Since 1999

Navigating complex deals, entering new markets, and building sustainable energy infrastructure.

Strategy, business development, and investment expertise across energy, financial services, AI-driven transformation, and emerging technologies — with 26 years of hands-on execution across five continents.

26+
Years Experience
5
Continents
M&A
Expertise
4
Languages
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"Complex deals across borders fall apart without someone who's done it before. I've spent 26 years on the operator side — structuring deals, building platforms, navigating regulators, and closing transactions from Amsterdam to Singapore. Today, I augment that experience with AI to deliver sharper insights, faster. That combination is what I bring to every engagement."

Freek Dech, Founder
Services

How I Can Help

Not a consultancy with a bench of juniors. Direct access to a senior AI-augmented operator who's built, bought, and sold companies across four sectors.

Strategy & Transformation

Corporate strategy, AI-driven transformation, restructuring, and governance for complex multi-jurisdictional environments.

Strategic roadmaps
Business unit carve-outs
Governance design

Business Development

Market entry strategies, international expansion, licensing, and partnership development across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Market entry & expansion
IP & technology licensing
Cross-border negotiations

M&A & Investments

Deal structuring, due diligence, active investing, post-merger integration, and exit planning.

Deal structuring & modeling
Active investor roles
Restructuring & exits

AI & Concept Development

AI-augmented strategy, new venture design, business case development, and go-to-market strategies — leveraging AI to compress timelines and sharpen insights.

AI-augmented advisory & due diligence
Corporate AI transformation design
Venture design & financial modeling
Track Record

Selected Case Studies

From executed deals to investment concepts — a selection of work that shows the breadth and depth of involvement.

01
Energy Markets Software & Licensing

European Energy Exchange Software & Algorithms

Held end-responsibility for the company that developed core trading and market coupling software and algorithms for major European energy exchanges. Licensed and commercialized this technology across the region, enabling cross-border energy market integration. Served as Non-Executive Director for a European energy exchange joint venture, providing strategic direction for the software powering cross-border trading and market coupling.

Role: End-responsible & NED (exchange JV)
Outcome: Software and algorithms adopted by major European exchanges
02
Energy Cross-Border Trading Advisory

Cross-Border Power Trading & Market Design

Lead consultant in a consortium advising a national power procurement entity on cross-border electricity trading frameworks, PPA design, and regional market integration. Scope included drafting power trading agreements, negotiation support, regulatory gap analysis, and institutional capacity building. Work spans market design, operational processes, and supporting the development of a regional electricity trading hub.

Role: Lead consultant — consortium advisory
Scope: PPAs, market design, cross-border frameworks, capacity building
03
FinTech Platform Build

Direct Lending Platform — Inception to Market Leader

Co-founded and scaled a European direct lending platform into one of the largest in the region. Oversaw the full lifecycle: technology architecture, system design, web development, fundraising, regulatory compliance, and business development across multiple jurisdictions.

Role: Co-founder & CTO
Outcome: Scaled to one of Europe's largest direct lending platforms
04
M&A Crowdfunding US OTC Listed

Equity Crowdfunding Platform — Restructuring, US Listing & Exit

Managed the complete corporate restructuring and international expansion of an equity crowdfunding platform. Handled IP structuring, listing on the US OTC market, and the formation of a strategic joint venture with a major Italian bank (serving as Non-Executive Director). Guided the company through to successful acquisition by a European investment platform.

Role: Restructuring lead & NED (Italy JV)
Outcome: US OTC listing → successful exit via acquisition
05
Software Build & Exit

ERP Software Company — Build, Operate, Sell

Led a German software development company as Geschäftsführer (Managing Director), specializing in ERP components for SMEs in the German Mittelstand. Managed operations, product development, and client relationships. Successfully negotiated the sale of the business.

Role: Geschäftsführer (Managing Director)
Outcome: Company built, operated, and sold
06
Active Investing Portfolio

Startup Investments — Active Investor & Board Advisor

Invested in and actively supported multiple startups across fintech, technology, and energy, taking on roles as active investor and board advisor. Hands-on involvement in restructuring, scaling, and — where needed — winding down companies. Not a passive check-writer: directly involved in strategy, operations, and the hard decisions that determine whether a venture succeeds or gets terminated.

Role: Active investor & board advisor across multiple ventures
Approach: Hands-on: restructure, scale, or wind down
07
Insurance Divestiture Prep

Insurance Business Unit — Preparing for Sale

As business unit lead at a major Dutch health insurer, prepared the entire income insurance division for divestiture. Oversaw due diligence preparation, implemented operational improvements, and positioned the unit for a clean handover to the acquirer.

