Interviews

Every country has its own food specialties, some sweet and some savoury. They are usually the things that migrants miss most when they move to another country for work. In the case of the Italian migrants who settled in Romans-sur-Isère in France in the 19th century, it was their much-loved Italian jam-filled biscuits. However, just as the people adapt to their new home, so too do their imported food specialties. Today, Société Nouvelle des Douceurs de Jacquemart continues to bake the traditional Lunettes de Romans, created when two cultures met. European Business talked to Managing Director Jean-Christophe Radouan about the birth of a Dauphinoise tradition.

KAWASAKI motorcycles are known all over the world. However, KAWASAKI Heavy Industries Ltd. (KHI) with their headquarters in Japan is active in various industries such as aerospace, robotics and rolling stocks. KAWASAKI Gas Turbine Europe GmbH (KGE) based in Bad Homburg close to Frankfurt am Main is part of the group’s energy division, focused on gas turbines and gas engines. European Business spoke to the company’s director about its place within KAWASAKI and potentials for future business.

The coronavirus crisis has focused minds like no other crisis before it. Most importantly, it has come as a wake-up call that, amongst other things, more sustainable business practices and an increased respect for the environment must inform decision making in the future. These twin imperatives already formed the basis for the creation in 2000 of Teutoburger Ölmühle GmbH in Ibbenbüren, a former mining town in northern Germany. European Business talked to Managing Director Gerd Beilke about the company’s vision for a sustainable and organic future for cooking oil production.

‘You are only as good as the tools you use’. This saying has been around for many years and has lost none of its significance. There are many reasons why using the correct tool for the job is crucial. Every tool is designed for a specific purpose which is essential to getting a job done successfully. That is why FLEX tools are the first choice for many people all around the world. They meet the most diverse requirements perfectly – and have distinctive names such as ‘Giraffe’ or ‘Okapi’.

A fairly reliable measure of business confidence is the rate of investment in industrial real estate. For Panattoni, a turnkey developer of logistics warehouses and industrial premises, and German office of the Panattoni Development Company in the USA, its full order books indicate that general confidence levels remain high, despite the coronavirus crisis. European Business spoke to Managing Partner Fred-Markus Bohne about the importance of sustainability and a forward-looking approach to real estate investment.

Founded in Hamburg at the tail end of the 20th century, EPROFESSIONAL GmbH arrived at the start of not just a new millennium but a new age for the marketing sector. It was 1999, the year after Google was founded, and the acronym SEO had not yet become a key preoccupation of digital marketers. In the intervening two decades, EPROFESSIONAL has become a master of digital marketing and online marketing strategy, with multiple Search Engine Advertising awards and an impressive customer portfolio including household names such as L’Oréal, Vodafone and DEVK. European Business talked to CEO Thomas Nuss and CRO Tim Christiansen about navigating the wonderful world of digital marketing.

From the innovative business idea of two former school friends to a global concern: The trajectory of French women's clothing company ba&sh SAS has been phenomenal. European Business spoke with CEO Pierre-Arnaud Grenade to find out more.

T. Ottem Transport is a family company now being managed in the third generation by Torstein Ottem who shares ownership with his brother Harald. Since they took over the reins in 2010 the company has quadrupled in size thanks to a successful strategy of diversification. In addition to its core activity of providing transports for the livestock industry, it is also active in recycling and road maintenance. European Business spoke to Torstein Ottem about the secret to its phenomenal expansion.

With 17,000 experts within the fields of infrastructure, industry and energy operating on behalf of customers worldwide, AFRY is a leading international provider of engineering and design services as well as consultancy. Formed in January 2019 through the merger of Swedish engineering consultancy ÅF and Finnish competitor, Pöyry, the company looks back on over a century and a quarter of experience in technical advancement. European Business spoke to the Business Unit Director of Buildings in Denmark Martin Kjaer about the new entity’s strategic goals for the future.

With 40 years of experience in the challenging field of multidisciplinary engineering, Incico SpA in Italy has made a name for itself with numerous successfully completed projects worldwide. Its Italian team of 80 experienced engineers and technicians is complemented by a 30-strong team at its subsidiary company in India. With its sights firmly fixed on future expansion, it recently restructured its operations into three business units. European Business talked to Giovanni Monini, CEO and son of the company founder, about how the restructure fits in with his plans for the future direction of the company.