Episode description

Our next guest is a seasoned French businessman whose entrepreneurial journey is deeply intertwined with the fast development of the Bulgarian post-communist economy.

Xavier Marcenac first came to Bulgaria in the early 90s, as the country was opening up for foreign investors. After several years of managing companies in Europe, in the early 2000s he came back to start one of the first BPO companies in the country. A sector, which later became one of the fastest-growing branches of the Bulgarian economy and a focal point for attracting young talent from the country and abroad.

Marcenac managed to grow his company Call Point to a leader in the BPO services in Europe. It currently employs close to 5000 people, mostly based in Bulgaria and Romania and it is owned by Canadian TELUS International.

While Xavier and his life partner Olga Marcenac started their new venture in the promising biotechnology sector. Together they co-founded Nasekomo, a startup converting organic waste into high-value animal protein through the use of insects.

Xavier is a graduated IT engineer, he holds an MBA degree from INSEAD, and is a passionate runner, hiker, and admirer of Bulgarian nature.

In his conversation with Irina, Xavier shares:

• Why selling his business was one of his hardest decisions as a manager?
• What are his secrets on how to make it work to build a business with your life partner?
• What was their fascinating discovery about black soldier flies and why is it so beneficial for animals to eat protein, sourced from these insects?