The Team

Mr. Virata is the Chairman Emeritus of Exchange Equity Partners Group Corporation. He was previously the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CLSA Exchange Capital, Inc. (“CLSA ECI”), an investment banking joint venture formed in 2001 between CLSA Limited (“CLSA”) of Hong Kong and Exchange Capital Corporation (“ECC”) of Manila. Prior to this, he was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CLSA ECI’s predecessor company, Jardine Fleming Exchange Capital Group, Inc. (“JFECGI”), a joint venture between ECC and Jardine Fleming of Hong Kong formed in 1987. Under Mr. Virata’s leadership, CLSA ECI became the leading investment bank in the Philippines, having raised more than $8.3Bn in equity for Philippine corporates since 1991 and advised in more than $10.7Bn worth of M&A, JV, and Financial Advisory transactions in the Philippines during the same period. 

He is also a major shareholder and Director of Nickel Asia Corporation (“Nickel Asia”), where he holds 12.59% of the company’s outstanding stock. Nickel Asia was founded by Mr. Virata’s father in 1977 and has grown to be the Philippines’ largest producer of lateritic nickel ore and one of the largest nickel ore exporters in the world. Nickel Asia listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange in 2010. 

Mr. Virata is also the Chairman of Cavitex Holdings Inc. (“CHI”). CHI owns the rights to an 844 ha. reclamation project in the Province of Cavite. In a joint venture with the Province of Cavite, CHI is commencing the reclamation project which will include the new international airport. 

He is also the Chairman of Exchange Properties Resources Corporation (“EPRC”), a family owned corporation that is engaged in developing leisure and residential properties on ancestral land of the Virata family.  

Mr. Virata is currently the major shareholder of Amber Kinetics, Inc. (“Amber Kinetics”), a battery storage company based in Northern California.  Amber Kinetics was founded in anticipation of the enormous worldwide demand for competitively priced, safe, environmentally sustainable, multi-hour energy storage and is in the process of constructing manufacturing facilities in the United States. 

His other activities include being a Director of Benguet Corp., Member of the Huntsman Foundation of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Honorary Doctorate in Humanities, De La Salle University Dasmariñas and Founder, Trustee of Asia Society Philippine Foundation and the Metropolitan Museum of Manila. 

Mr. Virata received his Bachelor and Master of Arts in Economics from Trinity College, Cambridge University and his Master in Business Administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Dan is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Exchange Equity Partners Group Corporation. He has over 35 years of unrivaled international and domestic investment banking experience having advised the largest Philippine corporates on equity and equity-related financings, initial public offerings, debt placements and mergers and acquisitions. Dan was responsible for creating and structuring innovative transaction solutions that are currently being implemented by numerous Philippine corporates. Previously, he was Co-Chief Executive Officer of CLSA ECI, a Philippine investment banking joint venture between ECC and CLSA, where he was responsible for all Philippine investment banking, corporate finance, financial advisory and new business activities. He was also Managing Director of CLSA ECI’s predecessor company - JFECGI – a joint venture between ECC and Jardine Fleming. He began his investment banking career in New York with Merrill Lynch where he worked for 10 years advising the world’s largest oil and gas companies.

He received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics and East Asian Studies (summa cum laude) from Columbia University in New York and his Master of Business Administration specializing in Finance and Management from Columbia Business School in New York.

Ruthy is Managing Director for Exchange Equity Partners Group Corporation. She has over 30 years of investment banking experience in the Philippines where she has originated and executed numerous debt and equity transactions. Ruthy also has experience in acquiring inactive publicly-listed companies on the PSE and turning them around, working closely with the PSE and SEC, to activate these companies for backdoor listings. Previously, Ruthy was Managing Director for CLSA ECI where she was responsible for initiating new business activities for M&A and capital market transactions. Furthermore, Ruthy was the principal in-charge for coordination with regulatory agencies, such as the SEC and the PSE, for clients. Prior to this, she was a Director for JFECGI where she was responsible for investment banking and corporate finance activities.

