Experienced entrepreneurs, investors, advisors and Africa experts - these are our Board and Team members:

Martin Schoeller is Honorary Consul of the Republic of Togo AND AUTHOR OF "Africa First! Roadmap for a joint future". Regarding his professional career, Mr. Schoeller is Managing Director and owner of the Schoeller Group, Board member of the Bavarian Family Entrepreneurs, founder of the Munich Europe Conference and of the Desert Food Foundation (NOW "AFRICA FIRST FOUNDATION"). Mr. Schoeller studied engineering and economics at ETH Zürich (Dipl. Ing)

Ekkehard Franzke is an investor as well as a strategic and corporate finance advisor. Mr. Ekkehard Franzke has had several Partner positions within the consulting space - including being a Partner at Bain, Kearney and L.E.K. Consulting. Furthermore, he was Investment Manager at Deutsche Handelsbank. Mr. Ekkehard Franzke holds a MA. in Economics from the University of Regensburg and a PhD in Economics from WU Wien.

As a senior ministerial councillor in the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ulrich Rieger has organised high-level delegations of companies and academia to more than 30 African countries over many years and has managed more than 100 visits by African ministers to Germany. He has extensive experience and personal contacts. Previously, he was responsible for international financial markets, banking and insurance for 7 years and worked for 10 years in the German Bundestag at the highest level.

Eric Agbo has been working as a consultant and trainer at the interfaces between politics, economy, business and education since 2004. His focus is on socio-political consulting, diversity and interculture and communication. With his multicultural background he accompanies political bodies, companies, institutions and funded national and international projects. Mr Agbo studied political science, business education and modern history at the University of Augsburg.

Sheila von Hoerner is an accomplished renewable energy developer and advisor with over a decade of experience working in Africa. She holds a Master's degree in Economics from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland and a Bachelor's degree in Finance from the University of Houston, USA. Throughout her career, Sheila has been dedicated to advancing Africa's transition to a sustainable economy by spearheading innovative renewable energy projects. Sheila has been instrumental in developing partnerships between local communities, governments, and international organizations to advance the adoption of clean energy technologies. Her ability to navigate complex regulatory environments and her deep understanding of local cultures and customs have made her an indispensable partner to those seeking to invest in the renewable energy sector in Africa. Her latest venture is the establishment of a facility for waste-based insect farming in Uganda to produce a local and sustainable source of animal feed. For Sheila, insect farming is a game-changing advance in the world’s efforts to address the climate challenge and to solve the net zero equation. Sheila is also an active member of her community, focusing on women's empowerment through job creation. She is committed to breaking down barriers and promoting gender equality, recognizing that empowering young girls is a critical step in creating a more just and equitable society.

Charles Mugarura , 31 Permaculture social entrepreneur, Tuttor , designer, innovator and 17 years experience in permaculture eco –system design with background of Computer Science - Makerere University Business School and a number specialised expertise disciplines. he is Global Citizen based in the horn of East Africa - Uganda serving at national and global level, policy Advocate on youth Empowerment, Gender Equality ,Health and sustainable transformation through best and efficient alternatives from environment as i believe in reframing indigenous technologies using the permaculture approach. He has successfully applied his deep understanding of permaculture and works to develop various solutions for farming practices, education, leadership and life style using permaculture. Currently building up the fair trade links on premium plants both on bulk and retail value chains with focus to increase profit margin among small scale holder farming practising organic farming using permaculture and agroforestry. Leading consultancy and design in education agro tech, Caju Production and Research programing and Implementation. Charles Mugarura is BEU’s representative for Phase 2 of the permEzone pilot program. Currently with key collaboration with Morag Gamble , Angie Polkey, Matt Powers and other regional educators. www.broadfieldpermaculture.org

Oni Oviri has a strong political and commercial background with extensive experience, knowledge and expertise in Public, Private and Third Sector Procurement, Supply Chain and Logistics Management. Sector specialism includes Health, ESG, infrastructure development and commodities. Oni has co-authored a number of pamphlets for international journals on the subject of boosting trade with sub-Saharan Africa. She has considerable political experience working on campaigns and missions in Europe and Africa. Oni holds a degree in Procurement and Supply and is qualified MCIPS. https://twitter.com/ONIOVIRI

Daniel learned the retail business from the ground up and worked for the German retail giant Lidl for more than 20 years. During his career, he served as CEO Lidl Germany and as a member of the group's executive board. At the beginning of 2021, he joined the board of the MDAX company Sixt. In these days, Daniel is a management consultant and a member of supervisory boards. Since November 2023, he is also involved with the Africa First Network, contributing in particular his experience and network in the European retail sector. E.g., Daniel is a valuable contact person for Fairtrade and Fairchain entrepreneurs who produce food and other consumer goods in Africa and want to sell them in European supermarkets.