Jean-Yves Ollivier was, behind the scenes, the kingpin of the Brazzaville protocol [1988] which paved the way to the end of apartheid and the release of Nelson Mandela. He is the only foreigner to have received South Africa’s highest honours, first in 1987 for organising the first and most important regional prisoner exchange, and then from Nelson Mandela in 1995 for his contribution to peace. Jean-Yves Ollivier has made a career as a commodities trader in China, the Middle East and Africa and has engaged privately in international mediation, using his professional contacts in the service of peace. Among the many other peace mediations in which he has participated, Jean-Yves Ollivier played an important role in the negotiations that facilitated the departure of mercenary Bob Denard from the Comoros in 1989 and in the Sun City talks that led to power sharing in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2002. He also played a role in the reconciliation between Uganda and Sudan, paving the way for the independence of Southern Sudan in 2011. Wanting to work in the philanthropic community, he founded Brazzaville Foundation in 2015, which is dedicated to supporting African initiatives in the fields of peace,  environment and health. In recognition of his contribution to peace, Jean-Yves Ollivier received various distinctions from France and several African countries.