»New business models, unlikely partners and systemic change needs to be organized to fight climate change, ensure food security or to provide basic infrastructure, health care and education for all. econnext aspires to be that organizer. «

Michael Schneider

Co-CEO and Co-Founder

Before co-founding econnext, Michael was a banker at Deutsche Bank, starting in 1994 as an apprentice. From 1996-2000, he completed an additional four-year executive training program, taking on responsibilities in a variety of departments, including Public Sector and Corporate Clients, Credit Risk Management, Retail and Business Banking and Private Wealth Management. Between 2000 and 2005 he served as Associate and later Vice President of Deutsche Bank in New York working on asset financing solutions for Deutsche Bank’s largest corporate clients.

In 2007, Michael structured the world’s first rated issuance of subordinated loans to microfinance institutions. In 2009, he established a team solely dedicated to structuring and managing innovative and transparent impact investment products. This Environmental & Social Capital group subsequently raised and managed more than $800m committed by the Governments of Germany, the UK and Denmark, by Development Finance Institutions such as KfW, IFC and the European Investment Bank as well as Pension Funds, High Networth Individuals and Churches. The investment activities focused on sustainable energy in emerging economies, energy efficiency in the EU and food security in Africa.

In the summer of 2013, Michael was named Head of Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) for the Asset & Wealth Management Division of Deutsche Bank AG. In this role he oversaw the strategy for all ESG activities of Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management, including ESG research, proxy voting and shareholder engagement as well as product development.

Michael holds a degree in banking from Frankfurt School of Finance and Management (Bankakademie Leipzig). He is married and has two daughters.