The Wharton School

Duke University - The Fuqua School of Business

Managing Director at Galena Capital

As Senior Investment Consultant at Random Rock, I support family offices and private equity GPs throughout the investment process, including investment origination, execution, portfolio management, and investor relations. I also help operator-owned businesses and sponsor-backed platforms with tuck-in acquisitions and other strategic initiatives.

Random Rock Consulting Group

Senior Investment Consultant | Family Office | Private Equity | Mergers & Acquisitions

As Managing Director at Galena Capital, I advised clients on strategy, mergers and acquisitions, growth capital, and restructuring. I managed $10M-$100M sales of companies to strategic investors, private equity funds, and family offices. I sourced $5M-$25M growth capital for companies from strategic investors, venture capital funds, and high-net-worth individuals (HNWI). I advised a buyer group on a potential $250M+ outdoor brand spinoff and acquisition.

Galena Capital is a FINRA-registered boutique investment bank providing sell-side services to lower middle-market firms in the Pacific Northwest.

Galena Capital

Managing Director | Strategy | Mergers & Acquisitions | Growth Capital | Restructuring

As the Chief Executive Officer of Gina Cucina, I led corporate strategy, business operations, P&L, manufacturing, and retail sales for this mission-driven CPG food brand startup. I spearheaded the transformation of the company from a lifestyle business to a scalable venture. I repositioned the brand for a wider audience while stirring broader retailer participation and interest, tripling retail distribution, and improving annual revenue, cost, profit, and business processes. I pursued potential co-manufacturing and retail partnerships. I raised $500,000 in angel investment and prepared the company for Series Seed Financing.

Gina Cucina is a mission-driven CPG food brand startup making small-batch, healthy, refrigerated soups. In 2019, Gina Cucina sold products in 120 stores.

Gina Cucina

CEO | Corporate Strategy | Operations | P&L | Growth Capital

As the President of Atlantica, I led corporate strategy, operations, and P&L for this leading South American hotel management company in collaboration with shareholders, the board of directors, the executive management team, hotel property investors, master franchisors, and channel and loyalty partners. I evaluated potential mergers and acquisitions of competitor hotels and new brand franchising partnerships. I successfully navigated the height of Brazil's economic crisis in 2014-2016, achieving a zero net loss of hotels under management.

I partnered with senior hospitality executive Doug Geoga to assemble a buyout group to acquire Atlantica and which included family offices Soros Fund Management and Tao Capital Partners, successfully closing a complex transaction (transaction value undisclosed).

Atlantica is the largest privately held operator of hotels in South America. In 2017, Atlantica franchised and managed 90+ hotels in Brazil and had 160+ headquarter staff and 5,000+ on-property staff.

Atlantica Hotels International Ltd.

President | Corporate Strategy | Operations | P&L | Buyout

As the Founder & Principal of Capital Workshop, I worked with clients on strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and growth capital. I provided strategic advice to a real asset fund manager and a real asset consulting firm, raising capital to finance the acquisition of a controlling interest in $30M water rights agricultural property among other projects. I also advised early-stage businesses and helped prepare them for $10M+ Series A and B financings.

Capital Workshop LLC

Founder & Principal | Strategy | Mergers & Acquisitions | Growth Capital

As Vice-President of The Pritzker Organization, I managed a portfolio of private equity investments in early-stage to mature companies as part of a six-staff team for one of the largest family offices in Chicago. I led transaction execution, including investment evaluation, financial modeling, valuation, due diligence, structuring, financing, and term sheet drafting and contract negotiations. I identified accounting, financing, legal, risk management, and tax issues in portfolio companies and potential acquisitions and recommended effective solutions. I prepared and presented recommendations to the investment committee.

Here are a few key transactions I was a part of: 
•  Co-led the $631M sale of the largest venue management company in the U.S. and the $532M recapitalization of a Lloyd's-based reinsurance company in Bermuda
•  Co-piloted the $75M public-to-private tender offer acquisition of a hotel franchising company.
•  Oversaw the recapitalization of a health insurance company (transaction value undisclosed) and the sale of a leading storage container rental company (transaction value undisclosed).

The Pritzker Organization is a single-family office that manages the substantial capital base of the Pritzker family, working with management teams and partners to create, acquire, and build world-class companies.

The Pritzker Organization, LLC

Vice President | Family Office | Strategy | Mergers & Acquisition | Growth Capital | Restructuring

As Associate at Darby Overseas Investments, I managed a $150M private equity fund focused on Latin America as part of a four-staff team. I co-led $50M in minority investments in commercial printing, bookstores, hotel management, and franchising companies. I restructured a portfolio company by negotiating a standstill with creditors, devising strategic alternatives, and implementing a solution involving two strategic partners, a major asset spinoff, and a merger.

Darby is the private equity arm of Franklin Templeton Investments (NYSE: BEN).

Darby Overseas Investments, Ltd.

Associate | Private Equity | Strategy | Growth Capital | Restructuring

As Assistant Investment Officer in the Latin America and Caribbean Division of the IFC, I was responsible for a $275M debt and equity investment portfolio of companies in Mexico and Venezuela.

I was a key member of the Latin America and Caribbean division at the International Finance Corporation. I contributed to a $275M investment portfolio in Mexico and Venezuela companies.

The International Finance Corporation is a World Bank Group institution that offers investment, advisory, and asset management services to encourage private-sector development in less developed countries.

Juan Carlos Duque