Management
Prof. Dr. Laurenz Czempiel
CSO
Leading positions for various Private Banks for over 20 years
- As member of the Management Board of Donner & Reuchel AG, he was responsible for the divisions Asset Management, Capital Markets and Institutional Clients.
- Member of numerous investment committees
- Management Board of the Handelsverein Bayerische Börse
- Professor at the Munich Business School, lecturing Asset Management and Corporate Finance
- Author / co-author of several books and articles regarding wealth management, capital markets and economics
Hartmut Betke
CIO
More than 15 years as an entrepreneur and investment experience
- Degree in industrial engineering from TH Karlsruhe (Karlsruhe Technical University)
- Managing Director and co-founder of Deutsche Cleantech GmbH (D.CT), extensive expertise in the fields of structuring, financing and transaction management in renewable technologies (wind and solar energy, hydropower, biomass and geothermal energy)
- Director of the German Renewables Team at Augusta & Co., acquisition and management of Cleantech and Renewables transactions with a special focus on wind energy (onshore and offshore), solar energy, biomass and hydropower
- In addition to the cleantech focus, Hartmut Betke also has restructuring experience that he previously had as a principal at the Frankfurter Beteiligungsholding (FBH). FBH was a Private Equity Investor with a focus on medium-sized industrial companies in special situations (including insolvency)
- Hartmut Betke started his professional career at Deutsche Bank. There he worked in investment banking and most recently in private equity. He was involved in various large transactions, both for third parties and the bank itself
Dr. Lothar Kerschgens
CTO
Over 25 years’ experience in international renewable energy engineering
- Experienced engineer with a doctorate in Energy from Lyons, France (ECL Ecole Centrale de Lyon) as well as an engineering degree from Germany (TU Darmstadt)
- More than 25 years experience in RE power plant development, construction, evaluation and calculation
- Together with the KIG Engineering Company in Germany and Hechler Consultations Inc. in Quebec and Ontario specialized on projects in the biogas, solar and wind sectors
- Acts since 2012 as VENTUSOLAR's CTO (co-founder and partner) with focus on due diligences of wind and PV power plants in Canada, USA and Europe
Sven J. Matten
Partner
More than 15 years’ CEO and investment experience
- MBA, German with permanent resident status in Canada
- CEO and founder of VENTUSOLAR Inc. as well as President and co-founder of VENTUSOLAR Global Capital GmbH
- More than 15 years of experience as manager of as well as in investments in the international entertainment industry as well as the renewable energy sector
- More than 10 years university lecturer in marketing and media at Munich Business School
- Senior management roles with MEP Canada GmbH as well as Paradigma Entertainment Munich, Germany and DuMatt Entertainment in Winnipeg, Canada
Jan Kaulfuhs-Berger
Corporate Speaker / Head of Corporate Communications
Journalist and Spokesperson since more than 30 years
- Engineer with a degree as "Dipl.-Ing. (FH)" and was educated both in Dresden (University of Applied Sciences) and Barcelona (Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya)
- Active since more than 30 years in the field of journalism (newspaper and magazines as well as in Corporate Communications)
- More then twelve years in charge as spokesperson of the globally operating enterprise Jungheinrich, based in Hamburg. During that time he was responsible for the entire enterprise press work of the company with subsidiaries in more than 30 countries as well as certified dealer partners in more than 70 further countries worldwide
Martin Pochtaruk
VP Business Development
Leading positions for various renewable energy companies for over 25 years
- Over twenty five years of experience managing businesses across Europe, South America, the US and Canada, in both private and public corporations
- Prior to joining Heliene, Vice President of Business Development at Algoma Steel Inc.
- Was also a part of Essar Steel Holdings Corporate Development group for numerous years before establishing Heliene in 2010
- Proven track record of Business Development in Europe, Latin America and North America for a period of over 25 years
- Awarded as one of the best 40 Entrepreneurs in Canada in 2012 by KPMG, TD Trust, Ivey School of Business and the Globe&Mai
Graham Findlay
Asset Management
Over 40 years in management positions primarily in the field of renewable energies with a focus on wind power
- University of Toronto - Rotman School of Management, MBA Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies
- Queen's University Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.Sc.), major in Civil Engineering
- General Manager 3G Energy Corp.
- Director Ottawa Renewable Energy Co-operative Inc., Ottawa, Canada
- Vice President Vector Wind Energy Inc.
- President Starwind10 Inc.
Nigel Etherington
Asset Management
Over 15 years of renewable energy experience in Canada with a focus on solar
- Queen's University, B.Sc. (Hons), engineering physics
- University of London, M.Sc., Medical Physics & Electronics
- Director & Co-Founder Isla Power Inc., Toronto, Canada
- Principal & Founder Planet & Company Inc., Toronto, Canada
- Board Member Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA)
- Chief Technology Officer Potentia Solar Inc.
- Managing Director Fidelity Investments, Fidelity Intermediary Services Company
(Canadian subsidiary, 'asset manager’ of Fidelity Investments, a global asset manager entity with $2.5 trillion AuM) - Consultant McKinsey & Company
Antonio Antonopoulos
Asset Management, Monitoring
Over 15 years of renewable energy experience in Canada with a focus on solar
- University of Kassel, M.Sc. Specialization for EUREC European Masters in Renewable Energy, hybrid systems with renewable energies
- Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, M.Sc. EUREC European Masters in Renewable Energy
- Unternehmensgründer Isla Power Inc., Toronto, Canada
- Geschäftsführer REngenuity Inc., Toronto, Canada
- CarbonFree Technology Inc., VP Technology, Toronto, Canada
- ETA-Florence Renewable Energies, project engineer, Florence, Italy
- University of Toronto, degree as Dipl.-Ing. of electrical engineering
Yosef Cohen
VP International Sales & Acquisitions
More than 15 years experience as sales and acquisition manager
- Many years as Sales Manager for a major Israeli EPC in Israel, Inbar Solar Energy a subsidiary of F.K. Generators and Equipment Ltd,
- Sales Manager Canada and Israel for the China based Solar Panel Manufacturer ET Solar Group, as well as with their EPC office in Germany ET Solutions AG,
- Israel Sales Manager for German company Energiebau Solarsysteme GmbH
- Canadian Region Sales Representative for the Canadian power conversion products manufacturer Analytic Systems, and an Electronics solutions Application Sales
- Engineer for several technology groups and Hi-Tech companies
Richard Todd
VP Global Account Management
More than 20 years experience in foreign direct investment
- Extensive international experience as investment consultant in North America and Europe
- 7 years as European investment representative for Province of Ontario, responsible for Renewable Energy with focus on wind, solar, hydro and biogas
- Supporting and consulting of over 20 companies with investment activities in Ontario, Canada (e.g. institutional investors as well as suppliers within the Energy sector)
- 11 years managing Scottish government’s investment promotion agency in Düsseldorf, focus on trade and investment in energy and renewables sector
- MSc. in Local Economic Development, University of Glasgow & BSc. In International Business, Aston University, Birmingham
- Dual national, British-German
Management-Team-Presentation (PDF)