HOW IT ALL BEGAN

ELEPHAS founder, Olivier Behra, has been working in R&D of active ingredients for various big cosmetic brands for years. He is passionate about linking natural resources to products that make sense and with a positive impact, not only on the skin, but also on the planet and on the communities in which they are sourced. Much of his work was conducted on the field in Africa and led him to understand that if we managed to properly enhance the value of the natural resources for the local communities, they will become the best allies for wildlife conservation.

To make the brand come alive, it was key to bring together some of the most talented women, experts in their field and motivated by sustainable development and empowering other women. Galiya and Louise successfully launched the brand and run it on a daily basis. ELEPHAS also benefits from the expertise of Agnes, Karen, Senda and Valerie.

Their commitment to making the world a better & healthier place, paired with Olivier’s life-long commitment to sustainable development, make the strength of ELEPHAS.

As consumers ourselves, we wanted to create a brand that allows other consumers to find great products that actually have a positive impact on the planet and on its people.

We believe in a committed Beauty. 

MEET OUR TEAM

Olivier Behra
Olivier BehraFounder of ELEPHAS
Founder of the Net Positive Impact program, Olivier has always been dedicated to local communities’ involvement in biodiversity conservation.
Highly demanded active ingredient expert, Olivier worked simultaneously for various cosmetic brands (Chanel, Yves Rocher, Dessange, Givenchy, etc) and has advised the Natural Ressources Stewardship Circle. Always on the road – in jungles, deserts, tundras – and always on the look out for the best natural ingredients. Olivier’s seeks to provide solutions that allow humans and Nature to work hand in hand. It is now necessary to become more committed. ELEPHAS hopes to have a leading role in involving consumers in this cause.
Louise Potts
Louise PottsBrand Manager
With experience of Eco Beauty brands and a passion for elephant advocacy, Louise was the founder of Naked, the UK’s first chemical-free, affordable, beauty brand launched in 2004. Successfully challenging the use of many harmful ingredients in body care products, Naked became the first brand to use recycled, sustainable packaging for the UK mass market. Her company contributed profits to the Rainforest Foundation and spoke out against irresponsible use of Palm Oil. Louise now volunteers to lend her time to ELEPHAS. She believes ELEPHAS is enabling a turning point in “consumerism” – the more you buy, the more positive your impact on the planet, its people and its iconic wildlife.
Galiya Nafikova
Galiya NafikovaBrand development
Having graduated with a master’s degree in International Commerce from the Sorbonne, Galiya worked in a Parisian trend agency, where she became passionate about launching her own business. Prior to that, she spent several years in Madagascar, where she was involved in various social and environmental projects. Developing ELEPHAS brought together her main interests: clean cosmetics, eco-design, social business and animal protection. She is a firm believer in a new entreprise, one that is not only profitable, but also brings tangible value to all parties involved. Her last trip in Burkina Faso has confirmed that ELEPHAS is able to do just that.

CONTRIBUTORS

Karen Christiaens
Karen ChristiaensPhD Agricultural Engineering Founder of JSFoundation
Karen is a renaissance woman. As a scientist, she specializes in soil sciences and environmental technologies. As an artist, she creates contemporary jewellery inspired by her traveling. She is a social entrepreneur in both North and South. In the past, she started a coffee and wine bar in Belgium creating a platform for students as well as starter jobs. She currently focuses on the (re)introduction of the Moringa tree in Tanzania. The project involves the crop, as well as its processing and creating derived products. She always uses a 360 view on issues, where a scientifically sound approach to the problem is combined with education and outreach against a backdrop of maximum social profit and impact while taking care of the environment.
Valérie Thobois
Valérie ThoboisFounder of LAMPE Marketing Eclairant
Having worked for both mass distribution and luxury international companies, Valerie has become a real expert in marketing. She opened a consulting agency offering companies an organised and sustainable marketing approach, based on CSR, to increase the added value of their brand. Valerie is also in charge of teaching marketing courses at HEC Paris, and HEC Stand Up program for women startuppers. In her spare time, she volunteers at various associations.
Agnès Ducrocq
Agnès DucrocqFounder of Laboratoires Téane
Agnès has been passionate about making organic products for “mama & baby” since 2008, when she traveled to Madagascar island and discovered a plant that would change the course of her life. A chemical engineer by training, she saw the potential of this natural ingredient and embarked on the adventure of launching her own organic brand of specialised products for babies & pregnant women, Laboratoires Téane. It is no wonder her life mantra is, “Everything is possible for the one who dreams, dares, works and never gives up”.
Senda Bonnet
Senda BonnetCinematographer
A graduate from the La FEMIS Cinema School of Paris, Senda has always sought to use images to communicate on important causes. Her documentary work and feature films have taken her around the globe and her work has won awards and been shown at major film festivals. After filming several times with Olivier, she joined the ELEPHAS team to give a voice to the local communities and the elephants. Senda believes that by showing images of real actions, it will resonate with people and encourage them to be the change. She believes in a better world, with more sharing, mutual support and integrity. And it’s precisely the new example of business, such as ELEPHAS, that she wants to demonstrate and share to as many as she can.

WHY ELEPHANTS?

Elephas means Elephant in ancient Greek.

These gentle giants are under tremendous threat, along with their habitats.

We draw inspiration from these extraordinary creatures in order to find ways of protecting them.

The Shea tree is commonly found in these habitats and is threatened by extensive cotton farming, with little yield. This tree gives us one of the key ingredients in natural cosmetics, Shea butter. It doesn’t make sense that we let this rich natural resource disappear.

By increasing the value of the Shea tree for the local communities, we can motivate forest conservation, and therefore the protection of elephant habitats. ELEPHAS brings income-generating activities to various populations, especially women, because as the saying goes,

“If you invest in a woman, you invest in her entire family”.

The brand is a true social business that gives 50% of its profits to supporting the local communities involved in elephant conservation.

Find out more about our Conservation Programs.

Feel free to contact us for any inquiries or comments.