After graduating as a business engineer in 1997 and subsequently specialising in energy economics, Steven De Proost began his professional career as an analyst. He was quickly appointed as Head of Equity Research at Delta Lloyd Securities, and then at Dexia Securities. In 2008, De Proost was named the Best equity analyst for German utilities by newspaper Handelsblatt. In the same year, he founded 7C Solarparken, a Bayreuth-based company that designs, builds and operates solar power plants. Under De Proost’s leadership, 7C Solarparken’s portfolio of plants has spread throughout Germany, while the company itself has become a key player in this rapidly growing sector.