WHO WE ARE
With a long-term view towards enabling a low-carbon economy, the firm offers essential financial and strategic support to biofuels projects that are currently viable, scalable, and demonstrate strong potential for commercial success, ensuring a pragmatic approach to sustainable energy advancements.
The team comprises seasoned professionals with extensive backgrounds in project finance, engineering, and renewable energy. This deep expertise enables the firm to identify and nurture projects with substantial economic, social, and environmental benefits.
With a commitment to excellence and sustainability, Sagewise Holdings plays a pivotal role in propelling the biofuels industry forward, while adhering to the highest standards of professionalism and environmental responsibility.
WHAT WE DO
Sagewise Holdings is actively engaged in the development and operation of vertically-integrated biofuels infrastructure. The firm brings together an array of corporate partners who are recognised leaders in their domains, including suppliers, offtakers, service providers, technology vendors, and financiers. In each project, this network of partners plays a vital role in achieving successful outcomes for all stakeholders.
The firm uses its expertise to guide the finance and execution of biofuels projects, ensuring that they are economically viable, socially and environmentally sustainable, and effectively meet current market demands.
This approach allows Sagewise Holdings to contribute significantly to the clean energy sector, facilitating the development of infrastructure that is essential in today’s energy landscape.
OUR TEAM
Phil Bouwer
BA LLB
Founding Partner
- CEO of Mabele Fuels
- 20 years’ experience in renewable energy finance and biofuels project development
- Founding partner of Sterling Waterford Securities (listed the first publicly-accessible carbon credit
investment derivative in 2005)
Prieur du Plessis
BCom Hons, CA (SA)
Founding Partner
- Head of procurement and commodity hedging at Mabele Fuels
- 25 years’ experience in banking, asset management, agriculture finance, and commodity trading
- Senior advisor to OWI Partners
- Founding partner and Chief Investment Officer of Barak Fund Management (sold investment in 2022)
- Supervisory Director of Afri-Can Frontier
Zahir Williams
BA LLB
Advisor
- 20 years’ experience in various corporate legal and executive roles
- Former Non-Executive Director of:
- NATREF (jointly owned by TotalEnergies and Sasol)
- South African Petroleum Industry Association (SAPIA)
- Previously Chief Legal Counsel to BP Southern Africa and Group General Counsel to Total South Africa
- Former Joint CEO of Mabele Fuels (2013-2014)
- Special advisor to Muslim Judicial Council of South Africa (1996-2018)
Zhai Bingyuan
Bachelor’s Degree / Senior Engineer
Advisor
- 40 years’ experience in engineering and management
- Previously General Manager (Engineering Business Unit) at China Ocean Aviation Group Limited (part of SINOMACH)
- Previously Engineer/Project Manager then General Manager (General Machinery Engineering Department) at China National Heavy Machinery Corporation
- Projects developed and managed include:
- Marine and storage infrastructure (China)
- Water supply (Vietnam), coal conveying systems (Philippines), power plants (Malaysia, Indonesia), starch production facilities (Brazil, Pakistan), national strategic reserve warehouse (Sudan), grain depot (Nigeria)
- Bioethanol plants (Argentina, Thailand), including initial work on the Mabele Fuels project
- 300 000 ton per annum fuel alcohol transformation and expansion project (COFCO)
Michael de Boer
BCom
Financial Director
- 20 years’ experience in renewable energy finance and biofuels project development
- Financial Manager at Mabele Fuels since 2007
WHAT WE DO
Sagewise Holdings is actively engaged in the development and operation of vertically-integrated biofuels infrastructure. The firm brings together an array of corporate partners who are recognised leaders in their domains, including suppliers, offtakers, service providers, technology vendors, and financiers. In each project, this network of partners plays a vital role in achieving successful outcomes for all stakeholders.
The firm uses its expertise to guide the finance and execution of biofuels projects, ensuring that they are economically viable, socially and environmentally sustainable, and effectively meet current market demands.
This approach allows Sagewise Holdings to contribute significantly to the clean energy sector, facilitating the development of infrastructure that is essential in today’s energy landscape.
OUR TEAM
Phil Bouwer
BA LLB
Founding Partner
- CEO of Mabele Fuels
- 20 years’ experience in renewable energy finance and biofuels project development
- Founding partner of Sterling Waterford Securities (listed the first publicly-accessible carbon credit
investment derivative in 2005)
Prieur du Plessis
BCom Hons, CA (SA)
Founding Partner
- Head of procurement and commodity hedging at Mabele Fuels
- 25 years’ experience in banking, asset management, agriculture finance, and commodity trading
- Senior advisor to OWI Partners
- Founding partner and Chief Investment Officer of Barak Fund Management (sold investment in 2022)
- Supervisory Director of Afri-Can Frontier
Zahir Williams
BA LLB
Advisor
- 20 years’ experience in various corporate legal and executive roles
- Former Non-Executive Director of:
- NATREF (jointly owned by TotalEnergies and Sasol)
- South African Petroleum Industry Association (SAPIA)
- Previously Chief Legal Counsel to BP Southern Africa and Group General Counsel to Total South Africa
- Former Joint CEO of Mabele Fuels (2013-2014)
- Special advisor to Muslim Judicial Council of South Africa (1996-2018)
Zhai Bingyuan
Bachelor’s Degree / Senior Engineer
Advisor
- 40 years’ experience in engineering and management
- Previously General Manager (Engineering Business Unit) at China Ocean Aviation Group Limited (part of SINOMACH)
- Previously Engineer/Project Manager then General Manager (General Machinery Engineering Department) at China National Heavy Machinery Corporation
- Projects developed and managed include:
- Marine and storage infrastructure (China)
- Water supply (Vietnam), coal conveying systems (Philippines), power plants (Malaysia, Indonesia), starch production facilities (Brazil, Pakistan), national strategic reserve warehouse (Sudan), grain depot (Nigeria)
- Bioethanol plants (Argentina, Thailand), including initial work on the Mabele Fuels project
- 300 000 ton per annum fuel alcohol transformation and expansion project (COFCO)
Michael de Boer
BCom
Financial Director
- 20 years’ experience in renewable energy finance and biofuels project development
- Financial Manager at Mabele Fuels since 2007