She received her Bachelor of Science in Philosophy from the University of the Philippines, Manila and her Master of Science in Management and Accounting from the University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA).

Fermin is Managing Director for Exchange Equity Partners Group Corporation. He has over 25 years of investment banking experience both locally and internationally. Previously, Fermin was Managing Director of Corporate Finance for CLSA ECI where he was responsible for the origination and execution of various capital market transactions and M&A engagements. Prior to this, he was Director for JFECGI where he advised Philippine companies on a wide range of corporate finance transactions. He has garnered substantial international equity and equity-linked transaction experience while with Robert Fleming & Co. in London, United Kingdom. Prior to investment banking, Fermin was in the oil industry where he worked for Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation. 

He received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of the Philippines, Diliman and his Master of Business Administration from London Business School.

Noel is Managing Director for Exchange Equity Partners Group Corporation. He has over 30 years of investment banking and corporate banking experience in Asia. Noel was formerly Managing Director of Corporate Finance for CLSA ECI where he was responsible for the origination and execution of capital market and M&A transactions. He was also a Director for JFECGI where he advised Philippine companies on numerous debt and equity transactions. Prior to joining JFECGI, Noel spent several years with Citibank, where he held supervisory roles in its treasury and investment management divisions, working both in the Philippines and Singapore. 

He received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the Ateneo de Manila University and his Master of Business Management from the Asian Institute of Management.

Luis is Director for Exchange Equity Partners Group Corporation. He has over 10 years of investment banking and financial services experience in Asia and in the United States. Luis was previously Vice President of Corporate Finance for CLSA ECI where he was responsible for the overall execution of investment banking transactions covering capital market and financial advisory deals. Prior to investment banking, Luis was working in the financial services industry as an auditor for Deloitte & Touche LLP in San Francisco, California. 

He received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Major in Finance and Accounting (summa cum laude) from the University of San Francisco, USA and his Master of Business Administration from ESADE Business School in Barcelona, Spain. Luis is also a Certified Public Accountant in the State of California.

Marco is a Director for Exchange Equity Partners Group Corporation. He has over 18 years of corporate finance and investment experience both in the Philippines and abroad. Previously, Marco was a Vice President at Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets where he was responsible for helping invest and manage the assets of the US$600M Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure (“PINAI”) Fund. Prior to this, he was Vice President for Deutsche Bank where he worked for their Strategic Investment Group, acquiring and managing non-performing loan portfolios for the group in Asia and Australia. Before this, he worked at Capmark Financial, managing their real estate and non-performing loan investments in the Philippines, and at SGV&Co. / Ernst & Young’s Corporate Finance and Transaction Advisory Services Group.

He received his Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies from the Ateneo de Manila University and his Master of Business Administration from INSEAD.

Gino is an Associate in Exchange Equity Partners Group Corporation. He joined the group of EEPG bankers as a Financial Analyst for CLSA ECI in 2016. Gino has extensive transaction experience covering M&A, capital market deals, and other advisory engagements such as corporate restructuring and valuation-related projects. His industry expertise includes: financial services, consumer/retail, infrastructure, agriculture, and utilities. 

Gino received his Bachelor of Science in Applied Economics from De La Salle University.

Antonio Torres is currently a Senior Advisor at EEPG. He has over 20 years of experience in investment banking and mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and has originated, structured, and completed over US$5Bn in M&A transactions across North America, Europe and Asia. Prior to joining EEPG, Mr. Torres was Executive Director of Investment Banking and Advisory and the Head of Mergers and Acquisitions at Maybank ATR Kim Eng, where he was responsible for deal origination and overseeing the execution of capital markets and M&A transactions for the Group.

Mr. Torres has received several notable back-to-back investment banking industry awards, including Top 10 M&A Deal in 2020, Best Country Advisory Deal in 2019, Best Advisory Deal in 2017, and Best Country M&A Deal in 2016.

He currently holds a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Economics from Fordham University, New York and an MBA in Finance from the WP Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.