Deputy COO

-Tell us a bit about you

I was born in Madrid and, like every Madrileño, I consider myself a live part of this wonderful city. I grew up here, and I feel at home when crossing its beautiful squares full of trees. But I also feel very fortunate for the quite international influences in my personal and professional life. I completed studies in Business Administration and Law in Madrid and I had the chance to study a full academic year in Amsterdam (I proudly admit that it has been one of the most interesting years of my life). I have spent time in the Pacific region too, mostly learning to surf. I am a keen traveler, and I really enjoy the time that I can devote to getting to know the world. I cannot imagine a life without going around and seeing how other people live in different places.

I love my job and the time that I spend with my colleagues, but this is just one part of my life. Outside work I enjoy a lot doing sports, especially skiing and surfing, which makes me take every opportunity to organize weekend trips to the mountain or to the sea every time I can!

-How did you get into the PE industry?

Once I graduated, I was attracted to the consulting industry the most. I thought that in consulting I would be able to have contact with a large number of industries and companies, along with their top management teams. Then, I joined KPMG, which offered me a better-than-expected opportunity to live a diverse, fast-paced and international work environment.

Back then, in one of my projects, I had contact with Portobello and I got fascinated by the PE industry and the absolute tangible and positive impact that it has on society. Shortly after that, I got contacted for a vacancy. I had no doubts and, after several interviews, I joined the company. This was 8 years ago, and I have enjoyed every year since.

-What are your main responsibilities at Portobello?

I lead the operations at Portobello. This includes the so-called “Fund management”, which is a transversal role that gives me the opportunity to collaborate with most of the teams within the company. The Fund management has become, in recent years, a relevant tool in PE to increase the returns that we deliver to our LPs.

Additionally to that, I am involved in different activities such as analyzing and implementing structures for our funds; negotiating the operational and economical aspects of the LPAs / SLs; coordinating our Luxemburgish branch; monitoring the valuation of our portfolio companies; raising debt at a fund level; planning and monitoring our fund’s cashflows; etc.

-How do you imagine the future of PE?

The PE industry has evolved a lot in the last two decades. It has reached a certain maturity, and it is facing a new growth stage. The PE houses have strongly sophisticated the way they work to adapt to the requirements of our LPs. For example, I see an increasing thematization of the funds and deals. While the traditional LBO funds still have a long way to go, as they have proven to be an excellent way to deliver attractive returns to the LPs, I expect more alternative deals and funds to arise.

In this context, I believe that one of the key actions for the PE houses to navigate the complex environment that is arriving, is to focus on the fund management and to maximize the available resources. To do that, I foresee even stronger operations departments, coordinating the various aspects of the GPs and participating in the decision processes. I think that this lever is already making the difference between the PE houses, and it will make it even more so in the upcoming years.