Environment Magazine

NewEnergyWorldNetwork interviews Ian Wilson the founder of New Leaf Capital. Ian discusses the challenges facing a new fund of funds in the clean energy sector and the increasing opportunities to be found in Eastern Europe.

New Leaf Capital targets investments in venture capital and private equity funds focused on the cleantech sector, and will raise capital from institutions and family offices.  Ian has worked at a number of financial institutions, including Drexel Burnham Lambery, Credit Suisse Financial Products. Most recently, he spent seven years at JP Morgan where he held a number of positions including managing director, co-head of derivative distribution to Northern European corporate and financial institutions.

Why cleantech?

‘Renewable energy and cleantech is a growth area. There is increasing consumer demand, certainly within the European space, for environmental policies. I envisage that this market will grow on an ongoing basis. It will undoubtedly have volatility, because like any trend, they do not move in a straight line.

I see it as a strong growth market and the returns that are achievable are significant and in some cases are growing more significant as the market dislocation continues. The fund will target returns in the order of 20 per cent net of fees, if not greater.’

Environment Magazine is launching an online directory for its website www.environmentmagazine.uk.com .  The directory will cover people, organisations and businesses that participate in the sectors of the environment and climate change.  The directory will be based from 17,000 qualified names on the magazine's database and will be a "Who's Who and Who's What" for the sector.