The Firm
Pacific Capital has established itself as a global firm engaged in Investment Banking activities, with a strong focus and active presence in the LATAM region.
Our team is composed of seasoned professionals with extensive banking experience, supported by a robust network of stakeholders and strategic relationships that span the main markets and sectors in which we operate.
We focus on capital raising activities, both in the form of financing and equity, to support our clients and partners. We participate in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) processes and also act as a Private Equity firm, taking majority or minority ownership positions. Through our active role in the strategic management of our holdings, we strengthen business models and accelerate the growth of the companies in which we are involved.
Throughout our trajectory, we have structured close to USD 5 billion in transactional value for more than one hundred clients across various sectors and industries focused on LATAM. We continue to grow in the region and expand the scope of our activities.
Structure, Purpose. Results.
We delve deep into the analysis and structuring of business models with a vision of continuous growth and optimization.
We provide specialized investment banking services:
financial structuring, fund creation, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and capital raising. Our objective is clear: to execute with precision and build sustainable solutions for our clients.
We constantly generate value through an active role in strategic management alongside our clients and partners.
Our environment is designed to foster the development of multidisciplinary financial talent with strategic vision and institutional responsibility. At Pacific Capital, careers are built with purpose, judgment, and leadership.
We are committed to a vision that
leverages our experience, knowledge, and network to expand the reach
and impact of our involvement.
We are strategic partners.
Our network enhances the reach and capacity to achieve business objectives across multiple sectors, crossing borders and consolidating positions through robust and sustainable business models.
“Everything big starts small.” Every major achievement begins with a vision, a dream, an idea. Then it transforms into a business model, into a company with clear growth goals and the right mindset to achieve them. But vision alone is not enough — it requires strategic planning, deep analysis, capability development, strong team building, strategic decision-making, and focused, consistent hard work. Pacific Capital is the strategic partner that supports and empowers the process of scalability and sustainable growth, accompanying every step to turn that vision into a solid and successful reality.
Edgar J. Hernandez C.
President and Founder of Pacific Capital
Our Team
Edgar J.
Hernandez C.
“Everything great begins with a vision and the right team.”
Edgar holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and an MBA from INCAE Business School in Costa Rica and the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. He has pursued advanced studies in financial derivatives at New York University (NYU), served as lead professor of International Finance at UFM for over ten years, and taught Investment Banking at UFM’s Business School for more than five years. He also participates in numerous professional associations. Mr. Hernández was selected by Mercados & Tendencias magazine as one of the 40 most influential professionals and entrepreneurs under 40 in Central America and Panama.
Mr. Hernández has been involved in the banking industry for over 30 years. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Guatemala Stock Exchange, energy generation companies, sugar mills, financial and insurance institutions, among others.
He is a founding partner and director of Ingenio Santander Sugar Group in Belize and of Pacific Capital, which holds interests in the real estate, agritech, BPO, fuel distribution, and artificial intelligence solutions industries, operating in more than twenty countries across LATAM. He is President and CEO of Pacific Global Holdings PLC, a company listed on the London Stock Exchange AIM market, and brings extensive experience in investment banking through his professional work in global investment banks and regional financial groups. He is passionate about sports, a black belt in martial arts, a Boston Marathon finisher, and an Ironman enthusiast.
Andrés Ayaú
Valladares
“Everything can be rethought, everything can be done better.”
Guatemalan businessman and entrepreneur. He founded and led companies in various sectors: financial services, food services, education, and energy. He has 20 years of experience in the banking sector, specializing in cross-border credit structuring and investment banking.
He has led operational transformation across multiple industries and has extensive expertise in corporate restructuring.
He is a founding trustee of Universidad de Occidente and President of Fundación Montesquieu, which currently operates two university campuses and is building a third campus that will include a primary and secondary school, a university, and a high-performance sports complex for up to 18 different sports. Andrés holds a degree from the University of Chicago and an MBA from Universidad Francisco Marroquín.
He is passionate about education and universal prosperity, always seeking better ways of doing things.
Diego Samayoa
“The right strategy not only creates value, it transcends it.”
Industrial Engineer from Tecnológico de Monterrey with an MBA from the University of Valparaíso. With more than 18 years of experience in the financial sector — including the last 8 focused on investment banking — he has advised companies from different industries on structuring complex transactions, developing growth strategies, and financial optimization.
Throughout his career, he has led projects in sectors such as agribusiness, energy, real estate, manufacturing, and financial services, building a strong network of strategic relationships in the region that has been key to closing high-impact investment deals. His expertise includes financial structuring, corporate financing, and mergers & acquisitions (M&A) processes, actively participating from acquisition to divestment, with a focus on generating sustainable value.
As part of his professional work, Diego serves on various Boards of Directors in the food service, agribusiness, real estate development, and finance sectors, as well as on the board of a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving cultural heritage in the Lake Atitlán region.
Diego loves soccer and enjoys diving, history, and music.
Josefina Rosito
“Transforming finance is transforming lives.”
