Manfred Schweda

b. Vienna, Austria, 19 Dec 1964.

+212 645016425  |  +43 68110275217  |  manfred@generizon.com  |  ms@msconex.com

 

Career

 

Oct 2014 to present

Founder/Owner of generizon. generizon is a Moroccan company co-founded by Manfred Schweda and Stefanie Sohm. generizon’s activities focus on sustainable energy projects with a main emphasis on biomass and biogas developments. generizon provides in-depth analyzing capabilities to determine profitability and feasibility. With its European technology partners, the team finds adequate solutions for all clients' needs and opportunities; together with international financial institutions generizon is capable of raising equity and debt financing. In the region of North and West Africa, its founders and collaborators draw on years of experience, knowledge and embedded-ness. generizon's vision is to bring industrial-scale, green power generation to Africa.

Aug 2013 to present

Founder/Owner of MSConex. The Distribution of Renewable Energy Projects from Solar to Biogas to Africa, thus the Employment of Environmental Technologies are core pursuit of MSConex. Casablanca Metropolis serves as a chosen base, and Morocco as the Gateway to Grander Africa. Activity centers around representing European Companies active in the Maghreb, consulting Moroccan Businesses in Europe and thirdly facilitating Sub-Saharan Engagements of the two. MSConex connects.

 

 

Jul 2004 to Aug 2013

Photographer/Writer. Career change after 12 years in financial markets. Creator of ThisFabTrek.com - Travel Photography in West Africa, Middle East, Latin America, Europe. Publication of some two hundred researched short stories, social criticisms, elaborations on travels, cultures, politics, religions of the world.

Professional photography on cultural events, music and theatre festival.

 

 

Jan 2002 to Apr 2004

Financial Markets Trading, Bank Austria-Creditanstalt (BA-CA), Vienna, Chief Dealer, Head of Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (EEMEA)-Local Markets Trading. Bank Austria, was part of Hypo-Vereins Bank (HVB) Group, both later taken over by Unicredito. The group's EEMEA Emerging Markets Trading activities were concentrated in Vienna.

Main Responsibilities:

Running of the Fixed Income EEMEA Local Markets Trading Desk. Head of a group of four, trading bonds and derivatives in CZK, PLN, HUF, SKK and to some extent ZAR and TRY. Market Making was carried out in CZK, PLN and HUF Interest Rate Swaps (IRS), Cross Currecy Swaps (CCS) and Forward Rate Agreements (FRAs), to some extent Swaptions, Caps and Floors on client interests. Additionally revenue was generated through positions taking in the Foreign Exchange (FX) Market. Once set up the workings of the derivatives desk were instrumental for establishing the Bank's new issue business, structuring and placing local markets Euro bonds. In 2002 HVB lead-managed 12 and in 2003 11 new issues in CZK, PLN and SKK there-by establishing itself amongst the top banks doing Euro bond issues in the region.

In the September 2003 Risk Magazine's survey of the derivatives industry voted Bank Austria to either number 1 or 2 in all the major Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) categories.

N.B.: CZK, PLN, HUF, SKK, ZAR, TRY are the international currency designators for the currencies of Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, South Africa and Turkey respectively.

 

 

May 2000 to Jan 2002

Financial Markets Trading, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, Frankfurt, Vice President, Emerging Markets, Derivatives Trading.

Senior Trader, Eastern European Local Markets and South Africa. Main responsibilities covered market making, position taking and structuring in CZK, PLN, HUF and ZAR in IRS, CCS, FRAs, trading included Bonds and FX. Sole responsibility for the technical creation of all pricing and risk-management spread-sheets for derivatives and bond trading.

In 2001 the derivatives market survey in Risk Magazine awarded Dresdner Bank with 2nd ranks for best PLN Swaps house and best Eastern European Emerging Markets FRA house.

 

 

Jun 1999 to May 2000

Financial Broker, Cantor Fitzgerald, London, for Euro Interest Rate Swaps.

 

 

In Feb 1999

After its merger with Bank One, First Chicago decided to leave the European market following a review of business strategy, closing down its London operations.

 

 

Oct 1997 to Feb 1999

Financial Markets Trading, First Chicago NBD, London, Vice President, Head of Euro Swaps Trading.

Senior trader, head of a group of four. Central role on the desk in terms of market direction and support of other traders.

Watching over convergence of constituent-currencies and the EUR introduction, significant share in achieving a reputation for the bank as a significant player in the EUR swaps and FRA market, amongst clients and counter-parties. The position involved running major proprietary positions as well as market-making to the inter-bank market and quoting and pricing deals for the bank's marketing force (customer/end user business).

 

 

Aug 1994 to Aug 1997

Financial Markets Trading, Bankgesellschaft Berlin, Berlin, Assistant Director, Risk Management Derivatives.

Jan. 1996 to Aug. 1997 starting the bank's ECU and FRF swaps books (market-making, proprietary trading). Building up the bank's name as an ECU house (award in Risk Magazine 1997, 3rd bank in ECU swaps 1996).

Aug. 1994 to Dec. 1995 market-making, proprietary trading in ATS and DEM swaps. Building up the bank's ATS book and achieving a reputation for ATS products.

Involved in risk management systems decisions, creation of important risk management and pricing tools; some of them were being used for a long time after.

N.B.: ATS, DEM, ECU, FFR, CHF are the international currency designators for Austrian Shilling, Deutsch Marks, European Currency Unit, French Franc, Swiss Franc respectively.

 

 

Jan 1992 to Jul 1994

Financial Markets Trading, GiroCredit Bank, Vienna.

Since Jan. 1993 responsible for trading the bank's swaps book in DEM, ATS and CHF, market making in ATS. Driving force behind a major overhaul of risk management systems and establishment of the same. In the end head of a group of four.

 

 

Aug 1989 to May 1990

Computer PC Consultant, IBM-Austria, Vienna.

Working in IBM's PC Hotline, client problem solving, holding of computer seminars.

 

 

Jul 1985, Jul-Sep 1986, Jul-Oct 1987

Equipment Operator, Weatherford International, Pau, France; Hassi Messaoud, Algeria; Deir-Az-Zor, Syria respectively.

Weatherford is an oil service operator, operating special equipment (tongs), for casing and tubing jobs for oil-rigs and pipelines.

 

Education

 

1991

MBA, Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration.

Specialization: Financial Markets and International Business.

Master's Thesis: A Review of Option Pricing Models and its Application on Stock Options traded on the newly established Austrian Futures and Options Exchange.

 

 

1982

Diploma, Vienna Federal High School - Bundesrealgymnasium District III.

 

 

Languages

German, English, French completely fluent, conversation, reading, writing. Spanish semi-fluent. Arabic basics, reading, writing.

 

 

Computers

Expertise on Mac and PC, Spreadsheet Programming, HTML/CSS, Photoshop/Bridge.

 

 

 

 

Interests

The world and today's challenges, like climate change, sustainable agriculture to feed an ever larger population, a circular economy that goes hand in hand with a healthy environment; I love this world and its cultures, its history, art, music and languages, photography and nature, cities and food, basically what ever defines us, humans. I am liberal, progressive, free spirited and foremost prepared to take today's challenges.

Personal

I am married and father of twin boys (b. 2007).