Kim Steppé

CEO, BLUE ELEPHANT GROUP

Industry : Business

Dividing his time between Phuket, Bangkok, and Brussels, this entrepreneur manages a thriving Thai food empire. The business includes a Thai restaurant in Brussels, a banqueting enterprise, a cooking school, and a production facility for exporting curries and sauces globally. He learned the ropes from various roles, starting as a bartender and later becoming a bar manager at a hip hop club. His experience includes working as a marketing manager at the Blue Elephant Trade Office, where he created the innovative "Cook for Two" pack featuring all necessary ingredients. As the sales manager for the ready meals facility in Belgium, he secured major contracts, including airline catering and representing Thailand as the official caterer for the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He also brought the Miss Belgium pageant to Thailand. With a background as a restaurant manager at the Blue Elephant Governor''s Mansion in Phuket, he faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic but successfully guided the company to recovery, keeping all staff intact. In addition to his business acumen, he is steering the company toward a more circular economy, emphasizing sustainable projects with organic products.