BrazilFormer consultant Alexander Lenz joins Aquila as CEO of APAC
German investment manager Aquila Capital has opened an office in Singapore, bringing on board former management consultant Alexander Lenz as chief executive for the Asia Pacific region.
The new hub will serve as the company’s headquarter for Asia Pacific, as the firm seeks to capitalise on “strong and growing demand” for renewable energy investments in the region. According to PwC, Asia is the globe’s hotspot for renewable energy investments, with the region capturing nearly half of all funding pumped into the system globally in the past years.
The trend is by no means expected to slow down. Reporting by Bloomberg suggests that the region will in the coming decades attract about 40% of all investments in renewable energy worldwide.
Founded in 2001, Aquila Capital is an investment manager in renewable energy, energy efficiency, infrastructure, residential real estate, green logistics as well as timber and agriculture. The Hamburg-based firm – minority owned by Japanese investment bank Daiwa Securities – manages €10.7 billion for institutional investors worldwide, providing its services from 14 offices in 12 countries.
Lenz has now been tasked with expanding the company’s footprint in Asia Pacific. He brings nearly two decades of experience to the role. Prior to joining, he was the Singapore-based CEO of renewable energy company Conergy, a specialist in downstream solar energy. Before that, he led the company’s business in Asia Pacific and the Middle East.
Earlier in his career, Lenz worked five years for Deloitte – where he started his career – and Roland Berger in its Restructuring and Corporate Finance practice.
“We will provide investors with access to the renewable energy sector in APAC, such as solar photovoltaics and wind energy, as well as other sustainable asset classes including hydropower and energy storage in the future,” said Lenz.
