Your Trusted Partner for Emerging Markets

Moritz Baldsiefer is responsible for fundraising and institutional investor relations. He has over 8 years of experience working with professional investors in the capital markets landscape and relevant asset classes. Prior to joining DEG Impact, he worked at Ampega Asset Management, where he most recently served as a team leader, advising and supporting international primary insurance companies on investment and balance sheet management matters. He is a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) and holds a Bachelor in Business Administration from the University of Siegen.

Sofia Grivet Brancot is an expert in environmental and social impact and programme management. Prior to joining DEG Impact, she worked over a decade at the United Nations, leading initiatives across East Africa and at the global level. She holds a Master’s degree in Law, with a specialization in environmental law, from the Universities of Turin and Paris Cité.

Oliver Braun is responsible for risk controlling and has many years of professional experience in risk management and actuarial services for insurance and financial services companies. Before joining DEG Impact, he worked at HDI AG and Zurich Gruppe Deutschland, where he was responsible for calculating and analyzing stochastic enterprise valuation and regulatory risk reporting. Oliver is an actuary (DAV) and holds a degree in mathematics from the University of Cologne.

Hermann Brincker is a seasoned international banker with over 38 years of professional experience, thereof the last 15 years with DEG. Since his semi-retirement in March 2026, he is actively engaged at DEG Impact – in line with DEG’s business growth plans – in the development, set-up and management of large loan portfolios that are originated by DEG and risk-mitigated public and private funds from third parties. He has a master’s degree in economics (Diplom-Volkswirt) from University of Bonn.

Melis is responsible for the Global Impact Investment Facility and has 10 years of experience in the banking industry. Before joining DEG Impact, she was responsible for national & international corporate clients as Relationship Manager and worked in Sales & Process Management at Deutsche Bank AG. Melis has a Master’s degree in Accounting and Finance from FOM – University of Applied Sciences Bonn.

Christine Gierens supports the Head of Governance & Regulatory Affairs and the management team. Before joining DEG Impact, she worked as a sales coordinator in the service industry. Christine has completed a dual study program and holds a degree in commercial management from the EUFH.

Jacques Graßmann is senior analyst at DEG Impact. He holds a Master’s degree in Economic Policy Consulting from the Ruhr University Bochum with a specialization in Development Economics. In his role as a Senior Analyst, he works in the areas of Alternative Investments and Technical Assistance.

Thomas Klein has more than 20 years of experience in the financial sector – both in established markets as well as in developing and emerging countries. Before co-founding DEG Impact, he was at DEG mainly responsible for private equity & mezzanine investments in Asia and Africa. Prior to DEG, he worked for CAM Private Equity and Deloitte in the area of transaction services / M&A. He holds a degree in Business administration from the University of Cologne.

Gerd Lückel has more than 30 years of experience in the financial markets, particularly in asset management for German institutional clients. Before joining DEG Impact, he was the managing director at an investment management company in Hanover, where he was responsible, among other things, for portfolio management. Previously, he worked in investment consulting and strategic advisory for investors such as insurance companies, banks, pension institutions, foundations, and churches. He holds a degree as a Dipl. Bankbetriebswirt (BA).

Oliver Manheller is an Senior Analyst at DEG Impact. He holds a Master’s degree in Economics from Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn with a particular focus on Environmental and Development Economics. In his role as an Analyst, he works in the area of Alternative Investment.

Roman Nolte is responsible for regulatory affairs and has many years of professional experience in the financial services sector. Before joining DEG Impact, he was responsible for the supervision of central financial market infrastructures at the Deutsche Bundesbank and for the supervision of money laundering prevention measures of securities trading banks and capital management companies at the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority. He holds an MBA with a focus on risk management, finance and law.

Rena Pfannenschmidt is an Investment Manager at DEG Impact, specialising in Alternative Investments and Impact Investing, and holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Finance from Maastricht University. Before joining DEG Impact, she was responsible for business development for asset managers at HSBC Germany.

Steffen Planert is Investment Manager at DEG Impact with more than 5 years of private equity and M&A experience in emerging and developing markets. Prior to joining DEG Impact, he worked as an investment Analyst for DEG, where he worked on several transactions and was responsible for a mixed portfolio of funds & co-investments in Africa. Steffen has a Master’s degree in accounting and finance from FOM – University of Applied Sciences Essen.

Christian Sokola is responsible for currency management of the Global Impact Investment Facility and ImpactConnect. He has more than 20 years of professional experience, particularly in treasury consulting and relationship management for institutional-, large- and medium-sized corporate clients in Commerzbank’s Corporate Banking. He owes his further expertise in finance and sustainable finance to his positions as Head of Finance and Controlling at the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and the Regional Church Office of the Evangelical Church in the Rhineland, for which he continues to advise on the sustainable orientation of their investments. Christian holds a business administration (VWA) degree from the Academy of Administration and Economics in Koblenz.

Jens Sommer is responsible for the ImpactConnect program and has over 10 years of professional experience in business consulting and development finance. Before joining DEG Impact, he spent more than six years in project management at DEG. Earlier in his career, he worked in the advisory division of PricewaterhouseCoopers, contributing to both national and international projects.
He began his professional journey with the German Development Service (DED in Nicaragua.
Jens holds a degree in Business Administration from the Bremen University of Applied Sciences and studied International Management at Euromed École de Management in Marseille.

Jaspreet Stamm coordinates the activities for the Global Impact Investment Facility and ImpactConnect and brings over 20 years of experience. As Director of External Affairs, she led resource mobilisation and outreach activities at the Global Crop Diversity Trust and previously was a Fund Director at Finance in Motion, where she oversaw impact investment activities related to the eco.business Fund sub-Saharan Africa. She started her career at the Inter-American Development Bank where she was involved in both private sector investment activities as well as Syndications. She holds a Master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

Weronika Welter supports the activities related to the development programs – the Global Innovative Investment Fund and the ImpactConnect-Program – as well as the mobilization structures. She previously worked in Alternative Investments area in fund structuring and product management for institutional investors and asset managers at Universal Investments in Germany and Luxembourg. Weronika holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration – Corporate Development from the University of Cologne and is a CFA Sustainable Investment Certificate holder.

Lars Zimmermann is co-responsible for new business and portfolio management of funds and co-investments. Before joining DEG Impact, Lars worked for DEG, where he managed funds & co-investments in emerging markets with a focus on Africa. He holds a degree in business administration from the Universities of Cologne and Copenhagen.