APC Group Interview & Fragrance du Bois

Gary Crates, representing Asia Plantation Capital, reports after a 3rd year of operation, it continues to expand moving into new markets around Europe.

APC Group & Fragrance Du Bois event

Very nice interview during an event with Club de l’élégance, organized by APC Group to thank its customers. Gary Crates outlines the group’s strategy.

Gary Crates Interview

Gary Crates invites discussion about strategy : « I would like you to talk a little bit about APC Group, 2017 year, how it is going and then eventually 2018-2019, if you can give us a little bit details, strategy, the future strategy of the company.

According to Gary Crates : « It is – I would say a very dynamic year, it’s a 3^rd year of operation and we continue to expand moving into new markets around Europe. The challenge is we are facing is to do with growth actually. That’s recruiting new partners in Germany, in Benelux, in Spain and Italy. It’s a very exciting period because things are going very well. »

About new focus : « A part for the expansion into markets and we are also looking at new products. Currently we are selling blocks of trees primarily in Malaysia, which is a Aquilaria tree, which a few people have heard of. »

Gary Crates, APC Group – CEO Europe

Gary Crates elaborates : « But now we are looking next year for developing new projects quite probably Bamboo because we have been working on that in Africa for 2/3 years now. So we are hoping to bring that to Europe, so that will be next part of our expansion plan into certainly ’18 and certainly 19. »

What about next plans ?

Gary Crates describes : « The other plan about our businesses I, we are moving towards more into institutional plans, so we are launching some new fix income bonds, which are securities bonds from Luxembourg. In fact, we have one coming out at the start of November. The plan is to have a series of these bonds launch over the next 2/3 years for different products, that can be generally planted related. They seem to be a growing trend now, the sustainable plantation and people with all the credential of social responsibility, etc. That’s our ambition, we are working to get the “green bond” status in Luxembourg. Luxembourg flag give you a “green bond” status which open to a new sector to a new group of potential clients. »

Manuela Nathan (Reportage Suisse Romande): Thanks very much Gary, just a little bit about the offices, you have one in Geneva, and many others in the world ?

GC : Yes we do, we started in Asia, so we have offices throughout Asia in Singapore, in Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Bangkok etc, but in Europe now we are in London, we have our main office in Geneva, also in Luxembourg, we have offices, we are opening an office in Frankfurt in the very near future too and also in Paris. As I said, we have a number of challenges, just in establishing the expansion program

MN: Thanks very much Gary, I am sure, we are going to see you again for a longer interview. We are very curious, very interested to know more about APC group.