Wilbert Sanchez

Artist, Concerned citizen, Entrepreneur, Explorer, Global soul, Investor, Photographer, Social entrepreneur, Startup

I am currently a co-founder of a co-working space dedicated to Brazilian start-ups Plug N'Work and a Partner-Founder of Thoreau Capital Partners, an investment partnership based out of Brazil focused in distressed turnaround situations. Previous to that until May '12, I had been the CEO of Daslu, a Brazilian luxury retail clothing and accessories brand, and I have ~15 years experience in the financial sector. I began my career in 1997 in M&A investment banking at Merrill Lynch New York, followed by periods in Hong Kong, India, Brazil and Japan. My experienced followed into principal investments at the trading desk in Merrill Lynch focused in private equity and fixed income investments throughout Latin America. I have completed investments across various sectors from beef processing to energy to consumer products in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. In 2008, I became the CEO of Grupo Porcao (R$150mm in Revenues, 1,700 employees) a Merrill Lynch portfolio company to lead the turnaround. Since then, I formed Thoreau Capital Partners, with other local investors, to invest in distressed assets across various sectors in Brazil. In ’09, I became CEO of Minuano Alimentos (R$140mm in Revenues, 3,500 employees) a publicly traded distressed chicken processor and then Daslu. In terms of social entrepreneurship: In '01,I founded AZLera (www.azlera.org), an NGO focused in education and environmental issues in Africa (Mozambique) and Mexico. We focus on teaching rational problem solving utilizing Geometry and LOGO. As for artistic expression, I love photography having shot extensively in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Occasionally, I dwell in drawing with oil pastels. I attended university at UCLA, studying Mathematics and Economics. I am originally from Mexico, having migrated to the USA when I was 14 years old in '90 and currently live in Brazil.

I am passionate about a geography: Mexico/Africa; education: as a vehicle of change; leadership: as the way to implement that change; and nature: as the source of all originality in the planet.

Educational focus and investment, for small non-governmental entities in many of the various impoverished countries across the world would be better served if focused on leaders and the "kids that can", rather than have a spread out approach. These leaders already have the preternatural potential and drive to succeed. Hence a "Dollar" of investment (for those with limited budgets) goes farther that having the same "Dollar" being spread out. These leaders will grow up to create their own companies, organize their communities.

Africa and international development, Distressed Debt Investing, Latin American Affairs, Social entrepeneurship, Turn around Specialist

This is very simple for me. I came here to London a few years back invited to a TED inaguration dinner before the event. I was enthralled with the amount of brain power in one table and the openness of the individuals. I have come from Brazil to learn and I am sure, take back many, ideas that will help me in business, philanthropy, creatively etc.

travel writing/raconteur... I have been writing in my journals since '14 years old when I arrived in the USA, and have been accumulating for my private viewing, piles and piles of journals ever since.