Rene Salazar

Stripe LATAM

Mexico City Metropolitan Area

About

I'm a seasoned executive with over 17 years of experience leading diverse teams and building new ventures in the fintech, payments, and e-commerce spaces. My passion is uniting teams and building a unified vision across functions like strategy, product, operations, legal, regulatory, partnerships, sales, and engineering to launch and scale innovative products in highly complex environments. I have a proven track record of managing full P&L to ensure profitability and sustained business expansion. Throughout my career, I've led major initiatives that drive significant results, including the launch of Mexico's first prepaid wallet, the development of co-branded partnerships with leading telcos and financial institutions, and the rollout of global products for emerging markets. I have a proven track record of collaborating with key external stakeholders—from merchants and banks to regulators and the wider fintech ecosystem—to deliver end-to-end solutions that accelerate market share across the B2C, B2B, and G2P segments in the LATAM market. At Stripe, I lead the Expansion team in LATAM, “market-makers” who shape product availability, commercial models and create partnership models to serve our users.

Experience

  • Stripe (Mexico City, Mexico)
    • Stripe LATAM
      Aug 2023 - Present · 3 yrs

      Lead our operation in LATAM including the design and execution of our commercial and product strategy. Enabling Product through partners including networks, financial institutions, fintechs and neo-banks. Geo-expansion across emerging markets and setting operations from zero.

    • Head of Partnerships, LATAM
      Sep 2021 - Aug 2023 · 2 yrs

      My team drives product-partnerships to create non-linear growth for our users and Stripe by developing a relationship with partners that enable Stripe to create, enhance, drive adoption and monetize world class-products. Responsibilities: Enable Products and Markets: Drive expansion of our business into new products, features, segments, payment methods and geographies Optimize Cost Base and Margin Profile: Achieve more favorable terms with partners to improve profitability and performance. Drive Operational Excellence: Promote a healthy and thriving ecosystem by maintaining and improving our strategic and operational relationships. Pursue First-Of-Kind Initiatives: Identify new partnership opportunities and initiatives to create exponential value for Stripe and its users through cross-functional collaboration. Define market long term strategy for the market

  • GM of Cashi, Ecommerce Payments and Fraud at Walmart de México y Centroamérica
    Jul 2020 - Sep 2021 · 1 yr 3 mos

    I lead Walmart's Digital Wallet Cashi and Fintech initiatives focused in increasing value to our customers with simple, relevant and safe products that Mexican families can trust for their wellbeing. I also lead our Ecommerce's Fraud Prevention, Risk Management and Payments team for online and offline payment methods working along with dedicated Product, Engineering and Operations teams

  • PayPal (6 yrs 1 mo)
    • Head of Market Development & Chief of Staff to Country Manager
      Aug 2019 - Jul 2020 · 1 yr

      I was responsible for designing, negotiating and implementing PayPal´s strategy and partnerships for the Mexican market. I also designed and executed partnerships with digital wallets, SMB lending and global businesses that impacted our business.

    • Head Of Business Development
      Feb 2017 - Aug 2019 · 2 yrs 7 mos

      Responsible for identifying, negotiating, implementing and managing strategic partnerships in Mexico in order to drive incremental growth. Define PayPal's strategy and type of partners that will be in scope for Mexico while also developing and managing the relation with these partners.

    • Head of Payments Hispanic and Caribbean Markets
      Jul 2014 - Feb 2017 · 2 yrs 8 mos

      Developed and executed Payments strategies for PayPal in Hispanic LATAM markets including payment industry opportunities with financial institutions including banks and non-banks within the region. I also managed PayPal's relationships with acquirers, banks, regulators and financial institutions.

  • Todito Pagos S.A. de C.V (Monterrey y alrededores, México)
    • COO
      Mar 2011 - Jul 2014 · 3 yrs 5 mos

      Offers services for the payment industry using a proprietary platform for the segments C2B, P2P, G2C and B2C Todito Card offers prepaid telecommunications services with Bueno Long Distance Card, Todito Card ISP and Prepaid Payment Method, Todito Cash. Prepago Mexico is Mexico's only EBT for public entities. We try to contribute in the process of making more efficient governments by operating their social programs through our "tailor made" solution. Prepago Mexico is currently operating several state and local programs all over Mexico. Todito operates its own payment processing switch allowing the operation of loyalty, prepaid, ewallet and gift cards for national and international brands. Todito operates a broad range of payment methods including debit cards, electronic pins, virtual accounts and smartphones.

    • Operations Manager
      Jan 2010 - Mar 2011 · 1 yr 3 mos

      Design and operation of Mexico's first Electronic Benefit Transfer System for the public sector. Customization of payment system according to each public policy program allowing governments a reduction in operational costs of social programs.

    • Payment Operations/ Business Development
      Aug 2008 - Mar 2011 · 2 yrs 8 mos

      Designed and developed Mexico's first prepaid wallet: Todito Cash - Product Development - Sales - Operations

  • Internship at Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores de México
    Aug 2007 - Jul 2008 · 1 yr

    Political Affairs Office at the Embassy of Mexico to The United States