HOW IT ALL BEGAN

To support its development, ELEPHAS Paris® brings together contributors based all over the world: professionals in the cosmetics field, renowned perfumers but also graphic designers and branding professionals, etc. These people, passionate about what they do, have come together to bring you high-end cosmetic products directly linked to nature and local communities.

Each has his/her own specialty, but together we aspire to the same objective. To not only develop a viable and responsible company, but also to create a social business that will, above all, support the protection of the environment and biodiversity. Bringing balance between the local communities of the planet through concrete field actions is one of our key missions.

MEET OUR TEAM

Olivier BEHRA
Olivier BEHRAFounder I FRANCE
Founder of the recent Net Positive Impact movement, Olivier has dedicated his life to finding ways to involve local communities in biodiversity conservation. Having developed assets for Chanel, Yves Rocher, Dessange International, etc. and having involved them in his projects, he decided to create ELEPHAS Paris®. He dreamed of developing products capable of really having a positive impact on wildlife. Creating high quality cosmetics that would finally be developed without plastic and palm oil. He said to himself: “Why not start by supporting the conservation of elephants, these great forces of Nature that are yet so fragile?”
Anne BEHRA
Anne BEHRAHead of communication | FRANCE
Anne has a double master’s degree: marketing and communication and management of development projects. She met Olivier in 2007 while doing work for his NGO L’Homme et l’Environnement. Lover of elephants and Africa – where she married Olivier in 2019 – she plays a crucial strategic role in the brands identity but also in the monitoring of projects in the field … And to film interviews of Olivier in Africa.
Bernadette SEBEGO
Bernadette SEBEGOField Coordinator | BURKINA FASO
Bernadette is trained as a manager. She began her career by helping the development of the GRAINES DE JOIE association, an association supported by Elephas which takes care of educating very disadvantaged children in Ouagadougou. Bernadette first met Olivier in 2018 and then Anne and Olivier in 2019. She wanted to get involved in the environment. She works for both structures and now manages projects developed with women’s groups on the elephant corridor.

INVOLVED PARTNERS

Samie AL-ACHRAFI
Samie AL-ACHRAFIUNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Author of the book “#Time4Humanity”, Samie is fundamentally a Humanist. Founder of MARMALADE FISH, Samie and his team advises business leaders on their management strategy by highlighting the need for humanity in development. When Céline COUSTEAU was shooting a film on Olivier’s work in Madagascar and saw the local needs, she called Samie for help. He immediately responded, willing to support the local communities of the Vohimana reserve in Madagascar. At the end of 2019, he came to meet Olivier in this reserve and decided to get involved with ELEPHAS Paris®.
Bertrand AGUIRRE and Remy CADORET
Bertrand AGUIRRE and Remy CADORETSPAIN
Bertrand and Remy are the founders of Spain based ALTA PRESS which primarily produces documentaries and videos for French television news. They met Olivier in 2011 when they came to shoot a documentary on his work in Madagascar focused on the development of natural resources to support conservation. When Bertrand and Remy heard about the concept of ELEPHAS Paris®, they immediately offered to join the adventure.

PRODUCTS ENGINEERING TEAM

Bertrand DUCHAUFOURD
Bertrand DUCHAUFOURDFRANCE
He is described as a “rock star” of niche perfumery who never allows himself to compromise on results and quality. Bertrand has worked on fragrances for an impressive number of brands (Acqua di Parma, Christian Dior, Comme des Garçons, Givenchy, etc.). In 2012, he came to meet Olivier in Madagascar where local teams produce essential oils. Bertrand enthusiastically agreed to make the ELEPHAS Paris® fragrance without the molecules of modern chemistry often used in this field.
Gaël BOUTRY
Gaël BOUTRYFRANCE
A chemist by trade, Gaël is passionate about cosmetics. After having been a formulator, laboratory manager and factory manager, he decided to found his own formulation company. Gaël first met Olivier in Paris at the end of 2018. He accepted the challenge of developing high quality cosmetic products without palm derivatives.
Sabrina FAE
Sabrina FAEFRANCE
A cosmetics engineer, Sabrina joined Gaël’s company after having worked as a regulatory manager for various companies. His work was fundamental in order to guarantee the efficacy and harmlessness of the products and to verify that the formulation is carried out in compliance with European legislation.

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 Paris® 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.