Najeeb is a distinguished banking professional whose expertise extends far beyond the financial sector. While he has achieved significant success in his career, his true passion lies in the art and science of olive oil, a pursuit deeply rooted in his family’s heritage and the rich traditions of Palestine.

Motivated by this connection, he embarked on an educational journey at the ONAOO School, concluding in 2024 with the achievement of a professional taster qualification, marking him as the first from Palestine to achieve such recognition. Originating from the historic town of Birzeit, whose name translates to “olive oil well,” Najeeb grew up immersed in the legacy of olive cultivation.

His family co-owns an olive press in northern Palestine, where they blend generations of knowledge with modern, environmentally sustainable practices to produce exceptional olive oil. Najeeb’s journey reflects the deep, enduring relationship between people, the land, and one of its most revered symbols — the olive tree.

Francesca Salvagno represents the third generation of milling art in the family company in Verona.

Besides being the marketing and communication manager of “Frantoio Salvagno”, managing the web and social media, she also cares the overseas market of the company to keep costumers and enthusiasts’ interest alive from all over the world who research more and more detailed product information.

Francesca has been a taster of ONAOO since years because she does firmly believe that knowledge and right communication can increase awareness of this special product, extra virgin olive oil.

Born in a country where butter is king and mayonnaise is queen, I was pleasantly surprised by the magnificent taste and pleasantness of extra virgin olive oil during my holidays in south east Crete in the 80s.

At the time, I was working in the product engineering sector in a multinational company, but I was ready for a change.

I started importing this delicious product and I set myself the challenge of letting the people who love butter in my country taste this gift of nature. As a pilot, I knew it was possible to fly without an engine, but not without knowledge and skills. I quickly realized that additional support was needed to achieve my goals.

So I knocked on ONAOO’s door. Thanks to the dedication of the teachers, I embarked on a fascinating 3-year learning path.

I enjoyed developing my skills and knowledge and thanks to this support I have seen my business grow. Through retail, restaurant, direct sales and the web shop, I distribute two superb brands of extra-virgin olive oil, one Greek and one Spanish. “Olijfwinkel.be” is my starting point, alongside my company “Techtel.be”.

Leonidas Komvokis is a resident and business owner in Drama, East Macedonia and Thrace.

He is an agricultural and olive entrepreneur. He is an olive pruner and has participated in several professional olive pruning courses organized by the A.S.S.A.M. School (Marche). In 2016, Leonidas became a member of ONAOO, where he began his training. In January 2020, he completed his studies by obtaining the Professional Taster Qualification.

Leonidas believes that a deep understanding of the elements of olive oil quality is an effective way forward in the field of olive growing and entrepreneurship. He provides olive oil quality consulting services as well as olive tree pruning and management services on a contract basis. In recent years, the company has focused on developing a project with the planting of 20 hectares of organic olive trees and varieties exclusively indigenous to the area.

The goal is to highlight these varieties and create monovarietal oils of unique quality, showcasing the quality characteristics of the area and the POLYCONIC VASE-shaped management model that can guarantee the highest quality of olive oil. Quality is a core value that guides our commitment to the environment, consumers, and the reputation of our organization, which is represented by the ONAOO.