“Discover, adapt and bounce back!”
“Since I was born, I have been immersed in this field thanks to my father, who worked in the sector in Morocco, but also in Switzerland and now in Madagascar”, he explains. And it was only natural that he chose the same path.
“This little-known but highly diversified profession requires specific know-how that combines mechanics and technology with a natural product. This close link between flour milling and baking is something very important to me; the processing of cereals and the whole food chain through to the finished product fascinate me”, he continues.
Back to his roots
After spending his early childhood in Tangier, his home town, Olivier Marion moved to Switzerland, where he completed all his schooling and studies: “I did my compulsory schooling in the Canton of Vaud. My training continued in Uzwil at Bühler and then in Goldach in the Canton of St. Gallen, where I completed my two apprenticeships before joining the milling engineering school, the Swiss Milling School”, he explains. It was at the end of his studies that he met his future wife. A decisive encounter, both personally and professionally, which would open up new horizons for him.
Africa, the magnificent
For 25 years now, Olivier Marion has been living in, criss-crossing and enthusing about the African continent, alongside his wife. A radical change of environment in keeping with his taste for adventure and discovery: “What is incredible in Africa are the constant surprises, good or bad for that matter (laughs, editor’s note), but which bring a dose of spontaneity to daily life and require adaptation”, he says. This element of the unknown is a real booster for this insatiable man, who candidly reveals one of his biggest flaws:
“After a while in the same place, change is necessary, otherwise boredom takes over.”
South Africa, Benin, Togo: in the countries where he has lived, what has struck him, and what he has found in all his African professional destinations, “is human contact, kind, smiling people who are always ready to give, which contrasts with our more individualistic Western habits.”
The Casablanca stage
Since 2016, Olivier Marion has been at the helm of Bühler’s North Africa, West Africa and Central Africa region. A region comprising more than 25 countries, overseen from Casablanca. “My primary mission today is to ensure the smooth running of the Group in the region. Bühler chose to make Morocco its hub for the zone for several reasons: first of all, for the skills of its people, but also for their language abilities, which make it possible to work with many African countries.” Bühler’s challenge today is to attract and motivate its talent and get them to embrace the company’s processes and culture so that they grow with the Group. “Our teams are young, with an average age of 27. My biggest challenge today is to train them and to find the managers who will lead this high-potential region in the future”, explains Olivier Marion.
A taste for risk
Olivier Marion has always devoted his free time to his loved ones. “Given my many business trips, I devoted my weekends to family life. Being together is essential, especially when our children, now aged 18 and 20, were younger.”
At the same time, this lover of wide-open spaces takes advantage of the Moroccan landscapes whenever he can to pursue his passion, motocross, which is the ideal way to decompress: “When you ride a motorbike, you can’t think about anything else, otherwise you put yourself in danger. This motor sport therefore lets me switch off completely from the professional world”. Another dimension of this sport is the unknown. “There are always unforeseen events to deal with, a breakdown, a friend to help, very difficult passages to get through; and you have to find solutions together. These are powerful moments of pushing yourself and sharing”, he explains.
This passion for motorbikes is also shared by his son, who has in fact chosen the same career path as his father and grandfather. For the Marions, milling really is a family affair!