Daniel Braatz currently serves as a director and previously served as our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board since our initial public offering through the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement. In addition, Mr. Braatz (i) co-founded (a) FHipo, the first MREIT in the region with over US$1.4 billion in AUM, and (b) VACE Partners, a company providing specialized financial services, (ii) founded (a) Yave, a leading non-bank digital mortgage lender in Mexico, (b) VRE, a vertical residential developer, and (c) AC Capital, a distressed asset fund, (iii) currently serves as a board member of FHipo, Infosel, Conjunto Inmobiliario Polanco, Yave, Parkour Ventures and AC Capital and (iv) holds an LPAC position in Yaax Capital. Prior to his entrepreneurial life, Mr. Braatz worked at Citigroup as an investment banker. Mr. Braatz holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM). We believe Mr. Braatz’s extensive corporate and private venture capital experience, as well as his extensive experience serving in a number of executive positions and as a board member of other companies, makes him well qualified to serve as a Director.
Alfredo Vara Alonso serves as one of our independent directors. Mr. Vara is co-founder and member of the board of APx Capital. Has more than 25 years of experience in the public and private financial sector, through diverse financial institutions and investing platforms with AUM in excess of US$1.5 billion). Mr. Vara is co-founder of VACE Partners, directing diverse transactions through Mexico and Latin America including M&A, structured debt, capital raising, and financial advice, among others. Mr. Vara is Co-founder, member of the board, and the first managing partner of FHipo, and is currently involved in the vehicle’s strategic decision-making. Mr. Vara is co-founder and board member of AC Capital and Yave. Mr. Vara is the largest minority investor in HiTo, master administrator platform, and advisor to the board. Mr. Vara was General Director of Banobras, the fifth largest bank in Mexico by loan portfolio, from February 2017 to November 2018 and during his tenure financial performance was substantially improved while financial access was promoted. Banobras became the first issuer of sustainable bonds in Latin America, among other important achievements. Mr. Vara was also in charge of overseeing FONADIN’s investments, the biggest MLP in Mexico. Mr. Vara has served as board member, at different times, of Afore XXI, Infonavit, Fincasa, Finrural, among others. Prior to his entrepreneurial experiences, Mr. Vara was a first level officer at IPAB (Instituto para la Protección al Ahorro Bancario). He also worked for Deutsche Bank’s Latin American Global Market Sales Group, where he headed the Debt Local Capital Markets effort in Mexico. Mr. Vara is currently working on several new initiatives. Mr. Vara holds a B.S. in Economics from ITAM, and an MBA and M.A. in Economics from Yale University. We believe Mr. Vara’s extensive corporate and private venture capital experience, as well as his extensive experience serving in a number of executive positions and as a board member of other companies, makes him well qualified to serve as a director.
Fara Remtulla serves as one of our independent directors and the chair of our nomination and governance committee. Ms. Remtulla has served as the Chief Operating Officer at Bridge It, Inc., a leading financial wellness application focused on helping improve their financial health, since August 2021. She also served as Head of Digital Delivery at BSF Digital Ventures, a subsidiary of Banque Saudi Fransi, from 2019 to 2021. Ms. Remtulla is an experienced Fintech practitioner who has been involved in launching new digital banking propositions, including co-founding BankCLEARLY, a middle-eastern neo-bank, where she worked closely with regional banks to advance fintech across the banking system, from 2016 to 2018. Prior to founding BankCLEARLY, Ms. Remtulla was the Vice President of Group Strategy at Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, where she focused on corporate and digital strategy, innovation, and customer experience from 2012 to 2016. Ms. Remtulla also held leadership roles at Deutsche Bank in the Corporate and Investment Bank from 2005 to 2010 and at Citigroup from 2003 to 2005. She began her career with McKinsey & Company in their New York office in 2001. She holds a Masters in Business Administration from Columbia Business School and a Bachelors in Engineering from McGill University. We believe Ms. Remtulla is qualified to serve as a member of the Board because of her significant experience in finance and fintech.
Daniel Mudd serves as one of our independent directors and chair of our audit committee. Since 2015, Mr. Mudd has served as senior adviser at Gore Street Capital, an alternatives asset manager in the United Kingdom. He served as Chief Executive Officer of Fortress Investment Group LLC, an alternative asset manager, from August 2009 through December 2011. Previously, Mr. Mudd served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Fannie Mae from 2005 to 2008. Mr. Mudd was also a member of the Fannie Mae Board of Directors. Prior to serving as Chief Executive Officer of Fannie Mae, Mr. Mudd served as the Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of Fannie Mae from 2001 to 2005. As Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Mudd was responsible for originations, marketing, operations, systems, local outreach and administration. Prior to joining Fannie Mae in February 2000, Mr. Mudd