“Business alone is not enough. We have a duty to bring added value to the country that welcomes us”
Christian Zweifel arrived in Morocco barely six months ago. And yet the CEO of Swissport for Morocco, head of North Africa and Ghana, has already fallen in love with the country. Indeed, less than six months were enough for Christian Zweifel to be struck by the kindness of the Moroccan people: “You really have to experience it on the ground, as a resident. It’s something people tell you about, “the warm welcome of Moroccans”, but when you feel it, you realise what a treasure it is.” Whether in the professional sphere or completely anonymously in the street, “people help, they make life easier with such kindness”. Not without a touch of humour, Christian Zweifel adds that the driving is inversely proportional, particularly in Casablanca, “where you feel like you’re in a video game where everyone is trying to avoid each other”.
A gentle childhood
Christian Zweifel grew up in Palézieux, a small village in the Lausanne region. There he had an “extraordinary childhood, surrounded by love” in contact with nature and animals, notably alongside his grandfather, a farmer. Between huts in the forest, skiing in front of the house at the foot of the Pre-Alps and weekly visits to the farm, his childhood resembled “the perfect cliché of the country boy”. His curiosity showed itself very early on – “without being able to explain it, he remembers asking for a world map as a present.” -, as did his taste for discovery, philosophy and history. He even pictured himself as an archaeologist. At the time, he had no idea that travel would set the rhythm of his future.
Working life
And with good reason: after obtaining his commercial Maturité, Christian Zweifel began his working life in Switzerland. In 1989, he joined Swissair as an apprentice. It was at that time that he met Nathalie, his future wife. At the same time, he followed a course in Economic and Social Sciences at the University of Geneva, as his ambition was to join the International Committee of the Red Cross. But joining the humanitarian aid institution meant leaving alone for several months abroad. It was ultimately at Swissair, which later became Swissport, that he managed to combine his private and professional lives. A company he would, in fact, never leave.
A new challenge
After assignments for Swissport in Kenya, China, Singapore, Germany, Cyprus, Ghana and South Africa, Christian Zweifel settled in Morocco. Here, his mission is to develop Swissport’s activities in the region both qualitatively and quantitatively. But for this man of ethics, “business alone is not enough. We have a duty to bring added value to the country that welcomes us.” He therefore aims to “roll out a training Academy in partnership with Civil Aviation for an exchange of know-how.”
His other wish in Morocco is to open an air freight centre that “will support the country’s exports”. To meet this challenge, he will be able to draw on one of his finest professional achievements, a successful experience in Ghana where “we built a Cargo centre with a cold chain”, probably the most advanced on the continent today.
Guided by his values…
Generosity, solidarity and tolerance could be the common denominators of Christian Zweifel’s most memorable experiences. When he talks about his time in Kenya, he recalls with enthusiasm and pride the collaboration between Swissport and the ICRC. “It was a unique experience in the field… Swissport provided logistical support, in terms of aircraft loading, to the ICRC to help populations suffering in particular from natural disasters in the region”. Another achievement was the setting up of Swissport Charity. “A project developed with Geneva and Zurich airports and the ICRC. The principle was to collect lost property and distribute it to disadvantaged families,” he says.
…and his passions
A keen enthusiast of history, philosophy and travel, open to the world and to others, it is no surprise to learn that the accounts of great explorers such as Magellan or Columbus are sources of inspiration for Christian Zweifel. But one of his role models, the one for whom he has boundless admiration, remains Nelson Mandela, for his life story and for the values he championed. “In fact, it was partly to better understand what was happening there that I went to South Africa,” he explains.
A nomadic lifestyle that has not always been easy for his family. Especially for his children. Now aged 23, 21 and 19, they are grateful today to have had a rich childhood, in contact with different cultures. And, like their father, they have a strong taste for elsewhere and for discovery. A father who still has itchy feet and a head full of dreams: “my wildest dream would be to travel in time, to get answers to certain existential questions,” he confides with amusement. Christian Zweifel knows “this dream is completely unachievable”, but that does not bother him, because he is already thinking about his next destinations.
If you were…
If you were…
– A colour, which would you be? Blue without hesitation, the colour of the sky, the sea and freedom.
– A country, which would you be? France, for its culture, its gastronomy and its heritage.
– A personality…? Fabrice Luchini, because his talent moves me.
– An animal…? The dolphin, for the joy it radiates.
– A connected object? A simultaneous translator.
– A superpower? Flying
– A film…? “The Name of the Rose” by Jean-Jacques Annaud, because I travel in time with this film
– A book…? “The Prophet” by Khalid Gibran, for its beautiful ideas of peace and understanding of others
– A song…? “Sultans of Swing” by Dire Straits, because it is an 8-minute journey
– A quality…? Generosity
– A flaw..? I enjoy the good life too much