Leadership
Global, through-the-cycle experience
Roberta launched Catharsis after 30 years as an entrepreneur, fund manager, institutional investor and thought leader in emerging markets infrastructure and private equity.
A veteran dealmaker and advisor in emerging and frontier markets, Roberta began her career in Ukraine at the International Finance Corporation, and then served as an investor in Asian infrastructure at the AIG Infrastructure Funds. Moving on to become one of the original partners at Abris Capital Partners, Roberta returned to Eastern Europe for some years, then switched to Latin American investments at La Caisse, Canada's second-largest pension fund. She then ran an emerging markets-focused SPAC for South Africa's Capitalworks Investment Management before joining Control Risks as a risk-focused M&A advisor and taking on an Investment Committee role at Darby International Investments.
MBA, Georgetown university · AB, Harvard college
Louis Jean is a seasoned C-level executive and board member with over 30 years of international experience across the Americas and Europe, focused on energy and infrastructure.
His sector experience spans power generation, transmission and distribution, transportation, logistics, ports, public transit, roads, and digital infrastructure. He serves as CEO of NSEP, and has served as infrastructure investor at La Caisse, Chairman of Energuate in Guatemala, and CEO of InfraCorp, Grupo Romero's infrastructure platform in Peru. He brings a strong track record in M&A, integration, and cross-border strategic execution across complex regulatory environments, through joint ventures and partnerships with Hydro-Québec, Alstom, Vinci, and Bombardier.
AMP, The Wharton School · MBA, University of Texas at Austin and Tecnológico de Monterrey · BCom, McGill University
Alex researches global energy markets and policy at CSIS, a leading think tank in Washington. He previously worked in market analysis and advisory at the Albright Stonebridge Group, Northlander Commodity Advisors, and Sunnova Energy.
Alex began his career in distributed solar at Sunnova Energy, then moved into carbon markets at Northlander Commodity Advisors. At Brennan & Partners in London he covered transatlantic political and economic developments for the firm's leadership, before joining the Albright Stonebridge Group, where he advised clients on Latin American energy policy and regulation. At CSIS he covers electricity market design, global oil and gas trade, and geoeconomics.
MSc, London School of Economics · BA, University of Oxford
David Simpson, DBA, CFA
Advisor
David has underwritten more than $3 billion of institutional private equity commitments over two decades at the Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association and other institutions, and led a $1 billion secondary sale. He teaches alternative assets at the University of Miami.
DBA, University of Liverpool · MS, University of Colorado Denver · AB, Harvard University
Viva Bartkus
Advisor
Viva is Professor Emerita of Management at Notre Dame and a former McKinsey partner with deep expertise in business-led development across frontier markets. She advises organizations operating in isolated, impoverished, and high-risk environments through the Frontlines Institute, which she co-founded.
DPhil, University of Oxford · MA · BA, Yale University
Bilel Al Souaied
Advisor
Bilel is a MENA-based operator and investor. He advises Tier 1 VCs on capital deployment, corporate development, and fundraising. Previously an institutional investor with DFIs and an operator of logistics tech and cybersecurity companies, he also contributes to philanthropic work at the WEF.
MSc, LSE · BSc, Royal Holloway, University of London
Stephen Wemple
Advisor
Stephen is Vice President at Concentric Energy Advisors, where he helps clients develop and implement energy-related business plans. Previously General Manager of Con Edison's Utility of the Future Team, he led procurement of bulk energy storage and decarbonization initiatives across New York's clean energy program.
MEng · BS, Cornell University
Krzysztof (Kris) Kuzbik
Advisor
Kris is a Partner at Avallon MBO, a Polish private equity firm, with over 30 years of investment, banking, and advisory experience across Emerging Europe. Previously, he led CEE/CIS business development for Commerzbank, served on the Management Board of Bank Forum in Ukraine, and managed IFC privatization projects in Ukraine.
MBA, University of Warsaw · MSc, Odessa State Agrarian University
Herman Kotzé
Advisor
Herman is an executive at a leading EM-focused private equity firm. Previously CEO and CFO of Net 1 UEPS Technologies, a payments and financial services firm, he led its 2004 Nasdaq listing and sourced more than 20 strategic investments worth ~$1 billion across Europe, South Korea, India, and Sub-Saharan Africa. He is a qualified South African Chartered Accountant.
CTA · BCom, University of Pretoria
Andrew Gunther
Advisor
Andrew is an independent consultant focused on impact and climate finance, with over 30 years of EM investment and development finance experience. He served as Managing Director at Darby Private Equity, where he raised and led a $206 million renewable energy fund for Latin America. He previously served as IFC Country Manager for Brazil.
MBA, Wharton School · BA, University of Michigan
Andra Jatikusumo
Advisor
Andra is a Singapore-based investor and operator working across the U.S.-Southeast Asia corridor, with over 30 years of experience in EM investment. He began his career investing in Asia-Pacific private equity at Singapore's sovereign fund, then in tech at a crossover fund, before helping build the digital and consumer arm of one of its portfolio companies in Southeast Asia.
MS, Stanford Graduate School of Business · MFin, INSEAD · BA, New York University
Iain Donald
Advisor
Iain is a Partner and US Market Lead at Control Risks. With 25 years in political and country risk across the Americas and Europe, he advises infrastructure investors, pension funds, financial institutions, and extractives companies on market entry, scenario planning, and transaction intelligence. He previously built and led the firm's Americas political risk practice.
MA, King's College London · BSc, University of Birmingham