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Gaston Urda
Head of Investments and M&A UAE platform
Professional Background
Gaston Urda is a seasoned finance executive with over 20 years of profound experience in alternative investments, private equity, and general management. His impressive career spans multiple sectors and international landscapes, including the Middle East, Asia, Europe, the United States, and Latin America. Aspiring to drive growth and foster strategic relationships, Gaston has played a pivotal role in numerous organizations, exercising leadership and unique financial acumen.
As the current Head of Investments and M&A at UAE Investments under the Mubadala Investment Company, Gaston focuses on fortifying the company’s investment strategy and expanding its asset portfolio across various geographies. His strategic approach to investments and M&A positions him as a crucial contributor to Mubadala’s success in navigating complex financial landscapes and achieving sustainable growth in diverse markets.
In addition, Gaston also boasts a strong background in governance and advisory roles as a former Board Member for notable companies including Al Yahsat and Sanad. His contributions in these roles have influenced strategic planning, decision-making, and operational efficiencies, showing his ability to positively impact organizations at the highest levels.
Education and Achievements
Gaston Urda's educational background is as distinguished as his professional career. He studied for a Master’s degree focusing on Strategy and Finance at the prestigious Universidad de San Andres. This education laid a strong theoretical foundation for his analytical and strategic thinking.
Further enhancing his expertise, Gaston pursued an MBA in Finance at the famed Columbia University, Columbia Business School. Here, he honed his skills in investment analysis, financial modeling, and portfolio management, which have proven integral throughout his career.
Gaston’s practical accomplishments are equally impressive. He has held leadership roles across significant organizations and has continuously demonstrated his capability to steer projects and investments toward success. His tenure as Senior Vice President of Mubadala Capital entrenched him further in alternative investments, equipping him with an extensive toolkit to approach the intricacies of global finance. He has also served as a Senior Advisor to the CEO for the Asset Management and Investments sector at Mubadala, where he provided critical insights that enhanced operational effectiveness and strategic alignment.
Notable Positions and Contributions
Throughout his illustrious career, Gaston has been associated with several prominent organizations, where his leadership and strategic direction consistently produced robust results. He once served on the Investment Committee at Masdar, the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, where his expertise was instrumental in shaping the investment strategies geared towards sustainable and renewable energy solutions.
His board memberships with pioneering companies such as Virgin Orbit and Virgin Galactic underscore his standing as a key figure in drive and innovation within the aerospace and technology sectors. Gaston's involvement with SR Technics Group has further showcased his adaptability and proficiency across various industries, particularly in maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) operations which is vital for the aviation sector.
Through these multifaceted roles, he has exhibited a knack for identifying potential growth avenues and enhancing value creation across portfolios. His comprehensive understanding of market dynamics and investment trends has repeatedly positioned companies to take advantage of strategic opportunities, reflecting his commitment to excellence in investment management and corporate governance.
Achievements
- Leadership in Investment Strategy: Gaston has successfully led investment strategies across various high-impact sectors, including energy, aerospace, and technology, positioning firms to excel in competitive markets.
- Board Memberships: Gaston's active participation in numerous boards demonstrates his influence in corporate governance and strategic oversight, ensuring alignment with industry best practices and stakeholder interests.
- Cross-Continental Experience: His international exposure has enriched his perspectives on finance and investments, allowing him to adopt integrated approaches that resonate across cultural and economic landscapes.
- Advisory Role in Strategic Growth: His advisory roles in leading organizations have enabled transformative decisions that drive long-term value and positive operational trends, showcasing his strategic foresight.
Gaston Urda continues to be a consummate finance executive who merges profound analytical skills with a robust understanding of international markets. With a firm commitment to fostering innovation and enhancing value in every venture he undertakes, Gaston is well-positioned to keep making significant strides in the finance sector on a global scale.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
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Clay offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Clay offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Clay for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Clay accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
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Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
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