FRANKFURT AM MAIN, DE / ACCESS Newswire / October 2, 2025 / DN Deutsche Nachhaltigkeit AG (ISIN: DE000A3DW408) announces the expansion of its board team with the appointment of Dr. Andreas Rickert as Chief Impact Officer. This strategic personnel decision underscores Deutsche Nachhaltigkeit’s ambitious growth strategy as the leading pure-play impact investor in German-speaking regions, combining sustainable investments with attractive returns.
Dr. Andreas Rickert is regarded as one of the most prominent thought leaders in the German impact investing scene and brings exceptional expertise spanning philanthropy, social impact, private equity, and capital markets advisory. His impressive professional career includes leadership positions at McKinsey & Company, the World Bank in Washington D.C., and the Bertelsmann Foundation, before founding the pioneering think-&-do-tank PHINEO in 2010, where he currently serves as CEO.
The molecular biology Ph.D., who completed his studies at renowned Stanford University in the United States, among others, also serves as Co-CEO of NIXDORF Kapital AG, a leading platform for sustainable investing with a target volume of 800 million euros across six impact funds. Since November 2023, Dr. Rickert has led the Federal Initiative for Impact Investing as chairman of Germany’s central competence platform for sustainable investment.
Strategic Reinforcement for Accelerated Growth
“With Dr. Andreas Rickert as Chief Impact Officer, we have secured a luminary from the German-speaking impact scene for our company,” explains Ole Nixdorff, CEO of DN Deutsche Nachhaltigkeit. “With this significant addition, we aim to further advance our growth strategy as an impact investor and substantially expand our portfolio. We will benefit considerably from the expertise and extensive network that Dr. Rickert brings.”
Dr. Rickert’s appointment comes at a crucial time for the impact investing industry. With global ESG assets expected to rise to over $53 trillion by 2025 (more than a third of total assets under management worldwide), we are experiencing a fundamental shift in capital allocation. Dr. Rickert will actively shape this transformation and further solidify Deutsche Nachhaltigkeit’s position as market leader.
“Impact investing has now established itself in Germany and is on its way to the mainstream,” says Dr. Rickert about his new position. “It is necessary to mobilize the capital market so that financing is made available there to create a better world. With Deutsche Nachhaltigkeit, we have the ideal platform to inspire institutional and private investors for measurable impact investments while achieving attractive returns.”
Bridge Builder Between Worlds
Dr. Rickert’s exceptionally versatile career path, from molecular biology through management consulting to development cooperation, makes him an ideal “bridge builder between different worlds.” His international orientation through studies, doctorate, and professional experience in Bahrain, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and the United States provides him with a global perspective on sustainable financing solutions.
As a business angel, Dr. Rickert is involved in a successful portfolio of purpose-driven startups and holds supervisory and advisory positions in various companies and non-profit organizations. This diverse spectrum of activities ideally complements Deutsche Nachhaltigkeit’s strategic goals, which operates both in direct investments and as a capital markets advisor for ESG companies.
Vision for Transformative Change
Under Dr. Rickert’s leadership at PHINEO, innovative approaches to impact measurement and strategic philanthropy emerged that gained international recognition. His publications are SPIEGEL bestsellers, and his expertise in Impact Measurement & Management will help Deutsche Nachhaltigkeit measure and communicate the impact of its portfolio companies even more precisely.
“Positive impact and entrepreneurship, these are my two guiding principles,” explains Dr. Rickert. “I am firmly convinced that we need more civic engagement, social innovation, and cross-sector collaboration to successfully address social and ecological challenges, with the goal of open, tolerant, and sustainable societies.”
His vision for impact investing seamlessly aligns with the fundamental tradition of the social market economy: “Impact investing means acting value-based despite having a very clear entrepreneurial understanding. My great hope is that the significant sustainability wave will emerge from Germany and Europe, not from the United States.”
Strategic Partnerships and Network
Dr. Rickert’s extensive network spans all relevant stakeholders in the impact investing ecosystem. As a founding member of the Federal Initiative for Impact Investing and member of EVPA (European Venture Philanthropy Association) and the Impact Management Project, he brings established partnerships that will accelerate Deutsche Nachhaltigkeit’s international expansion.
The strategic partnership between NIXDORF Kapital and Commerzbank, in which an 18% stake was agreed, demonstrates Dr. Rickert’s ability to bring impact investing to the mainstream. This experience will be crucial as Deutsche Nachhaltigkeit implements its ambitious growth plans in AI, mobility, circular economy, nutrition, health, and energy.
Tim B. Nixdorff, who has already worked with Dr. Rickert at the International Impact Forums, explains: “Dr. Rickert embodies exactly the visionary power and practical implementation strength we need for the next growth phase. His expertise in structuring and fundraising impact funds will help us significantly exceed our target volume.”
Outlook for 2025 and Beyond
With Dr. Rickert on the board team, Deutsche Nachhaltigkeit plans a significant acceleration of its investment strategy. The combination of Ole Nixdorff’s operational excellence and Dr. Rickert’s strategic foresight creates optimal conditions for the next expansion phase.
“Impact investing is not philanthropy, but an investment strategy applicable to all existing asset classes,” emphasizes Dr. Rickert. “If we want to bring impact investing to the mainstream, we cannot lag behind on returns. Returns must always be at least as high as conventional investments – while achieving measurable positive impact for society and the environment.”
Deutsche Nachhaltigkeit will leverage Dr. Rickert’s expertise to further develop its impact KPI matrix and establish internationally leading standards for impact measurement. Additionally, his extensive network will help attract new institutional investors and family offices for portfolio expansion.
About DN Deutsche Nachhaltigkeit AG
DN Deutsche Nachhaltigkeit AG is Germany’s leading publicly traded impact investor headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. The company invests exclusively in companies with high growth opportunities that achieve both attractive financial returns and measurable positive ecological and social impacts. With strict ESG criteria and a focus on future industries such as AI, mobility, circular economy, nutrition, health, and energy, Deutsche Nachhaltigkeit supports its portfolio companies through successful IPOs and capital market transactions. As organizer of the International Impact Forum series, the company promotes global dialogue on sustainable investing and its transformative power for a better future.
Contact:
DN Deutsche Nachhaltigkeit AG
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Email: info@dn-ag.com
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SOURCE: DN Deutsche Nachhaltigkeit AG
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