ENTREPRENEUR / SENIOR ADVISOR / AUTHOR / CREATOR

LUCA FERRARA

For over two decades, I’ve built a career at the intersection of entrepreneurship, global market strategy, and cross-border investment — working across China, Europe, and the U.S.

I’ve founded companies, led complex joint ventures, advised multinationals, and supported state-owned enterprises — while in my personal life I remained deeply engaged in photography, writing, and music.

My journey began in DezanShira & Associates during the height of China’s foreign direct investment boom, during which I advised over 30 Western companies on market entry and operational setup.

I went on to join Manfrotto, part of the LSE-listed Videndum, to lead their procurement and manufacturing operations in China, establishing multiple OEM lines and overseeing the export of tens of thousands of units each month.

In 2008, I founded Pro-Q Solar to help Western investors navigate China’s fragmented solar supply chain. By 2010, we were handling over 3.6% of China’s total solar exports at the time (over 120 MWp.)

Over the following decade, I co-founded and scaled Alleans Renewables, a pan-Atlantic energy platform that originated more than 2.5 GW in solar and storage projects across the U.S. and Europe. We formed strategic joint ventures with both the Green Investment Group (Macquarie) and China General Technology Group (Genertec), and ultimately exited to a global infrastructure fund.

In parallel, I co-founded PC Engineering Management Services, originating and managing up to nine-figure EPC contracts on behalf of PowerChina, Shanghai Electric, and other Fortune 500 clients — delivering multiple large-scale solar plants across Europe, all on time and under budget.

I later joined APartners Capital to establish their renewable energy practice and leading relationships with Asian investors, securing €25 million+ in capital from a Chinese State Owned Enterprise and helping scale our renewable energy pipeline in Europe.

More recently, in 2024, I launched Iridium Renewables, a strategic advisory firm serving global Fortune 500 investors in energy and digital infrastructure.

Also in 2024, I founded Jam Nation, a global digital platform for musicians to connect, grow their audience, and monetize their talent — blending my lifelong passion for jazz with technology and community-building.

Alongside this, I’m the author of a book on China’s economic transformation, and an avid creator working across writing, photography, and videography.

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I continue to operate as a founder, strategic advisor, and creative thinker, working with investors, entrepreneurs, and companies seeking clarity and traction in high-stakes, international environments.

If you’re exploring opportunities that span sectors, geographies, or cultures — and need someone who’s been there — do reach out.

Always in Build Mode.

My roles and ventures — through the years and ongoing.

  • Co-founder & Head of Renewable Energy

    (2024 - present)

    Co-founded a strategic advisory and development firm serving global investors in renewable energy and digital infrastructure, with a focus on Europe and the U.S.

    Iridium Renewables is currently retained by few selected Fortune 500 clients. Thanks to the seniority of our team, we are bringing amazing value at many levels of our clients’ investment lifecycle.

  • Founder & CEO

    (2024 - present)

    Founded a global digital platform for musicians to connect, grow their audience, and monetize their talent — and for anyone to discover live music events and follow their favorite artists.

    Our official launch took place in May 2025 in Milan and Tokyo. We’re now seeing a steady rise in user adoption and weekly live jam activity, while developing our version 2.0.

  • Founder & Managing Partner

    (2010 - present)

    Founded a strategic advisory firm serving world-class clients, including Fortune 500 companies and Chinese central state-owned enterprises.

    Among notable clients, China International Trust and Investment Company (CITIC), China's largest conglomerate; China Merchants Group, one of the earliest Chinese State Owned Enterprise (est. 1872); and PowerChina, the world largest energy infrastructure EPC contractor.

  • Co-founder & CEO

    (2017 - 2023)

    Under my leadership, Alleans built a world-class team of over 50 dedicated professionals, operated through five international offices (Shanghai, Hong Kong, London, Milan, and New York), and had originated and managed over 2.5 GW of solar and storage projects across two continents.

    Later, we structured and launched a dedicated infrastructure investment fund, which ultimately acquired Alleans Renewables and continued funding its portfolio.

  • Co-founder & CEO

    (2018 - 2023)

    Co-founded PCEMS as an engineering, procurement, and construction management company, and managed multiple nine-figure EPC contracts for our Fortune 500 clients.

    Within just three months from establishment, we led PowerChina to sign a 130 MWp EPC contract — its largest solar project at the time and one of Europe’s largest utility-scale PV projects.

  • Head of Business Development (Asia)

    (2021 - 2023)

    Established the group’s renewable energy practice and secured over €25 million in capital from Asian investors.

  • Founder & CEO

    (2008 - 2010)

    Founded a procurement office providing supplier scouting and auditing, quality control, and logistics services for renewable energy equipment, serving both industrial clients and financial investors.

    At the peak of its business in 2010, Pro-Q Solar handled over 120 MWp of solar PV equipment — at the time, approximately 3.6% of China’s total exports of solar modules.

  • PRC Operations Manager

    (2006 - 2008)

    Established the group’s presence in China. I spearheaded the full setup of the company’s footprint in China, including company registration, licensing, HR recruitment, finance, and operational management.

    In less than 2 years, I established one procurement office and three lines of OEM manufacturing. De-localized manufacturing for two product lines, shipping tens of thousands of units per month.

  • Regional Partner, South China

    (2004 - 2006)

    I joined the company during the peak of China’s foreign direct investment surge, supporting over 30 international clients from the USA, Europe,UK, Australia, and New Zealand with their China market entry and operational setup.

    A key achievement was budgeting, launching, and managing the firm’s new office in Guangzhou, which resulted in my promotion to South China Partner.

Trusted by These Amazing Clients & Partners.

Companies I advised or invested alongside — through the years and ongoing.

  • China National Machineries Import & Export (Genertec Group)

    Services: Project origination and development in Europe (energy), included investment advisory for the acquisition of said projects.

  • Macquarie Capital

    Services: Project origination and development in Europe (energy), included investment advisory for the acquisition of said projects.

  • PowerChina Group

    Services: Business development (new client acquisition) and management of the engineering, procurement, and construction works overseas.

  • 9REN

    Services: Supply chain services (supplier auditing, quality control, logistics expediting) for the procurement of solar equipment from China.

  • Shanghai Electric Group

    Services: Business development (new client acquisition) and management of the engineering, procurement, and construction works overseas.

  • CITIC Environmental Technologies

    Services: Scouting for strategic technologies worldwide, for the purpose of acquisition or joint venture partnership in China.

  • OMPeco

    Services: Scouting of partners (esp. State Owned Enterprises) for the development of the Chinese market.

China’s Dilemma: Between Growth and Reform.

BOOK ON SALE NOW

After 40 years driving a miraculous economic growth which lifted more than 850 million people out of poverty*, during the last few years China took a U-turn from from the policies of opening and reform it so successfully embraced since 1979.

Why?

I lived in China for over 18 years, five of which I spent meticulously researching the topic and collecting over 5,000 photojournalistic images, including throughout the times of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns

“China’s Dilemma” features a rigorously researched essay, with striking evidence of how the larger narrative was mirrored in my personal experience throughout the two decades I lived and did business in the country—and with the country—, and a thoroughly curated selection from my photographic archive.

* ref. 1979-2021