Prior to co-founding EFS, Bernard was CEO and Co-Founder of Ecofin Ltd., an independent investment management firm, founded in 1992, with focus on the global utility, infrastructure, alternative energy and environmental sectors, based in London. Between 2004 and 2014, Bernard also controlled 100 % of Ecofin Fund Management International which managed up to US$5.5bn of funds in various strategies.

Bernard has 35 years of experience in finance and investment management. His background in structuring investments and managing investment teams through complex investments in the sustainable energy and infrastructure sectors is directly contributing to EFS’s activity.

Bernard is a Civil Engineer and has an MBA from INSEAD Fontainebleau.

Jens is Co-Founder of EFS and brings extensive industry network worldwide and fundamental shipping expertise. He has 29 years of experience in the maritime industry, including sale & purchase, chartering, shipping finance and asset management.

Jens started up his shipping career as Dry Cargo Chartering Broker at Skaarup Shipping in Hamburg and New York before becoming Chartering Manager in the bulker and tanker markets for 7 years at Frachtkontor Junge & Co.

At Nordcapital Group, Jens was Managing Partner overseeing a fleet of 130+ vessels under management. After that, as Managing Partner at König & Cie, he was responsible for all shipping activities and was involved in over 100 shipping transactions.

Prior co-founding EFS, he was CEO at Ernst Russ AG, a listed German group focusing on shipping and alternative asset classes such as fund-of-fund, infrastructure, real estate, and renewable energy for its issued fund vehicles (USD 5bn+).

At EFS, Jens has overall responsibility for shipping aspects, from origination, to monitoring and exiting the investments.

Dirk brings an intensive track record at the crossroads between financial structuring and shipping to EFS, with a 25 years professional career.

He started his career at the consultancy firm McKinsey & Company, before working in the corporate finance world. Moving into the maritime space, Dirk became Managing Director of HSH Corporate Finance, a subsidiary of HSH Nordbank (now Hamburg Commercial Bank). He later became Managing Director at the bank itself.

During his time at HSH, Dirk and his teams were responsible for many innovative ship finance (re-) structurings, and he is thus well-connected in the maritme space. In the last years, he worked as an independent consultant, helping some of Europe’s largest shipping groups in their financial set-ups. 

As member of the supervisory board of “portfoliomanagement”, the wind down institution for shipping loans owned by the German states of Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein, Dirk recently oversaw the successful sale of the remaining portfolio to an international financial consortium. 

Dirk holds an M.Sc. (Econ) from the London School of Economics and a PhD from the University of Münster.

At EFS, Dirk is responsible for deal origination and structuring and corporate development.

Roel´s experience includes 25 years in debt and equity investments. He started his career as a Corporate Credit Officer focused on the underwriting of SME´s at the privately held Bank J. Van Breda & Co in Antwerp, Belgium. After that, he worked for 10 years at GE Capital in London, Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels, first as a Credit Manager at GE Capital´s European Equipment Finance (EEF) Benelux and Pan-European Team, were he was involved in 12 M&A projects and due diligences on European banks and Leasing companies. After that, he was M&A and Integrations Manager, as well as Business Development Manager at GE Working Capital Solutions (WCS). He became Commercial Leader and Member of the EMEA Management Team of GE WCS, with working capital responsibility for all GE´s industrials in EMEA.

For 4 years, he was an MD and Partner in the alternative lending Mezzanine Funds of DAM Capital (Dresdner Anschutz Mezzinvest) and its successor Belvall Capital. He worked as Senior Advisor in the investment team of Ecofin ltd, where he focused on debt strategies, and gained 7 years of corporate finance experience, including being a Partner at Clairfield International (Midcap Advisory).

Roel has a Cum Laude MSc Economics from Antwerp and an MBA from the University of Chicago. He was Erasmus Exchanged at the University of Jena, Germany.

At EFS, Roel is responsible for the whole investment process, from sourcing to closing. He is CFO and Managing Director for EFS Germany and Board Member at EFS Luxembourg.

Romain has a MSc in Business Administration from IESEG School of Business, France and a MSc in Shipping and Logistics from Southampton SOLENT University, UK.

Romain joined the investment team of EFS in 2017 and is engaged in the whole investment process, sourcing, structuring and executing transactions.

His past shipping experience includes 3 years at Ernst Russ AG and Ernst Russ Marine Advisors, covering alternative investments, structured shipping finance, active asset management of various portfolios and reporting.

At EFS, he is part of the investment team.