4 minutes with… Christian Delahouliere, Business Development and Quality Director, Raizen Trading Geneva Branch

Tell us about your company and it’s role in the Advanced Bioeconomy.

Raizen is the world largest sugar cane processor. We produce 2 million tons of ethanol and consume more than 4 millions in our petrol stations. WIt include a 2G cane residue plant of 32 000 tons of yearly production capacity.

Tell us about your role and what you are focused on in the next 12 months.

Securing qualities in production and transport to better serve markets.

Change job, ethanol market lost their international support.

What do you feel are the most important milestones the industry must achieve in the next 5 years?  

Demonstrate that electric vehicle are not ready because batteries are not ready and depend of Bolivian’s lithium as far as we can see. Have FFV cars mandated worldwide because they leave administrations, consumers and blenders to choose between regular and Eblends at any time.

If you could snap your fingers and change one thing about the Advanced Bioeconomy, what would you change? 

have politician really and deeply understanding it.

Of all the reasons that influenced you to join the Advanced Bioeconomy industry, what single reason stands out for you as still being compelling and important to you?  

make money

Where are you from? 

France

What was your undergraduate major in college, and where did you attend? Why did you choose that school and that pathway?

Chemistry, Rouen France. Chemistry was the only thing, after rugby I likes at that time.

Who do you consider your mentors – could be personal, business, or just people you have read about and admire. What have you learned from them?

Raymond Mallet. He hired me in 1984-86 at Louis Dreyfus (Sofecia).He explained to me anything I know about ethanol as a chemical (from beverage/cosmetic grade to fuel grade) and how to produce, take care of it and adapt it in function of users. The management, trading, commercial, political and M&A aspects are rather simple once you understand product fundamentals.

What’s the biggest lesson you ever learned during a period of adversity?  

be patient

What hobbies do you pursue, away from your work in the industry?

driving teenagers left and right?

What are 3 books you’d want to have with you, if you were stranded on a desert island

Encyclopædia + a stephen king

What’s your favorite city or place to visit, for a holiday?  

Cape Town South Africa