Team | ETICWOOD

In Belgium

Jérôme Laporte

Founder and managing director

Jérôme has dedicated nearly two decades to managing, protecting, and restorating tropical forests, in order to improve the logging models. Passionate about nature, he devotes his free time to exploring mountains … and forests.

Julien Philippart

Deputy director

After six years working with NGOs, followed by ten years abroad between Cameroon and Gabon dedicated to sustainable forest management, Julien returned to Belgium to bring his experience and passion to EticWood’s projects. Outside of managing the Brussels office, overseeing operations, and carrying out his missions, Julien spends most of his free time tending to his garden and pursuing projects aimed at strengthening his food and energy self-sufficiency.

Marie-Joëlle Delmoitié

Administrative and financial officer

Marie-Jo graduated from the Solvay Business School. Before joining EticWood as HR and Office Manager, she was involved in vanilla and green pepper export from Madagascar.

Damien Minchilli

Climate action project officer

During his bioengineering studies and after graduating, Damien had several opportunities to set foot on the African continent and explore its tropical forests. He even had the chance to work for almost a year in South Africa. Since joining ETICWOOD, Damien has been working on a carbon project in Côte d’Ivoire—both fulfilling and challenging—for which he never hesitates to draw on and expand his broad range of knowledge. Eager for adventure, learning, and discovering new cultures, he always keeps his backpack close at hand, ready to head out on a mission at any moment!

Arnaud Leidgens

Head of MRV

After 10 years as an expatriate in West Africa, Arnaud is a bioengineer who is enthusiastic about geomatics and digital solutions applied to the conservation and restoration of ecosystems.

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Simon Callens

Research manager

With a degree in Bioengineering, specialising in agronomy, Simon gained initial experience in Senegal, where he carried out research into carbon storage in mangroves, the subject of his dissertation. With 2 years' experience in putting together dossiers relating to environmental compliance, he brings to EticWood his expertise in report writing and contributes to the technical development of the agroforestry pillar's activities.

Salomé Nocqs

Income generating revenue project manager

Salomé holds a Master’s degree in Management from HEC Paris and a specialised Master’s in Forest, Nature and Society from AgroParisTech. She applies her economic and financial expertise to support environmental and social projects, including the design of waste management systems, the development of short supply chains, and the promotion of geographical indications. At EticWood, she is involved in both commercial activities and operations, notably through the management of the Ecocoa chocolate factory and the structuring of value chains to support the development of local communities.

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Marie-Cécile Vekemans

VPA FLEGT and EU projects coordinator

Agricultural engineer with three master’s degrees in rural development, agricultural economics and agroecology, Marie-Cécile has developed a cross-disciplinary expertise in rural development. Her mission at the European Parliament provided her with an initial immersion in EU forest policies and institutional mechanisms, before she later supported AFD’s forestry, climate and environmental portfolio in Cameroon. She now coordinates the EU VPA-FLEGT project at EticWood, contributing to strengthening the firm’s expertise in forest governance.

Julien Gauducheau

Communications and marketing manager

With solid experience in communications leadership and public relations, Julien has led brand, influence, and corporate communication strategies, bringing a global and committed vision within executive teams. At EticWood, he applies his strategic mindset and versatility to highlight the projects and field actions carried out by the team. Attuned to environmental sustainability challenges, he supports EticWood's ambition to become the leading consultancy in tropical forestry.

Giani Razab-Sekh

SFL technical assistant

Giani, a tropical forester based in Suriname, has over 8 years' experience in Reduced Impact Logging (RIL), silvicultural research, forest management certification, community forestry, forest economics, project management and teaching. He is an expert in auditing forestry operations to FSC and Legal Source standards, with a focus on Nature-Based Solutions (NBS).

In Ivory Coast

Jacques Peeters

Director of EticWood Africa

Jacques, an expert in natural resource management, has over 30 years of experience on the African continent. He first worked for one year in the Central African Republic, then for 11 years at the National Parks Directorate in Senegal, where he was involved in biodiversity conservation and monitoring, the development of participatory management plans, and the promotion of natural products. He then moved to Gabon (7 years) to work in sustainable management and FSC-certified forest exploitation. He then continued his career in Rwanda (13 years) as head of the forest landscape restoration programme within the Ministry of the Environment, with activities including agroforestry, participatory management of private forests, forest management master plans, etc. Recently, he became Agency Director for EticWood in Côte d'Ivoire, where he oversees the Conservation and Restoration of Classified Forests (CRFC) project.

