Person of the month: Victor Beis, Principal, SWEN Terra

Victor is a Principal for the SWEN Terra direct investment team, dedicated to regenerative agriculture. After studying business management, Victor started his international career at Ecom Agroindustrial Corp. Ltd, a leading soft commodity services group, and specialises in tropical supply chain management. In 2022 he moved to Pomona Farming, a partner of the Natural Resources division of PSP Investments, where he played an active role in the international expansion. He joined SWEN CP in 2025 when the TERRA strategy is launched.

I witnessed firsthand the climate upheavals that producers face daily, and I quickly realized that agriculture must confront the complex challenge of being both part of the problem and a big part of the solution. Later, in other sectors — cocoa, almonds, spices — I have always sought to contribute to the necessary agroecological transitions.

Is there a personal moment, encounter, or field experience that made you understand that ecosystem restoration and preservation would become a guiding thread in your professional life?

One encounter that stands out was with a French agricultural entrepreneur living in Nicaragua, forty years my senior. He shared his journey: initially traveling the world for an oil extraction company to plant castor beans (a non-food vegetable oil), and then, after turning forty, realizing, “We got it wrong. What we should have done was plant trees and restore the ecosystems we depend on.” His coffee farm and agroforestry projects — totaling 10,000 hectares — became a true source of inspiration for me.

Today, how does your role allow you to contribute concretely to the transition toward new models, and what vision do you carry for the future?

In my role on the SWEN Terra investment team, I identify and analyze agricultural projects that apply regenerative farming principles. We then invest alongside the developers of these projects, with the aim of helping to rethink agriculture into a viable and sustainable system — and, above all, to anticipate and transform farming models.

On a personal level, I am sometimes troubled by what we leave for future generations and deeply aware of the concept of climate debt. As a young father, I refuse to let this worry inhibit action. I try to instill a connection with life itself, which also involves healthy eating. We are fortunate to allocate a larger portion of our budget to good food — products with as few ingredients as possible, seasonal, local when it makes sense, organic at times, striving for a balanced, coherent approach without being dogmatic.

Shaped by hands-on experience, a deep connection to living systems, and a strong sense of responsibility toward future generations, Victor’s journey is guided by a clear compass: helping transform agricultural models so they restore soils and ecosystems, and ultimately reshape our relationship with food and the natural world.