Meet the team
At Asymmetrica Investments we combine our expertise in finance, technology and agriculture to create investment vehicles with high risk adjusted returns that have a positive measurable impact.
Combined team experience
80+ years of experience in finance
40+ years of experience in agriculture
20+ years of experience in management and planning
15+ years of experience in IT & research
Management
Francisco Escobar
CEO
He has over ten years’ experience in the Asset Management industry starting at the Institute of Strategic Capital Research in Vienna. He gained further experience at PwC Advisory Services, where he worked as an Asset Management Consultant. His most recent role included advising and managing assets for HNWI at the investment team of Earl Capital AG in Switzerland. In 2018, Francisco founded AVO Oro Verde AG and Asymmetrica Investments Ltd with the goal of providing access to investment opportunities that have disproportionately good risk-reward profiles - asymmetric payoffs. Francisco is a graduate of the Vienna University of Economics, and a former CAIA and CFA charterholder.
Dr. Liliana Pérez Manríquez
Chief Business Development Officer
A Dynamic and results-driven leader with 15 years of international experience with a proven track record in driving business growth and forging key partnerships across diverse industries working with Fortune 500 companies, startups, government, academia, and NGOs in America, Europe and Asia. She is expert in identifying new market opportunities, negotiating complex deals, and fostering long-term relationships. Adept at aligning business objectives with innovative strategies to drive revenue and maximize profits. Passionate about driving organizational success through cross-functional collaboration and innovation. Liliana is fluent in 5 languages, holding a PhD in Bioscience from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), combined with a Business, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation Management education from Harvard Business School, Cornell University, and Erasmus University Rotterdam.
Mauricio Merigo
Head of Operations
Mauricio has 10 years of experience managing infrastructure and production projects, leading multidisciplinary teams for international clients such as Michelin, Ford, GM, Toyota, Nestle, etc. Based in Mexico, as the COO of AVO Oro Verde, he is responsible for the setup of the investment vehicle, for the legal and financial structure of the new orchards of the pipeline and the management of the investments in Mexico. Mauricio holds an MBA from the IPADE institute and a Civil Engineering degree from the ITESM. He has business and finance training from Yale and Berkeley.
Philipp Salas
Head of Project Management
He has over 12 years of top management consulting experience. Philipp started his career at Coca-cola Hellenic in Vienna and gained further management consulting experience at EY Advisory Services, as well as at Talos Management Consultants. Philipp is the founder of Salas+ Management Consulting in Switzerland. Philipp is Co-Founder and Head of Project Management at AVO Oro Verde. Philipp holds a Master in Supply Chain Management from the University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna, and successfully completed the Disruptive Strategies course at Harvard Business School.
Consulting Experts
Francesco De Simone
Head of Business Development and Structuring
Francesco is a financial executive with over 30 years’ experience in the Investment Banking and Asset Management industry. He is a Multi Asset Class specialist with In-depth understanding of the Asset Allocation Process and the Management of Portfolios with traditional and alternative asset classes. Francesco has been a member of various Investment Committees such as the Manager Selection and Portfolio Management Committee of LGT Capital Management LTD in Switzerland, where he was overseeing over USD 10B AUM. He was also responsible for the management of various investment funds (direct and non direct investments). He is well experienced in qualitative and quantitative due diligence of traditional and alternative investments including hedge funds, private equity, and commodities. Francesco is an independent advisor for HNWI, Family Offices, Asset Managers, and listed companies.
Matej Turan
Head of Relationship Management
An experienced relationship builder, Matej fearlessly seeks clarity on any matter. His professional journey spans KPMG, Triodos Bank, and a Swiss Asset Manager later acquired by S&P. Prior to joining us, he served as a Sustainability Officer at a London-based reinsurance company. With a Master’s degree in hand, Matej cherishes family time and indulges in daily reading, always striving to surpass the expectations of Asymmetrica’s esteemed clients.
Advisors
Patricio Aznar
Advisor Innovation & Sustainability
He brings over 10 years of experience in financial markets. He started his career at the Inter-American development Bank. He gained further experience as an equity analyst at the Mexican Stock Exchange. Patricio is also involved in the startup scene in Mexico. He is consultant at the innovation laboratory of the IDB Group and partner at Mellow Ventures. Patricio is a graduate of the Ibero-American University in Mexico.
Jesús López
Advisor Agribusiness
He is a financial executive with 19 years of Corporate Banking experience and In-depth knowledge of Food & Agribusiness operations. He was Executive Director at Rabobank in Mexico, as well as Lead Investment Officer and head of Agribusiness Mexico for the Interamerican Development Bank. Jesus is the Director of the Mexican office of Metlife Agricultural Investment Management. Jesus holds a Master of Science degree in Agribusiness from the Arizona State University and a specialization in Corporate Finance from the Ibero-American University.
Jorge Güemez
Advisor Deal Structuring
Has made his way through the ranks of Mexican, Dutch and French banks. He is the Director of Corporate Banking at BNP Paribas Mexico and has over 20 years of experience in banking and sales. His people skills have given him a great career in banking as well as his comprehensive knowledge of the banking industry in Mexico. Jorge holds an MBA in Finance from Columbia University.
Matteo Barberi
Impact Researcher
Matteo's core experience spans across research and consulting. Working for the FAO and the RAND Research organization, he led and contributed to a wide array of projects for multinational institutions and high-profile clients. At Asymmetrica Matteo is responsible for impact research and incorporating it into our investments.He holds a MS in Economics and a MA in European Economics.
"Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships."
— Michael Jordan