Our Managing Directors
Víctor Vazquez
Caracas, Venezuela. Unique business strategy experience in capital-intensive industries: Oil & Gas, Electricity, Steel and Aluminum industrial chains. • In-depth industry analyst: Recognized ability to analyze complex and dynamic industries, its different business models, and ability to identify, measure and evaluate risk and identify value creation opportunities. • Mergers and Acquisitions: Recognized ability to lead acquisitions and divestiture transactions • Successful decision analyst: Demonstrated ability in applying leading-edge decision analysis theory to uncover opportunities for creating shareholder value.
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- During his tenure at Palogrande Mr. Vazquez has been responsible for the Development of a national reconstruction strategy/plan for the Iron Mining and Steel Industry in Venezuela, as well as the strategy for the reconstruction of the Bauxite Mining, Alumina Production and Aluminum smelting industrial chain in Venezuela; Managed the acquisition of the regional operations (Venezuela) of one of the largest oil and gas services companies, Baker Hughes, which included seven business lines: Completions, Drill Bits, Drilling Services, Wireline Services, Upstream & Downstream Chemicals, Drilling Fluids and Artificial Lift; Managed the development off a 250,000 ton/yr Micro-Steel Mill Project in Tampa, Florida; Completed the successful divestiture of an Edible Oils Corporation in Venezuela; Completed the successful divestiture of Venezuela’s largest cold storage corporation.
- Before his tenure at Palogrande, Mr. Vazquez was a senior manager at Strategic Decisions Group, a consulting firm based at Palo Alto, California. During his tenure at SDG, Mr. Vazquez led strategic development process of a large Latin American generics drug company in a maturing market (Total turnover: USD 35 million); Led the strategy process for the business portfolio of a leading Latin American electric utility company (Total turnover USD 880 million); Developed an electricity-pricing model for the generation business of the corporation. Significant Value creation opportunities were identified solely in the generation business unit; Successfully assisted in the integration process of multiple independent heavy oil projects into a single business unit for one of the world largest oil companies (PDVSA); Participated in the strategy development process of asset portfolio of the offshore business unit (Gulf of Mexico) of one of the world largest oil companies. This company embarked into and aggressive expansion program in the region with a value creation potential well over $1 billion.
- Before his tenure at SDG, Mr. Vazquez was Senior Consultant at ARTHUR D. LITTLE, Inc. with major projects in the Czech Republic, Puerto Rico, Colombia and Venezuela that included advisory and execution of several privatizations projects for the Czech Government in the textile and light manufacturing industries; Design and completion of a $120 million LBO for a leading manufacturer of musical instruments in the Czech Republic. Mr. Vazquez received the 1994 Presidential Award at ADL.
- Mr. Vazquez has a B.Engr. in Mechanical Engineering degree from Universidad Simón Bolívar, Caracas and an MBA from IESA, Caracas.
Santiago Ulloa
Madrid, Spain. Expert in driving transformational growth in the energy, industrial, environmental and rail transport sectors, most of it as expatriate in emerging markets, leading corporate, operational, business development and project sales.
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- During his tenure in Venezuela (2006-2017) Mr. Ulloa served as CEO & President of GE Venezuela; President Alstom Venezuela and Managing Director. Prior to this he led Alstom’s commercial growth and corporate development in the Americas from its Paris headquarter, and served as Country Manager in Andean, Central America & the Caribbean. In his earlier career he held positions of increasing responsibility in ABB for project construction, sales, development and finance in Asia Pacific, Latin America and Africa.
- Mr. Ulloa is also a Partner in Aquatherm Technologies, a spin-out of Green Swan Partners LLC, a venture builder in planetary health through the deployment of transformative digital and technology solutions and investment capital. Mr. Ulloa is also devoted to board and senior advisory roles to private companies and non-for-profit institutions.
- Served as Chairman in Venezuela of the Federation of European Chambers of Commerce 2016-2019; President of the French-Venezuela Chamber of Commerce 2014-2016 and Hon. Board Member since 2016; Chapter Chairman of YPO Young Presidents Organization Gold Venezuela 2019-20. Conseiller de Commerce Exterieur de la France 2013-2017.
