At C-Quest Capital, the heart and soul of our success lies in the dedication and passion of our exceptional team members. We are excited to kick off a series of blog posts highlighting the exceptional talent we have in this company to put a spotlight on the remarkable individuals who make our organization thrive. From innovative minds to compassionate hearts, this series aims to showcase the diverse talents and unique journeys that come together to drive our mission forward. Join us as we celebrate the people who are the driving force behind our success and discover the remarkable stories that make C-Quest Capital a leader in our field. Our first blog features, Investment Associate, Simon Borcherdt who is based out in our Sydney, Australia office.
Simon has been with the company since May 2022. He describes his role as “preparing operating and financial estimates and pitch decks to be presented to potential investors to raise funds (or allocate our own money) for carbon projects in the Africa portfolio. Once we have a project closed, I work to ensure consistent, transparent communication with investors and ensure we are optimizing our operating capacity across the portfolio to create the most impact.”
When asked why he decided to join C-Quest, Simon explains, “I was very excited by the work that the role and team presented, the counterparties that CQC worked with and the impact that C-Quest had on the environment. Through the interview process I learned a lot about the additional social and health benefits that come with a CQC project, and that absolutely sold me that it was the right company to join.”
Regarding C-Quest’s company culture, Simon says, “I would say that the C-Quest culture is defined by the effort that everyone across the business puts in. Whether it is the long hours that people go through, the obscure hours for calls across time zones or the time away from family and friends while traveling for work, there are so many recounts of people putting in the hard yards to ensure the company vision is met. I think everyone in the business is led by the effort that we see from the executive team members, and we have bought into the long-term vision of exactly what this company can accomplish.”
Simon wishes people knew that their job doesn’t just involve spreadsheets all day. “Whilst a robust financial model makes our lives a lot easier, producing the narrative and ‘pitch’ is the most enjoyable part of the job,” he says.
Simon loves the work that C-Quest does because they “manage the balance between profit, environmental, and social impact. It is not easy to find a company that truly puts their money where their mouth is in terms of effecting positive change in the world, while being self-sufficient financially to scale in a way that will leave a meaningful legacy.”
One highlight of his time at C-Quest has been “the projects with tight deadlines, whole team pitching in. There have been some late nights, elation, frustration, delusion, and a whole lot of spreadsheets!” Simon also confesses to being a geography enthusiast but struggles to remember the African landscape. “So, if you ever see me looking to my left on a call about a new project, I’m not uninterested I’m just trying to figure out where on the continent we are!” he jokes.
It’s clear that Simon is passionate about his work at C-Quest Capital and values the company’s mission to create lasting positive change in the world.