Christophe Droeven

Deputy director, EticWood Africa

Agronomist engineer specialized in tropical agriculture, Christophe has over 25 years of experience in Africa leading multisectoral development, agricultural, agroforestry, and natural resource management projects. He has worked in numerous countries (Burundi, Chad, Cameroon, Benin, Central African Republic, Congo) on programmes focused on food security, climate resilience, and ecosystem protection. Throughout his career, he has held national and regional responsibilities and supervised multidisciplinary teams. Experienced in complex environments, Christophe supports EticWood Africa in operational management, fundraising, strategic planning, and coordination with authorities and technical partners.

Guillaume Dion

Administrative and financial manager

Guillaume is a chartered accountant with solid experience in management control and financial management, gained in an international context. He spent ten years working in West Africa, mainly in the mining sector, in Guinea, Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire.

Arielle Kaligbe

Administrative and human resources assistant

With a degree in law and international relations, Arielle has several years of professional experience in administration, human resources, and project financial management. Her knowledge of the Ivorian administrative ecosystem enables her to support the teams on a daily basis and ensure the quality, fluidity, and compliance of internal processes. Driven by a commitment to sustainable development, Arielle is dedicated to promoting responsible practices and supporting projects that create a positive impact on communities and the environment.

Valentin Wolf

REDD+ coordinator

Valentin is a dedicated tropical agronomist with a passion for agroforestry and nature conservation. With hands-on experience in research and development projects, he is committed to creating positive impacts that support communities and protect our planet.

Daniel Kassi Niamkey

HSSE manager

With his expertise in environmental risks, Daniel is actively involved in environmental conservation and community development. Thanks to his commitment to environmental, social and safety protection, he has been actively involved in various projects in Côte d'Ivoire.

Jean-Cédric Sawadogo

Sociologist

Jean-Cédric is a sociologist with over 8 years' experience in social research, community development, socio-economic diagnosis, participatory evaluation and local governance. Specialising in the analysis of rural social dynamics, community mobilisation and social risk management, he has worked in Côte d'Ivoire with communities around the Comoé Park, identifying their needs and facilitating community dialogue. He also works on gender issues, livelihood resilience and land management.

Rayane Adjibade

Head of forest management

Convinced that preserving forests means strengthening the communities that depend on them, Rayane is committed to developing nature-based solutions in West Africa. He now coordinates the drafting of management plans for classified forests, in order to build sustainable management with the communities.

Flora Goubo

Sociologist

Flora is a passionate and dynamic rural development sociologist with a degree in rural land management. She has been working for 8 years on projects to improve the living conditions of rural populations on behalf of various national and international organisations in several regions of Côte d'Ivoire.

Allagba Konan

Head of restoration and reforestation activities

Allagba is an agricultural engineer by training. He has worked for more than 20 years alongside cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire, overseeing activities carried out by international organizations such as CIRAD, GIZ and ENABEL. He also played a major role in several projects and studies, including research on ecological landscapes and corridors between Taï National Park (Côte d’Ivoire) and Grebo National Park (Liberia). At EticWood, he supervised and led field activities for the restoration of a 300-hectare forest area in the Agbo 2 classified forest, and is responsible for restoration and reforestation (ARR) activities.

Eric Kouadio

GIS & Administrative Assistant

With a PhD in Geography and a specialization in the management of agro-industrial territories and environmental sustainability, Eric has solid experience in digital agriculture. He worked for three years in an industrial plantation with SIAT-Group / CHC in Côte d’Ivoire, focusing on EUDR-related aspects. At EticWood, he provides technical support to the ARR and MRV Manager on Conservation and Restoration for Classified Forest activities (CRCF project). He contributes to field activity monitoring, analyzes spatial data using GIS, and is involved in administrative and logistical management.

Siagbé Golli

Master nurseryman

Siagbé is an ecologist specializing in biodiversity and sustainable ecosystem management. Passionate about research and development, he has over 10 years of experience in agroforestry and climate action. At EticWood, he coordinates forest seedling production activities and capacity building for nursery operators.

Elisé Kouadio

Forest Supervisor

Agroforestry engineer specialized in applied GIS and remote sensing, Elisé has over five years of experience in the implementation and monitoring of forest and climate projects in West Africa. He has contributed to several reforestation initiatives, carbon project development, and compliance audits (EUDR, ARS 1000) with public institutions, private companies, and NGOs. At EticWood Africa, he ensures compliance of forestry operations, methodological rigor, and the upskilling of field teams.

Our team