The Firm: Principals
Dr. Rafael Castillo-Triana
President and CEO
An expert in international leasing law, with over 26 years experience in Corporate and business law and international law. He has founded several companies, including Finactivos Ltda., a money market brokerage firm in Colombia; started his own practice as outside counsel for several businesses and Corporations; serves as advisor to major importer and exporter Companies; has published two books on leasing, and written numerous papers; has been a keynote speaker on leasing and lectured at universities and law schools in the United States and other countries.
Mr. Castillo-Triana's field of expertise is international business and law. He is not admitted to practice as an attorney in the United States of America and does not practice United States Law. He is an international member in good standing of the American Bar Association, Equipment Leasing and Finance Association of America and the International Bar Association and was recently appointed a Member of the UNIDROIT Advisory Board for drafting the Model Law on Leasing. There are 9 members on the Board and Mr. Castillo-Triana is the only one from Latin America.
Dr. Humberto Celis Vasquez
Executive Vice-President
Born in 1956; Education: Colegio Mayor del Rosario-Universidad, Doctor en Jurisprudencia; Universidad de Los Andes, Postgraduate, Tax Law. Admitted 1980, Colombia. A former officer of the Asociación Bancaria de Colombia and Banco Santander; former Secretary General and Director of the Legal Department of HOECHST Colombiana S.A.; former Superintendente Delegado de Sociedades and Superintendente de Sociedades (Government Entity for the Corporations Supervision); former Liquidator of Banco Nacional and other financial institutions; former General Manager and founder of FINVERHOECHST (mutual fund). Board of Directors, Concentrados Plasticos S.A. and AGREVO S.A., Central America, Guatemala; former member of the Board of Directors Florida International Bank, Miami, Florida. Publications: "Regimen Bancario Colombiano," Asociacion Bancaria de Colombia, 1980; Articles, Revista Clase Empresarial y Revista Sintesis Economica. Lecturer in Seminars, New Corporations Law. Professor, Universidad Externado de Colombia, Economic Law School. Member of the Governmental Commission for the amendment of the Commercial Code, Corporations Law and Proceedings Law. Languages: Spanish and English. Practice Areas: Banking Law; Business Law.
A Colombian Lawyer, Mr. Celis is not a United States Lawyer and he is not admitted to practice law in the United States of America.
Katrin Förster Csvany
CFO & VP Business Development
Education: German School Madrid, Spain; German School Andino Bogota, Colombia; Universidad CESA, Bogota. Katrin holds a BA in Business Administration. She is a Certified International Credit Professional: FCIB, U.S. Department of Commerce and Michigan State University.
Former Vice-President Gerhard Forster & Co. Ltda; Former Commercial Manager HONOR Security Services, Colombia; Former Director of MassProducts Dept. for Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador, Director of the New Media Dept. and Director of Telemarketing of Circulo de Lectores S.A.; Former Commercial Director AutoMotores Europeos S.A. (Volkswagen Group) Colombia.
Languages: Spanish, English and German.
Raúl Valencia del Toro
Vice President & General Manager, Coordination Center for Legal Counsel in Latin America
Main partner, graduate of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, where he achieved the Gabino Barreda medal for highest grade point average. Has 20 years of experience in Corporate, Financial and Administrative Law. Completed postgraduate legal studies in Commercial Law, Mexican Financial Law, Administrative Law and Tax Law, and obtained a Master's Degree with honors at the Universidad Panamericana. Fluent in English. Before founding the firm, he occupied several executive positions at Kraft General Foods México, S.A. de C.V., Banco Interacciones S.A. and at Cargill de México, S.A. de C.V.
Rafael Ramirez
Associate
Born 1965; admitted, 1988, Colombia. Attorney at Law from Universidad de Medellín, with a Masters Degree in Economics from Colorado State University, and a Diploma in International Financial Law from Euromoney (Saint Catherine's College - Oxford - UK). He has more than 15 years of experience, five of them in litigation, as private legal counselor (Attorney at Law). He worked for Colorado State University as Research Associate within the economic research field. From 1997 until the end of 2003 he worked for Grupo Suramericana (the most important Colombian Financial Group), originally as assistant attorney, in charge of Leasing Suramericana Compañía de Financiamento Comercial "Suleasing" branches in Bogota, and Bucaramanga, and thereafter as the head of the legal department of Suleasing Internacional. Working for the Grupo Suramericana he has participated in the structuring of financial operations in Colombia and Central America, he also has participated in the creation of the company's new subsidiaries. Languages: Spanish and English.
A Colombian lawyer resident in Bogota, Colombia, Mr. Ramirez is not admitted for practice of law in the United States of America and he does not practice law in any jurisdiction of the United States.
Guillermo H. Jensen
VP Business Development - Energy
Brings to FTAA Consulting a wealth of international leadership and business experience to add value to our client's strategies in an increasingly competitive market. He serves as advisor to a financial group on managerial risks and opportunities in Colombia and has helped to identify acquisition targets in non-petroleum industries.
A former Texaco manager, he successfully revitalized and led marketing initiatives for global engine oils, creating and consolidated products and identified new global growth opportunities. In 1995 as a Board Member and Senior Managing Director for Texaco Mexico, he turning a failed operation into a successful profitable joint venture. As President of the Lubricants Association in Mexico, the first time a non-national was chosen to the position, he assisted in drafting labeling laws for packaged lubricants to create new industry standards. He was also a member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Mexico and in Chile where he also served as Country Manager from 1991 and in 1993 Manager Residual Marine Fuels Latin America, West Africa and Canada, advisor to the Panama Refinery and power generation throughout the region. His experience also includes manufacturing, aviation and retail.
He is a former YPO (Young President's Organization) member and holds a BS degree in Business from California State University. He currently resides in Connecticut, USA.
Languages: Spanish and English.
Alejandro Pardo
Director, Washington D.C. Office
Mr. Pardo brings valuable experience to FTAA consulting; He represents a widely respected factoring services company that specializes in supplying working capital to companies in need of liquidity. In addition, he has successfully assisted overseas companies with market entry into the United States. He owns and operates Inspira Corporation, specialized in market entry, marketing and sales strategies for small and medium sized companies.
Prior to his involvement with FTAA, he was project director for Yanbal LLC and Cosmo International, responsible for its Corporate Headquarters development project in South Florida; directed PaginasNet Colombia, an internet design firm, and was Director for Export Programs at Colombia's export promotion entity, Proexport.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Pardo worked at Nestlé Corporation in Bogotá, as Comptroller and Auditor for the Andean Group countries, for Knoll Systems Colombia, and as a consultant at Andersen Consulting.
Alejandro earned a Bachelors degree in Business from Colegio Mayor del Rosario- Universidad, Colombia. He is certified in Comparative Legal Systems Colombia and the USA from both the American University and the Universidad Javeriana, and an MBA candidate from INALDE and is a Certified Business Professional with The Aji Network in San Francisco. He currently resides in Washington, D.C.
Languages: Spanish and English.
Nicolás Castillo
Economic Analyst and Risk Management Consultant
Education: BA Economics, Florida International University, MA Economics from Boston University, Professional Certification on Finance - Canadian Securities Course. Mr. Castillo is also a Certified International Credit Professional: FCIB, Michigan State University and U.S. Department of Commerce.
Mr. Castillo spent two years working for State Street Bank in Boston, MA where he was part of a team in charge of valuation and verification of mutual fund portfolios for institutional clients. Prior to his working in the financial services industry he was with FTAA Consulting as a research assistant. He rejoined our team in late 2009.
Languages: Spanish and English, basic French.