Position: Former Quality Control Manager, Zealong
Field: Horticulture.
Key skills, attitudes and values for innovation
- Passion
- Persistence
- Thinking outside the square.
Background knowledge and experience
Fabien’s background knowledge and experience is diverse. He grew up in France and has travelled a lot, both as a child (with his parents) and as an adult. Travel has given Fabien a wide range of experiences including different cultures, cuisine, products and people, and he considers that this has developed his interest in experiencing new things. At university, Fabien majored in international business before specialising in web design. Fabien credits his French background with giving him a passion for good food and quality products and how they are produced, and this has influenced him in his travels.
It’s more about passion than skills. I do believe that, if you’ve got passion for something, you’ll inevitably do your own research and commit to your everyday work more than you would with particular skills without so much motivation.
After leaving France, Fabien travelled through India and Asia, where he visited a number of tea plantations before coming to New Zealand. Here, he worked on farms and vineyards before becoming involved in quality control at Zealong.
Fabien left Zealong in late 2016.
Related content
Find out more about Zealong and their innovative processes in Zealong: a unique New Zealand tea. Discover more about the Science of tea.
In the activity tea tasting – learn about tea tasting and compare different types of tea by conducting sensory testing.
Useful link
Find out more about the Zealong tea estate on the Zealong website.
This article is based on information current in 2013 and updated in 2018.
