Aquila takes the rural route with new hires

Aquila Capital has expanded its presence in the agricultural sector by hiring seven experienced farmers for its advisory team.

The Hamburg-based firm says the new additions will reinforce its presence in markets beyond its successful New Zealand and Australian operations.

Dubbing the new hires ‘farmers who speak finance’, Aquila said it has founded its agricultural team on experienced practitioners instead of hiring people with purely financial backgrounds.

The team will continue to be led by Detlef Schoen, who has headed Aquila Capital’s agriculture investment operations since 2007.

Headquarters for the team will be in Singapore, although part of the plans to improve its global reach will see employees stationed on the ground in New Zealand, Australia, Romania and Uruguay through regional management companies.

The seven new names to join the firm are:

• Andrew Watters and Grant Rowan, partners at pastoral farming manager AGInvest in New Zealand. 
• Jesper Brunhoj Jensen, who will be responsible for Eastern Europe and arable farming; 
• David Cornish, who will lead the agricultural business in Australia; 
• Fernando Rovira Cuervo will head up the Uruguayan and Chilean operations; 
• Paulo Murray will represent the team in Brazil;
• Eric Bosveld in Canada and the US;

Commenting on the new appointments, Schoen said: ‘We have seen a significant rise in demand for agricultural investment solutions by institutional investors and are close to closing an agricultural fund that is tailored specifically to cater to this demand.’

‘This move enables us to offer further innovative investment solutions that meet the demand for competitive uncorrelated returns in the agricultural investment space.’