Ralph Schneider

"To make the world more sustainable every day and to leave our children and grandchildren a world worth living in is my greatest concern".

Ralph Schneider CEO and Co-Founder EWIA Investment Group

About Me

This homepage is my personal homepage. However, as my personal CV and my professional and social commitment cannot be clearly separated, please refer to our EWIA Green Investments www.ewiainvestments.com and EWIA Finance https://ewiafinance.de websites for matters relating to my commitment via EWIA Green Investments Group.

I started my professional activities as a banker in the early 1980s in Saarland. Later I studied business administration and also attended the European Business School in Oestrich Winkl.

However, two elements had a lasting influence on my career path. Firstly, my first investments in renewable energies and secondly, a trip through sub-Saharan Africa in the early 1990s.

In 2001, together with colleagues from an investment company (ARAG Group), I developed the first 1 MWp photovoltaic project, Messe München, and then (after moving to Royal Dutch Shell) set new standards and the first exclamation marks in the solar sector with the 5 MWp Leipziger Land ground-mounted project 2004 and the 10 MWp Pocking 2005 ground-mounted project.

From 2006 onwards, I was then responsible for the large-scale project division of a stock listed company (Phoenix Solar AG) for several years, which established itself as the world market leader in the thin-film solar module sector. We could develop, finance and realize projects in Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece, France, Bulgaria and also in the Middle East.

In 2012, I was finally able to combine the topics of renewable energies, sustainability and climate protection with my second passion, Africa. In 2015, I was able to realize the first joint ventures and projects (Yingli Solar) in Ghana, Kenya etc.

However, the idea and vision of EWIA Green Investments was born in 2019. Together with my colleagues Timo Schäfer and Dr. Wolf-Dietrich Fugger, the company then became a reality in 2020 after an intensive period of preparation.

In December 2023, we launched EWIA Finance as a new platform for digital financing. We have thus laid the foundation for bank-independent financing of impact projects in Africa.

"The foundations of my work are trust, clarity, tolerance, partnership and operational readiness.

That's what I stand for."

Ralph Schneider CEO and Co-Founder EWIA Investment Group

The options for long-term financing of projects or investments especially in AFRICA are very limited. That is why we enable small and medium-sized enterprises to finance their projects via our DIGITAL FINANCING PLATFORM EWIA Finance. Do you have an impact investment project? Whether a solar plant? Recycling project? E-mobility? Organic farming project? etc. talk to us?

Learn More

Our Services

RS Management International offers commercial consulting services for project development and sales, capital procurement, transaction structuring and strategy development in the field of renewable energies and infrastructure projects. We support both project developers and sellers as well as investors

1. Project acquisition and making Projects marketable

There are many exciting and promising projects, but their realization often fails because the structuring, presentation, communication, partner selection and also legal issues are not prepared (accordingly). Here you benefit from more than 20 years of implementation and financing experience.

RS Management offers:

Checking the quality and completeness of project documents
Negotiating a marketable power purchase agreement
Preparing Documents/ Communication and Presentation
Development of suitable hedging concept
Risk analysis and possible containment
Development and Creating of Business Plans

2. Transaction Management

Many contracts, documents and partners come together in the implementation and financing of projects and there are many administrative interfaces. Legal and tax issues are also involved. RS Management has many years of experience and the necessary know-how in this area:

Negotiation of contracts for the purchase and sale of projects
Conclusion, implementation and closing of the deal through to signature
Searching for and selecting specialized law and tax consulting firms and technical experts
Processing of downstream tasks

3. Equity and Debt Financing (project financing)

Raising capital and finding and selecting investors is one of RS Management's core areas. Conversely, RS Management also enables private or professional investors to generate suitable investment opportunities.

Search, selection and negotiation with equity investors. Procurement of financing.
Search, preparation and negotiation with debt investors (whether banks, crowdinvesting platforms, FK funds, etc.)
Preparation of figures and preparation of project financing.
Conclusion and closing of contracts

4. Project development, commercial project
management, troubleshooting

Project implementation from development to grid connection requires many small individual steps and negotiations. Whether with authorities, banks, energy suppliers, construction companies or landowners.
RS Management has many years of experience and the seniority to be able to offer decisive added value here.

Negotiation Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) with energy supply companies, large end consumers, etc.
Negotiation of land lease agreements or purchase agreements.
Assistance with approval procedures (licences), development plans, municipal councils, district offices.
Claim management (in addition to legal disputes) with module manufacturers, project vendors, EPCs, etc.
"Shadow negotiator" - optimal support during negotiations, in the background

Your Partner for Africa

We accompany companies and investors on their way to and in Africa. Conversely, we support African companies in the financing and implementation of projects!

with Christian Lindner (German Minister of Finance) in Ghana 2023

1. Market analysis and preparation

Africa is not (just) Kenya or (just) South Africa. Africa consists of more than 54 countries/states. Every country is different, every country has its peculiarities. It is important to know these and to adapt to them in a tailor-made way. EWIA has extensive practical experience and a good know-how to accompany and support companies in a targeted way, depending on the individual needs of the respective country. We support companies with local and intercultural differences.

with Christian Kern (former Chancellor Republic of Austria) in Munich 2019

2. Networking, partner acquisition and Lobbying

Corporate governance and compliance are issues that have become increasingly important in recent years. This is precisely why many companies shy away from entering the market in Africa. Here, too, other countries have different customs. The EWIA Team knows that it doesn't work without political support. Nevertheless, EWIA always pursues an approach that relies on private initiatives and partnerships. For this reason, we always develop concepts that pursue the greatest possible independence from government regulations or personal, capital-related interdependencies.

Handshake with the Prime Minister Coulibaly in Abidjan, Ivory Coast 2018

3. Project acquisition and business initiation

Business in Africa only works locally. Even in a time of Skype, Internet or other modern media nothing replaces the personal meeting and the personal conversations. EWIA is active on site and assumes the role of the representative. The EWIA Team can also take on the role of an interim manager or local representative. We are always ready to represent and negotiate for companies, even in unpleasant situations.

Board Meeting EWIA Green Investments West Africa Ltd. in Accra 2020

4. Setting up companies and establishing structures

Investments in Africa offer immense opportunities and are an essential part of tackling many of the problems of our time at their roots. Despite enormous political efforts, German companies still find it difficult to become active in Africa. The results so far have been sobering. The causes of this reluctance to invest are many and varied,

My References

Just Google: Ralph Schneider + EWIA + Phoenix

Investment/ Renewables/ Africa

Renewable Energy Investment Pioneer since 2001
Realized Solar Projects (and Real Estate, Infrastructure) Volume approx. EUR 985 Million since 1996
Market Experience Europe: Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, England and Poland since 2001
Market Experience Sub-Sahara Africa: Ghana, Kenia, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Togo, Nigeria, Kamerun, Angola, Sierra-Leone
Investment and Projectfinancing Expert (since 1996)
Longstanding and battleproofed Leader and General Manager (since 1998)
3 Degrees (Banking, Business Administration, Real Estate Project Development)
Excellent Reputation and Network
40 years of Business Experience since 1982

My mission is your success

We have to say what we think, we have to do what we say and we have to be what we do

Alfred Herrhausen, murdered Chairman of the Management Board of Deutsche Bank

Contact

Contact me and find out how you and your company can benefit from my activities, services and international network. Nothing replaces a personal conversation. I would be happy to arrange an appointment in the centre of Munich or at a location of your choice.

Send me a short message by e-mail or WhatsApp and I will call you back immediately.

Contact me

Leopldstraße 244, 80807 München

ralph-schneider@outlook.de

+49 (0)162 1366984