Tobacco Asia News & Views Podcast #37
Zafer Atiçi, founder and CEO of Prestige Leaf, talks to host Thomas Schmid about his journey from being a “one-man show” to establishing his full-blown company in Dubai. He discusses the challenges he faced, such as gaining clients' trust and overcoming initial slow business years. He emphasizes the importance of repeat business over short-term profits, sharing that his company's success is reflected in returning customers. He highlights the strategic partnerships Prestige Leaf has with various international merchants and emphasizes the importance of aligning common objectives with them. The conversation also touches on the company’s corporate and social responsibility (CSR) activities, including a commitment to supporting sports, arts, education, and community programs. Zafer talks about his future plans for Prestige Leaf, including expanding into more tobacco-growing countries and possibly diversifying into the food industry. The interview concludes with Zafer's advice to newcomers in the tobacco industry and his final thoughts on the importance of treating farmers as partners rather than mere suppliers.
Link to Tobacco Asia News and Views Podcast #37
The Tobacco Asia podcast is hosted by Thomas Schmid, contributing editor at Tobacco Asia magazine, and brought to you in conjunction with Business Insights, the new digital platform of Messe Dortmund and their InterTabac/InterSupply events, the world’s leading and largest tobacco exhibitions.