Brazil
Independent Non-Executive Director and former C-suite executive with 25+ years building, restructuring, and governing complex businesses across healthcare, industrial, consumer, pharma, and technology — in Brazil and internationally. What distinguishes this trajectory: the ability to rapidly read a business's fundamentals — understand its history, what made it great, and realign culture, values and people around that core to unlock performance at a higher level. Combined with the capacity to think wider and outside the conventional frame, shaped by building businesses across five countries and contexts ranging from post-communist Poland to Andean Latin America to Brazilian family governance. Board experience includes independent director and Audit/Governance Committee member at Pharmacielo Ltd. (TSX-V) — including leading the board's response to a Hindenburg Research short-selling attack, deployed to Colombia to investigate and dismantle a deliberately misleading report. Co-led the Projeto Fênix consortium bidding for UHG's Amil health plan portfolio — navigating ANS at the highest level as a principal investor. Operationally: turnarounds and institutionalisation at Hapvida (B3: HAPV3), Amil, Medial Saúde (B3), Industrial Levorin (sold to Michelin), Paquetá, Medpass. Experience across listed companies, family businesses with Conselhos Consultivos, and a cooperative under Lei 5.764/71 — 360° governance from the inside. 23 years at Grupo Bayer — trainee to EVP Latin America — building businesses across Brazil, Germany, Poland, Colombia and the Andean region. One of the youngest Bayer Group subsidiary presidents worldwide at 40. Dual Brazilian-German (EU) citizen. Fluent in Portuguese, English, German, Spanish, Polish. IBGC-certified. Flexible for mandates in Brazil or internationally. In 2022, after Projeto Fênix, I made a deliberate choice: my executive chapter had peaked; the boardroom was next. I transitioned intentionally — and invested in myself first. I returned to competitive rowing in collective boats, a discipline that mirrors board dynamics precisely: individual excellence subordinated to shared rhythm and collective accountability. I row every day. The boards worth joining are built by people who know when to lead, when to follow, and when to step back. I have done all three.
Deep leadership expertise with practical business experience to help leaders and companies excel.
Engaged by the President of a major health cooperative (Lei 5.764/71) to navigate the governance dynamics of an elected physician-member board alongside professional management. Delivered best first-quadrimester results in 5 years; established the cooperative's first formal budget, management reporting and benchmarking practices
Co-led a three-investor consortium winning a competitive bid for UHG's Amil individual health plan portfolio — one of Brazil's most politically sensitive healthcare M&A transactions of the COVID period. Designed the winning proposal combining financial structuring with a credible operational integration plan. Navigated ANS regulatory dynamics at the highest level .
Invited by the incoming CEO — a former Colombia colleague — to join the founding board of a Canadian-listed medicinal cannabis company, contributing the pharmaceutical governance, regulatory and commercial perspective. Served on the Audit Committee and Corporate Governance/Nomination Committee. ▸ In 2018, led the board's independent task force response to a Hindenburg Research short-selling attack — deployed personally to Colombia to investigate and successfully dismantle a deliberately misleading report. ▸ Appointed CEO in 2020 as a direct consequence of that credibility. Redefined global go-to-market, completed factory certifications in Colombia, and established commercial partnerships across Germany, Australia, Poland, UK, Brazil and Canada.
Appointed to lead recovery of a multi-format footwear group — international brand production (Tory Burch, Adidas, Skechers), proprietary franchise and retail chain — after a governance breakdown, derivatives loss and reputational collapse with suppliers and clients. Operational recovery showed early signs but pace was incompatible with the founder's financial expectations; founder elected recuperação judicial and mandate concluded. ▸ Rebuilt relationships with Vulcabras, Grendene, Nike, Adidas, Asics and Tory Burch as precondition for any financial recovery.