![\"blog-gabriel-pg01.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/www.ldc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG-2012-768x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThat was the start of his journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He had not travelled much or worked overseas, and the young Brazilian says he knew little of what a career in international trade would entail. But a brief stint in France at university whetted his appetite for an international career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
India<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFour years after joining LDC, I was moving to India to deal with vegetable oils.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking with us from Johannesburg where he is now based, Gabriel says he loves his career path but never forgets his roots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI have lived on 3 continents while working for LDC, but my experience in Brazil laid the foundation for everything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brazil is a critical location for LDC. Here, the company originates, processes, sells and buys a huge part of its commodities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn Brazil, you can learn about all aspects of the business. It is an excellent basis for all other jobs at LDC.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Africa<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
With experience of Brazil and then India, Gabriel can look at the African continent with a fresh eye, spotting the business opportunities there. He runs the company\u2019s Oilseeds business in the Southern African region, dealing with clients in South Africa, Namibia, Angola, DRC, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Madagascar and Mauritius.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He gets a thrill from the opportunity that is Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is a place where anything can happen,\u201d Gabriel says. \u201cNot only do I think Africa could produce enough to feed its own people,\u201d he says. \u201cI am also convinced this continent will see its exports grow and grow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Selling oilseeds to clients is one part of his job. Identifying business opportunities is another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPart of my mission is to bring to the whole company my knowledge of the region, the market and the opportunities,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Given the scale of the challenge and the prospects there, Gabriel is in no hurry to return to Brazil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy life is here and there is still so much to do. I want to be part of it,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Gabriel Alonso, our Head of Oilseeds for Southern Africa, had no family links with agriculture. But growing up in Brazil\u2019s Ribeir\u00e3o Preto, a town founded by farmers, agriculture was \u201cpart of life all around\u201d. Farmers came to Ribeir\u00e3o Preto in the 19th century, looking for good soil to grow coffee. But government subsidies went on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":4818,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[124],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2644","stories-insight","type-stories-insight","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-our-people"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n