asked what he sees as the biggest challenge facing the WCF, Mr Debenham said: “I think there are different challenges facing WCF as an organisation, as well as its role as a leader in the sector as a whole.
“WCF has grown and evolved and needs to ensure that its role as a representative of its members is very clearly aligned with its objectives as an organisation. In addition, the challenge for WCF is that the whole cocoa sector should look to the foundation as the ‘knowledge centre’ to guide the sector to achieve the necessary advances in sustainability and productivity. “I would like my legacy to be that the WCF is considered the leader in
knowledge on cocoa sustainability,” said Mr Debenham. “I believe WCF should be a risk taker when implementing programmes so that the lessons learnt can be shared with the entire cocoa community. WCF should set high targets in farmer livelihood improvement through innovation, technology and imaginative thinking.”
Nicko
Debenham: WCF should be a risk taker so that lessons can be learnt throughout the cocoa community
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