Rogerio Martins
Managing Director, Brazil
Rogerio Martins leads a team of six agribusiness investing and operational professionals and works closely with the CIO, CRO and in-house legal team to originate, structure and support AMERRA’s portfolio of debt and equity investments in Brazil. He is driven by both his curiosity and desire to support the evolution of Brazilian agribusiness which has allowed him to develop significant expertise in various sectors.
A former pro tennis player, Rogerio brings the discipline and focus he developed on the court to his collaborations with the AMERRA team, portfolio companies and deep network of relationships in Brazil. Rogerio brings an entrepreneurial spirit, structuring expertise, and a keen eye for analyzing financial and operational performance, adding value to AMERRA’s various stakeholders. While based in New York City, Rogerio, a native Brazilian, spends a significant amount of time in Brazil visiting portfolio companies and connecting with industry professionals. This active on-the-ground presence has elevated AMERRA’s reputation as one of the go-to financial partners for middle market Brazilian agribusiness companies.
With respect to private equity investing in Brazil, Rogerio co-led the investment structuring and diligence process for Fiagril, a grain trader and inputs distributor. He was also instrumental in negotiating the sale of core operations two years later while carving out three niche business lines the Company’s founding shareholders had established, but not stabilized. Five years later, these businesses are fully operational and are currently being primed for their individual exits. He also successfully leveraged his financial and sector knowledge in the sugar and ethanol industries to assemble an operational team that is exceeding expectations and creating shareholder value in AMERRA’s investment in Rio Amambai.
Rogerio is a significant contributor to AMERRA’s successful turnaround and recovery effort in distressed sugar and ethanol operations, in one case coordinating a precedent setting legal win to liquidate agricultural land assets and recover capital for AMERRA’s investors. Rogerio sits on the boards of five portfolio companies: Bahia Etanol Holdings S.A., Aguapei Agroenergia S.A., Rio Amambaí Agroenergia S.A., Tapajós Participações S.A. and Usina Enersugar S.A. AÇÚCAR E ÁLCOOL.
Prior to joining AMERRA, Rogerio held positions at HSH Nordbank AG in New York and Natixis do Brasil. Rogerio holds an MBA and Postgraduate degree from Pace University and BS in business administration from Webber International University. A native Portuguese speaker, he is also fluent in English and speaks German.