Michael Opitz is Managing Director of the Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung, a foundation promoting as an implementer sustainable development in the coffee and cocoa sector. The foundation focuses on enabling farmer families to independently achieve a superior livelihood by raising income through higher productivity, better management and improved market access. Currently, projects of Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung and its partners reach more than 115,000 farming households in 14 countries (accumulated: around 185,000 direct beneficiaries since 2001).

Michael holds an MSc in agricultural economics from Wye College of London University. Before joining the Neumann Kaffee Gruppe in 1992, he has worked for GIZ. Michael’s professional life is marked by a variety of agricultural projects in amongst others Brazil, the Dominican Republic and Ethiopia, during which he collected experience in hands-on development work. Now based in Hamburg, he steers the operations of the independent non-for profit foundation “Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung”.