Paul Schram

Background

About Paul Schram

Professional BackgroundI started my career in 1992 in Audit at Ernst & Young, where I developed a strong financial and analytical foundation. In 1994, I transitioned into Equity Research, focusing on the food and non-food retail sectors, advising institutional investors and deepening my sector expertise over a six-year period.In I moved into Corporate Finance and Sector Advisory, specializing in the global retail and consumer industries. From 2007 to 2010, I was based in Hong Kong, advising clients across the Consumer sector, including Retail, Food & Beverage, and Agribusiness, throughout the Asia Pacific region. I continued this work from Singapore between 2010 and 2012, supporting cross-border transactions and strategic advisory mandates.After returning to Europe in 2012, I worked as an independent advisor, combining strategic advisory with hands-on transaction execution. Between 2013 and 2015, I served as Group Head of Mergers & Acquisitions at Carlsberg, based in Copenhagen, where I led global M&A activities and strategic initiatives.In 2015, I founded a microbrewery in the Netherlands, Ouderkerk’s Goud, blending entrepreneurial ambition with a passion for craft beer, while remaining active as a freelance M&A and strategy advisor.In 2017, I rejoined investment banking at Rabobank as Head of M&A for the Netherlands. At the end of 2018, I was appointed Global Head of M&A, and from 2021 onwards, Global Head of M&A and ECM. In early 2025, Rabobank merged its Sector Banking and M&A/ECM teams, after which I assumed leadership of the combined global platform as Global Head of Corporate Finance.Today, I lead a global team of approximately 150 M&A and ECM professionals. In the Netherlands, we operate across all sectors. Internationally, we focus on the global food value chain, from farm to fork, as well as sectors and sub-sectors connected to the Energy Transition.Specialties: Business and Financial strategy, Mergers and Acquisitions, Equity and Debt capital market transactions, Retail and Consumer Industries, Asian markets, Beer Industry, Micro Breweries, Beer Brewing.