Maarten J. Gnoth
Managing Director · Hinterland Management BV
Interim Executive · Biomass & Bioenergy Expert · Feedstock Origination ·
Investment Advisory · Sustainability Certification
Founder-led. Operator-grounded. Independent.
Hinterland Management is a specialist advisory and interim management practice for biomass, bioenergy, and sustainable investment in Africa and Southeast Asia. Founded in 2019 by Maarten Gnoth, the practice delivers mandates directly with senior-level involvement throughout the work.
Maarten has 25+ years of international experience spanning biomass supply chain origination, bioenergy project development, sustainability certification governance, M&A and JV structuring, and executive management. His career has covered both sides of the transaction — as a corporate investor at ENGIE and as an independent advisor through Hinterland — giving him a rare combination of institutional credibility and operational ground-truth.
He is Dutch, based in the Netherlands, fluent in Dutch and English with working French and German, and has worked in more than 20 African countries and throughout Southeast Asia.
Co-founder of the Sustainable Biomass Partnership
In 2013, Maarten co-founded the Sustainable Biomass Partnership (SBP) as vice-chairman — together with the founding members from major European utilities including ENGIE, Drax, RWE, and Vattenfall. The SBP has since become the international certification standard used by all major European utilities to demonstrate RED III compliance for their biomass sourcing.
He simultaneously served as a Member of the Executive Board of the Dutch Biomass Certification Foundation (DBC) and the Green Gold Label (GGL), and as Alternate Director of the Better Coal Initiative.
This standards governance experience sits at the core of the advisory work. Maarten’s involvement in SBP, FSC, GGL, RED III, and EUDR-related frameworks gives Hinterland a practical understanding of what supply chains must prove, how evidence is assessed, and where certification risk typically emerges.
Career Highlights
Hinterland Management BV (2019–present)
Managing Director of an independent advisory and interim management practice specialising in biomass, bioenergy, and sustainable investment in Africa and Southeast Asia. 25+ mandates delivered since 2019 across Africa, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Concurrent member of the Bain Advisor Network.
ENGIE / GDF SUEZ / Electrabel (2006–2019)
Former Manager Business Development Biomass Upstream and Manager Sustainable Development at a major European utility. Managed global biomass JV investments with board roles in Canada, Australia, and Cameroon. Founded and led Electrabel/ENGIE Netherlands’ Sustainable Development department, delivering the 27 MW Eemshaven wind farm and a wider renewable portfolio.
Advance Consulting BV (2004–2006)
Business consultant supporting Dutch companies entering African emerging markets through the PSI/PSOM Dutch MoFA programme. Project development, JV structuring, business planning, and financing support.
Nuon Renewable Energy / Vattenfall (2002–2004)
Development Manager Bio-Energy and Product Manager Renewable Energy. Introduced the Fee-for-Service solar PV rural electrification model in Mali and South Africa. Initiated Africa biomass development and emission reduction programmes.
Perpetual Next (2020-2022)
Chief Commercial Officer of a clean tech scale-up commercialising proprietary torrefaction technology for biomass densification and carbon recovery. Full CCO responsibility across commercial strategy, business development, feedstock management, and investor engagement.
KEMA Nederland / DNV GL (2000–2002)
Business Consultant for international acquisition at utilities and ministries for World Bank, EC, USAID, and EBRD-funded consultancy projects. Feasibility studies, market studies, asset management, and bid management.
Wärtsilä NSD (1997–2000)
Area Sales Manager Africa — power plant sales and IPP origination across Southern and Anglophone West Africa. Managed two sales representatives ; built relationships with project developers, financial institutions, and utilities.
Board Positions
Pacific Bio-Energy, British Columbia, Canada — Director on Board (2013–2017)
C$45M wood pellet facility. Managed ENGIE's equity stake through to divestment.
Plantation Energy Australia — Director on Board (2017–2019)
Operational wood pellet facility. Board oversight and ENGIE JV interest management.
BIOCAM (Biomass Cameroon) — Director on Board (2017–2019)
Wood chip facility. Co-developed, funded, and operationally oversaw from development through operations.
Sustainable Biomass Partnership (SBP) — Vice-Chairman & Co-founder (2013–2018)
International biomass certification body. Governance development, nominations committee, standard-setting.
Dutch Biomass Certification Foundation (DBC) — Member of Executive Board (2014–2019)
National biomass certification governance.
Green Gold Label (GGL) — Member of Executive Board (2014–2015)
Representing ENGIE on the GGL certification board.
Geographic Footprint
20+ African countries —
operational and advisory experience
Ghana · Ivory Coast · Liberia · Nigeria · Burkina Faso · Cameroon · Congo Brazzaville · DRC · Tanzania · Rwanda · Uganda · Mozambique · Namibia · South Africa · Eswatini · Zambia · Madagascar · Mauritius · Morocco · Egypt · Mali · Sierra Leone
Europe
Netherlands · Belgium · Estonia · Portugal · Russia (pre-2022)
Asia - Pacific
Indonesia · Malaysia · Vietnam · Thailand · Sri Lanka · Bangladesh · Singapore · Australia
Americas
Canada (British Columbia) · United States · Colombia · Surinam · Brazil
Education
International Technological Development Sciences (ITDS) Social Sciences & Industrial Management Eindhoven University of Technology, 1994 Master's thesis: Leyland DAF Tanzania Ltd., Dar es Salaam
M.Sc
Automotive Engineering Apeldoorn Institute of Automotive Engineering, 1991, Internship amongst others as car mechanic in Rwanda 1990
B.Sc
How Hinterland works
What clients can expect
A founder-led specialist practice delivering biomass and bioenergy advisory with 25 years of operational and institutional experience
An independent firm holding no equity positions, offtake commitments, or commercial interests in the supply chains we assess
A practice with direct experience inside the certification standards we advise on — co-founder of SBP, board member of DBC and GGL
Available for interim executive appointments where a project needs an experienced commercial or sustainability executive embedded on-site
Engagement boundaries
Independent advisory; no role as broker or trading house
Origination intelligence and feedstock screening are provided within agreed mandates
Specialist biomass and bioenergy focus rather than broad generalist ESG consultancy
Senior-led delivery, with Maarten Gnoth directly involved in mandate design and execution