Role: Business unit lead
Outcome: Business unit prepared and sold
08
AI Corporate Design Transformation

AI-Augmented Advisory — Rebuilding the Consulting Model

Redesigned Dechnology's own advisory practice around AI-augmented workflows: from due diligence acceleration and real-time market intelligence synthesis to AI-driven deal screening and regulatory analysis. Demonstrated that a senior solo operator with the right AI stack can match the output quality and speed of traditional multi-analyst teams — while maintaining the judgment, relationships, and creative synthesis that define high-value advisory work. Now advising clients on applying the same AI transformation principles to their own corporate design and decision-making processes.

Role: Practitioner & advisor — AI-native consulting model
Impact: 2-week analyst work compressed to 2 days with improved insight quality
Sector Focus

Industries I Work In

Energy & Infrastructure

Grid infrastructure, renewable energy, cross-border trading, market design, storage systems, transition finance, and clean tech.

Blockchain & Tokenization

Asset tokenization, DeFi infrastructure, RWA platforms, smart contract design, and blockchain-based financing solutions.

AI & Corporate Design

AI-augmented advisory, corporate AI transformation, decision-flow redesign, and building AI-native operating models for professional services.

Financial Services

Alternative lending, equity crowdfunding, exchange platforms, insurance restructuring, and fintech M&A advisory.

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Market Insights

Strategic perspectives on AI & corporate design, energy transition, tokenization, and European dealmaking.

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About

Freek Dech

I've spent 26 years building, buying, and restructuring companies across energy markets, financial services, and emerging technologies. Not from a boardroom — from the inside.

I co-founded one of Europe's largest direct lending platforms. I held end-responsibility for the companies building exchange software and algorithms for European power markets. I've restructured a crowdfunding platform through to US OTC listing and acquisition. I've advised national power companies on cross-border trading frameworks and market design. I've invested in, restructured, scaled, and — where needed — wound down startups across three sectors. Along the way, I've served on boards, managed teams of 30+, and negotiated deals across five continents.

Today I'm also deeply engaged with AI as a transformative force in corporate design and professional services. I've rebuilt my own advisory practice around AI-augmented workflows — from due diligence acceleration to real-time market intelligence — and I advise clients on how to do the same. The question isn't whether AI will reshape your industry. It's whether you'll design around it or be disrupted by those who do.

I also spent a decade as partner in an award-winning architectural firm, and I hold a diploma in mediation — useful when deals get complicated. My background is unusual for a strategy consultant, and that's the point.

Education
MBA — NIMBAS Bradford
drs European Studies — UvA
Languages
Dutch (native), English, German, French
AI-Augmented Advisory Certified Mediator Web Design Diploma (SAE) Based in Amsterdam area

Career Timeline

1999 – Present
Dechnology — Founder & Managing Director

Global strategy consulting across energy, blockchain, AI-driven transformation, and sustainable innovation. Five continents. Now pioneering AI-augmented advisory delivery and corporate AI transformation.

2000 – 2022
Investment Firm — Partner & Managing Director

22 years of M&A, corporate restructuring, and alternative investments. Founded lending platforms, managed exits.

2010 – 2012
Direct Lending Platform — CTO

Built one of Europe's largest direct lending platforms from the ground up.

2009 – 2017
Architecture Firm — Partner

Business development for award-winning architecture firm. International projects and exhibitions.

2002 – 2007
Insurance & Financial Services

Management roles at major Dutch insurers and financial institutions. Prepared business units for sale, restructured operations.

1996 – 1999
Major Financial Services Group — Team Manager

Managed teams of 24–31 professionals. Restructured departments and implemented new processes.

Governance

Board & Advisory Roles

Non-Executive Director

European Energy Exchange Joint Venture

Strategic direction for the software and algorithm development that powered European energy trading and cross-border market coupling.

Non-Executive Director

Equity Crowdfunding JV (Italy)

Directed IP structuring, joint venture governance with a major Italian bank, and market development for equity crowdfunding in Southern Europe.

Working Together

How Engagements Work

Every engagement starts with a conversation. No pitch decks, no sales process — just a direct discussion about what you're trying to achieve.

Get in Touch

Let's Talk

Whether you're navigating a complex deal, entering a new market, or need a senior partner for a strategic challenge — I'd like to hear about it. The first conversation is always free.

Based in the Amsterdam area, The Netherlands
Ask me anything
About my experience, services, or background
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