Company

FGM International is a French company specialising in developing, managing and implementing a broad variety of modern farming and agribusiness projects worldwide. These range from large scale farming activities to niche productions. The company provides services, know-how and qualified experts to support investors and field staff. With 30 years of knowledge and “hands on” international agribusiness practice, our staff, senior and younger professionals, work together in the field and from afar, to ensure both the success and the sustainability of the projects we undertake.

An innovative agricultural firm

We take great pride in providing investors, and farm-managers with the know-how and tools they need in order to develop and enhance their agricultural holdings and assets. We ensure that farm management operates both efficiently and meticulously through the use of innovative methods and timely processes. Our teams use advanced and cost-saving technologies to increase production, whilst also safeguarding land assets and the protection of the environment implmenting solution for carbon sequestration or organic development. Our teams use advanced and cost-saving technologies to increase production. We integrate the land protection in our methodology to protect the environment and implements carbon sequestration solutions or organic practices targeting a better return on investment in the long run. We transfer our methodologies and necessary training to management representatives and the local farm staff so as to assure the longevity of the good results. Another strength of FGM International is creating synergies and bringing together small producers to achieve productive outgrower schemes within the framework of an industrial/agricultural project.

Our expertise: what we do

We have considerable expertise in all aspects of agribusiness project management with a particular focus on soil conservation, water-management, minimum tillage practices and large-scale machinery investment, emphasising inputs and fuel cost reduction. Our English speaking staff are fully responsible for ensuring both the profitability and sustainability of all farm operations. We are well used to dealing with all kinds of challenging situations, ranging from difficult political contexts to the many varied field environments. Our approach is based on a thorough analysis and robust methodology that covers all the parameters for a given project. It is also oriented towards long-lasting development always keeping in mind corporate social responsibility in all its aspects.

A selection of firms we have worked with

Core team

Meet FGM International's core management team and click on their pictures to be redirected to their LinkedIn profiles and find out more about them.

Andrew Winter Taylor

Senior Expert, advisor of the Presidency

A graduate from the Royal Agricultural College in the United Kingdom, Andrew Winter-Taylor has more than 30 years global experience in rural and agricultural development, including practical, hands-on farm and agribusiness training. He has been involved in the establishment of more than 60 agricultural and rural business enterprises. His work has involved managing effective, results focused, working relationships with staff, managers, and politicians of many cultures and at all levels of agricultural business and government. Andrew Winter-Taylor brings his unique vision of agricultural development in Africa, Eastern Europe and the Pacific.

Jacques Maroteix

Senior Expert, advisor of the Presidency

A graduate of Paris Agricultural Engineering School and former chairman of the Chamber of Agriculture of Charente-Maritime, Jacques Maroteix is a longtime partner of Jean-Louis Forgeard-Grignon. He was involved in several international projects in Africa, Ukraine and Russia. Jacques Maroteix is currently active in the development of agricultural value chains as Vice-President of a French Cooperative and promoter & Chairman of the biggest anaerobic digester plant of the region. He was a shareholder of CA 17 international, an agricultural consulting company created by Jean-Louis Forgeard-Grignon in 2000 and sold to CACG in 2014. Jacques Maroteix shares with the team his extensive knowledge of agricultural ventures in France and abroad.

Shirley Druy

Administration and Logistics

Shirley is a key resource to ensure the efficient coordination of experts, site-mission logistics and to support the CEO in day-to-day administration. As the lead officer for logistics, she deals with incoming requests at FGM headquarters and provides backup support for monitoring services together with oversight of contractual obligations.

FGM International was born from the necessity to share 35 years of experience in Large-Scale Farming and sustainable rural development with young professionals, in order to satisfy an increasing demand from foreign investors.

Engaging with young, dynamic and enthusiastic individuals was, in my opinion, the best way to ensure the transmission of the knowledge we had accumulated over the years in a large number of challenging environments worldwide.

Jean-Louis Forgeard-Grignon, Founder and Chairman

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee (Comité de Direction) meets regularly to monitor the activities of FGM International, as well as its policies and strategies. It can be mobilized on any other topic at the initiative of the Chairman. The current Executive Committee comprises Jean-Louis Forgeard-Grignon, Chairman of FGM International, and the following executives and experts.

Nicolas Forgeard-Grignon

Chief Contracts and Finance Officer • Directeur Contrats et Finance

A BSc in IT graduate from La Rochelle University, Nicolas joined FGM in 2015 to apply his extensive experience of geographic information systems (including remote sensing solutions, drone and satellite imagery acquisition for map processing) to farm situations. Following his successful experience with major projects abroad, Nicolas was appointed Deputy CEO by the Board in 2018. His duties include general management of the company as well as contract and finance, reporting directly to the Chairman.

Merry Davieaud

Chief Operation Officer • Directeur Général Délégué

A graduate in agricultural economics from Angers Agricultural College, Merry is a farmer’s son with extensive practical knowledge of international agribusiness. He specializes in economic and financial assessment of large-scale farm projects and associated businesses. Merry has been involved in the successful development and management of more than 30 international projects in the last ten years and is a key FGM resource for all matters related to agricultural economics.

Ugo Forgeard-Grignon

For 20 years, Ugo Forgeard-Grignon was involved in the business development of a high-tech French company specialized in the development, installation and maintenance of a communication system related to monitoring and managing emergency calls. He was the Business Development Director for 6 years and oversaw the contracting process with French regional fire and rescue services. He has recently invested in and manages a vehicle dealership business. Alike Jacques Maroteix, he is a former Board member and shareholder of CA 17 international. Ugo Forgeard-Grignon is highly skilled in marketing and sales and has an inherent kill for profiling prospects and clients both of which enhance the work of the Executive Committee.

Ivan Diaz

Chief Business Development Officer • Directeur Commercial

Ivan is a senior officer with solid qualitative experience in a variety of challenging operational, managerial and consultancy assignments in the framework of agribusiness projects. Operations, Offshore Engineering and IT are some more of his specialties. He has worked in many countries and developed a broad network of useful knowledgeable colleagues. Ivan now contributes significantly to the enlargement of the base of innovative agricultural projects which FGM International implements or supports.

Executive Committee

Nicolas Forgeard-Grignon

Chief Contracts and Finance Officer • Directeur Contrats et Finance

Merry Davieaud

Chief Operation Officer • Directeur Général Délégué

Ugo Forgeard-Grignon

Ivan Diaz

Chief Business Development Officer • Directeur Commercial

History

FGM International is a company comprised of experienced experts active in the field of agricultural projects worldwide. We have traditionally dealt with large-scale farming projects, and now also offer services to smaller projects with more specific needs in terms of types of production or soil particularities, that seek specialised advice in order to deliver high-end, rare and demanding products. We offer thorough and targeted knowledge and know-how based on a rigorous methodology inspired by our founding members.

1978
The founder of FGM, young graduate in agronomy and agricultural engineering, is appointed farm manager of one of the larger estates in France.
1982
FGM founder is assigned in Saudi Arabia to run a major farm investment.
1990
FGM Expert Farmer brand is developed for large-scale farm management.
2000
FGM founder expends the capacities to include small holders, farmer cooperatives and rural development.
2012
FGM enters into management of major large-scale farms.
2020
FGM tunes up its range of activities following a significant capital increase; particularly addressing prevailing climate and natural resource issues.