- Holds a Magister in Industrial Organization Engineering from Madrid Polytechnic University in Spain; Magister in Innovation & Strategy from Oxford University, Oxford; MBA from IESE Business School, Spain.
Luis Dávila
Merida, Venezuela. In-depth understanding and experience in the oil and gas business. Hands on executive experience in global energy concerns, strategy and financing in the global market. Expertise in asset restructuring, comprehensive risk analysis in oil and gas projects. Identification and valuation of investment opportunities involving mergers and acquisitions; leveraged buyouts and debt re-structuring .
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- During his 30 year career in the oil and gas industry, he held several middle and senior management and executive positions, including Pdvsa C.F.O/Exec. V.P., Member of the Board of Directors of CITGO Petroleum Corp.; Nynas Petroleum (Sweden) and Ruhr Oel (Germany), Principal Director and Vice-president of PDVSA Finance Ltd., Director of Propernyn N.V., President of PDVSA USA and Vice-president of PDV America, President of PDV Insurance, Corporate Comptroller, Corporate Assets Optimization Project Manager, Corporate Structured Finance and Outsourcing Manager, Corporate Treasurer, and Manager of Financing & Financial Planning. After early retirement from PdVSA, he was Senior Managing Director at Financial Management Associates, a consulting firm specialized in business development, structured and project financing, corporate strategy, financial planning, country risk analysis, and assets management, mergers and acquisitions, and restructuring, with emphasis in the Oil & Gas sector.
- Mr. Davila holds a PhD in International Business Management from Lubin School of Business, Pace University, NYC; MSc in Finance, Kogod School of Business at The American University, Washington D.C. (in consortium with GWU, Georgetown U., Washington, D.C.); M.P.A. with concentration in International Management and development (The American University. Washington D.C.); Executive MBA Program, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, Charlottesville; Executive Development Program at Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; International Capital Markets Diploma, The Euro Money Institute. London; member of Beta gamma Sigma International Honor Society; The Academy of Management; The Academy of International Business and a reviewer for the Academy of Management Proceedings.
Ricardo Sosa
Caracas, Venezuela. Financial analysis, debt structuring, issue and placement in the Venezuelan market. Ongoing working relationship with SNV (Venezuelan securities and exchange superintendency); rating agencies and institutional investors in Venezuela. In-depth knowledge of the insurance sector.
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- He began his career in 1985 as a mechanical engineer with Bechtel North America (engineering and construction), Gaithersburg, Maryland. Back in Venezuela in 1987, he continued as an engineer in Industrias Venoco (petrochemicals), where he held various responsibilities as an engineer, and later as corporate treasurer. In 1992 he began a 10 year career at Seguros Orinoco (P&C Insurance, currently Mercantil Seguros) as finance manager and as general manager during the divesture. He organized Capital Partners to acquire Palogrande Casa de Bolsa and has been president and managing director at Palogrande since 2007.
- Mr. Sosa has served on the following boards of directors in Venezuela: Seguros La Continental and Seguros Canaima (subsidiaries of Seguros Orinoco), Uniseguros, (P&C Insurance concerns); Cerámicas Carabobo, (construction materials); rating board at Clave, Sociedad Calificadora de Riesgos, a rating agency; Director and President of the Carabobo State chapter at the Instituto Venezolano de Ejecutivos de Finanzas (IAFEI member). Currently, Mr. Sosa serves on the Board of Directors at Caja Venezolana de Valores, the Venezuelan securities clearing house, Palogrande Casa de Bolsa, and at Perso Ingenieros (engineering and construction).
- Mr. Sosa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from The Catholic University of America, Washington D.C.; licensed in Venezuela as a securities broker and is a candidate for a Master’s degree in Philosophy from the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello UCAB, Caracas (thesis pending). He was a Munich Re Fellow for the Risk Management Program at Georgia State University, Atlanta and Munich Re Headquarters in Munich.