Economista, Consultora e Mentora em processos de estruturação financeira. Atuou por mais de 25 anos em Banca Corporativa e Banca Privada na Guatemala e na região, liderando processos de mudança e transformação de culturas corporativas para promover o crescimento financeiro e pessoal das equipes de trabalho por meio do design e implementação de estratégias financeiras que atendem às necessidades dos clientes com agilidade e precisão.
She has worked with regional and global clients on debt raising, liability restructuring and guarantees, and the development of financial products.
Her areas of expertise are: Financial Transformation, Strategic Mentoring, Integral Well-being, and Corporate Consulting, highlighting her strong capabilities and experience in growth strategy design, change processes, integral development, and strategic solutions for growing and transitioning companies.
She is passionate about diving and nature, good books, and salsa dancing.
Nicole Rossell
“Investing with purpose transforms communities and redefines progress.”
Nicole Rossell is a senior finance and development executive with more than two decades of experience leading investment strategies, impact finance initiatives, and international development programs. At Pacific Capital, Nicole focuses on capital raising, investor relations, and the firm’s strategic expansion into international markets. She oversees activities with a focus on gender equity, sustainable development, and impact-driven investments.
Previously, she served as Managing Partner at Terra Global Capital, where she structured private equity funds in Latin America, mobilized international capital for climate and sustainability projects, and promoted post-conflict economic recovery initiatives.
Nicole spent more than a decade at the Inter-American Development Bank, designing, supervising, and executing more than 60 projects in Central America, with emphasis on financial inclusion, microfinance, rural economic development, and climate resilience. She has extensive experience across the private, public, bilateral, and multilateral sectors and has been recognized for her leadership in promoting gender inclusion and innovative financing mechanisms.
Nicole is passionate about personal growth, enjoys reading, swimming, and the joy of everyday life.
Evelio Francisco Alvarado
“Sustainable growth is the best business strategy.”
Executive with more than 25 years of experience in strategic management, business administration, international trade, and business association leadership, with a career spanning the corporate, agribusiness, government, and multilateral sectors. He is currently the General Manager of Manttra Americas Corp., where he leads industrial operations with commercial presence in more than 18 countries and a team of 200 employees. Since 2021, he has also served as Vice President of the Guatemalan Managers Association (AGG), promoting the development of competitive business leaders.
From 2014 to 2018, he was the General Manager of Anacafé, representing 125,000 coffee producers in Guatemala, managing a team of more than 300 employees, and handling institutional relations at the national and international levels. Evelio has developed industrial and commercial projects in the agribusiness sector and has led corporate social responsibility and sustainability initiatives, including Guatemala’s first carbon-neutral strategy. As a founding partner of Green Development, he promoted emissions reduction and environmental certification projects with support from international organizations.
In the diplomatic and multilateral sphere, Evelio served as Minister-Counselor and Alternate Representative of Guatemala to the WTO in Geneva, participating in negotiations on international trade, market access, textiles, and the environment. He also worked as an advisor to the Ministry of Economy of Guatemala, contributing to free trade negotiations.
Academically, he holds an MBA from the Instituto Universitario de Posgrado in Spain, a Master’s in International Relations with a specialization in International Trade from Webster University (Switzerland), and a Bachelor’s in International Relations from UFM (Guatemala). He has taught university courses on international trade and has training in international trade negotiations.
He has completed multiple Ironman competitions, loves cars, and is passionate about sports.
Sebastian Barnoya
“Excellence is built through discipline, focus, and consistency.”
Sebastián has more than 8 years of experience in Investment Banking and Corporate Development, specializing in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and financial structuring. Before rejoining Pacific Capital, he earned his MBA/MSF at the Carroll School of Management at Boston College, where he also worked as an Investment Banking Associate in Boston, Massachusetts.
Sebastián has been a national golf champion and has represented Guatemala at the Amateur Golf World Cup on multiple occasions; he is currently ranked among the top 80 amateur golfers in the world.
Sebastián also serves on the Investment Committee and the Board of Directors of Calella Group.
Jennifer Molina
“Transforming businesses also means transforming communities.”
With legal and financial expertise, her focus is on corporate advisory, complementing areas such as acquisition, integration, and mergers of companies. She leads due diligence processes, capital investments, and financing, as well as implementing negotiation strategies to execute transactions in the commercial, industrial, financial, and energy sectors in Central America and other Latin American markets. In addition, she has carried out public and private strategic alliances for the development of national-interest projects, participated in bidding committees and corporate contracting processes in different jurisdictions, as well as in the structuring of Corporate Governance and the implementation of internal processes for innovation with a specialization in Family Businesses.
Since 2019, she has been a professor of the Principles of Finance course at the Faculty of Law of Universidad Francisco Marroquín. As a Certified Mentor in Business Structure and Innovation by Corporación Tecnalia and the Ministry of Economy of Guatemala, she develops her interest as an active ad honorem member of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and participates as a speaker and panelist in forums on economic inclusion and financial education through national and international projects of Vital Voices Inc., Glasswing International, American Chamber of Commerce – AMCHAM, and governmental institutions, contributing to various continuing education programs.
Jennifer is motivated by social outreach activities and enjoys hiking.