In this episode, we were joined by Darren Lapp, CEO of the New Forests Company, a sustainable forestry and timber products business operating in Uganda and Tanzania. Darren shares his journey from growing up in a forestry town in Canada to leading a major forestry enterprise in sub-Saharan Africa.
We discuss:
- Darren’s career path – how he transitioned from biology and soil science to forestry, influenced by early work experiences and international exposure.
- The challenges of forestry in Africa – balancing environmental sustainability, community engagement, and economic viability.
- Sustainable practices – how the New Forests Company restores deforested areas, integrates local communities, and secures FSC certification.
- Investment in forestry – why forestry requires long-term, impact-driven investors and how the industry is evolving in Africa.
- Local value addition – efforts to reduce reliance on raw material exports by producing finished timber products within East Africa.
- Leadership insights – Darren’s collaborative leadership style, developed through multinational experience and INSEAD’s International Directors Program.
- Future vision – scaling New Forest Company's impact by expanding industrial capacity and market development, with a goal of long-term economic sustainability.
After this podcast was recorded, Darren let me know they had closed a transaction with Shell Nature Based Solutions in forming a new impact forestry joint venture. You can learn more on the New Forests Company’s LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-new-forests-company
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.