Team ACP
Leadership Team
Our Leadership Team oversees ACP’s strategic direction, from defining investment strategies to managing transformations and investor relations.
With expertise in mergers and acquisitions, financial engineering, and sustainability, they drive growth while ensuring regulatory compliance.
Operators Team
Our Operators Team drives portfolio success through product innovation, sales execution, brand development, and efficient production.
They engage consumers, analyze data, and explore market expansion opportunities, ensuring sustained growth and innovation within our ventures.
Private Equity Advisory Team
The private equity advisors team provides strategic advice and experience bridging to complement ACP’s skills.
They Leverage network access for deal sourcing, partnerships, market insights, governance and best practices.
ACP: Leadership Team
Felipe Rojas
CEO, Managing Partner
ACP: Leadership Team
Felipe Rojas
CEO, Managing Partner
Felipe has over 26 years of experience in the field, with a cultivated an extensive background in transformation, operations, management consulting, and corporate finance, with a geographic focus spanning both the United States and Latin America. His expertise encompasses a wide array of specialties including mergers and acquisitions (M&A), syndicated loans, special situations, project finance, transformational business consulting and start-ups.
Felipe has a notable entrepreneurial streak, demonstrated by the founding of CFAC, an M&A and consulting boutique that showcases his capacity for innovative leadership and strategic growth. His corporate journey also includes significant roles at globally respected institutions such as Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, UBS AG, Violy & Company in New York, Infinitus Corporation, and Singer Products Inc.
In addition to his corporate roles, Felipe has contributed his expertise as a board member to various companies within the quick service restaurant sector, food processing, and distribution, further diversifying his exposure to different aspects of the business world in both the U.S. and Latin America. This is complemented by Felipe’s advisory role to the CEO of Kandeo Private Equity Fund, where he offered strategic insights and guidance.
A particular area of distinction is Felipe’s record in business transformation within the food industry. Here, he has been instrumental in developing and executing company strategies and growth plans that have significantly increased company value, achieving a remarkable 2 to 3 times the original value.
Felipe’s strategic approach often involves optimizing operational efficiencies, such as streamlining supply chains and distribution channels, embracing automation to boost productivity, and judiciously cutting costs and expenses. Additionally, he has a proven track record of enhancing sales and margins, not only by improving existing operations but also by introducing innovative new products to the market.
Felipe’s experience within the startup ecosystem, having been intricately involved in shaping business concepts, securing funding, and managing new ventures towards operational success. Their expertise spans the critical phases of startup development—from ideating and structuring innovative business models to leading successful capital-raising efforts through angel investors and family offices. With a hands-on approach to management, he has directly overseen product development, market entry, and scaling operations, adeptly navigating the challenges unique to startup growth.
This professional’s blend of strategic vision, financial acumen, and operational expertise, combined with his startup experience, has contributed to the development of Felipe’s skills to identify and cultivate high-value investment opportunities and drive substantial growth.
Carolina Rocha
Managing Director
Carolina’s extensive background in investment banking is marked by her impressive academic credentials and deep professional experience. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the prestigious Colegio de Estudios Superiores de Administración, CESA, and further honed her expertise with a Master’s in Public Administration and International Development from Harvard University.
With over ten years of immersion in the investment banking sector, Carolina’s extensive track record on tailoring financial solutions to diverse client needs, complex cross-border transactions, in public markets, successfully leading bond offerings, managing Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) and follow-on offerings, structuring syndicated and mezzanine loans, in local and regional markets working with top-tier financial institutions such as Rothschild Group, Inverlink, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Davivienda Corredores and Synergy Group.
She has experience in hotels, airlines, aircraft leasing, agribusiness, oil and gas and real estate development, where Carolina played a critical role in shaping the investment strategies that fueled the expansion and success, through meticulous market analysis, asset allocation, and the management of investment risks to maximize returns.
Tom Masillo
Chief Financial Officer | Managing Director
Tom has extensive experience in private equity, hedge fund, venture capital and both start-up and operating companies.
Participated in numerous public offerings and experienced in SEC matters, including mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs, and on-going compliance requirements.
Former Senior Managing Director at a Gen II, a Private Equity Fund Administrator, Chief Financial Officer and key member of leadership of a Latin American boutique investment bank specializing in mergers and acquisitions.
Worked as a interim CFO in numerous operating companies in the Real Estate, Live Events , Fitness and Beauty Industries. Started career at BDO Seidman, is a CPA, a member of the AICPA. NYSSCPA’s.
Expert In financial reporting, financial statement preparation, cash management ,Risk analyses and compliance.
ACP: Operators Team
Chef Eric Kopelow
Product Development
ACP: Operators Team
Chef Eric Kopelow
Product Development
Eric Kopelow is a renowned Certified Executive Chef with global experience. A Graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park New York and Cordon Bleu in France. Also has degrees in business and Culinary Arts and has completed Six Sigma. He has won numerous awards for culinary excellence with being one of only 72 chefs in the world inducted into the great Chef Series from The Culinary Institute of America along with greats like Julia Childs, Emeril Lagasse and Paul Bocuse.
As the Executive Vice President of Cedarlane Foods, Chef Eric has created a large variety of foods items for the retail market along with designing food for many private label brands.
His innovation to designing new concepts has been in the fore front of the food and beverage industry. He has been instrumental to achieve products meet specifications in an efficient and productive manner from costing to execution. He has extensive experience turning food companies and product lines from a negative result to a profitable EBITDA within short periods of time.
Chef Eric has also held positions in other food manufacturing facilities as the Chief Operating Officer in very culinary forward businesses. In addition, Chef Eric has had positions as Vice President and Corporate Executive Chef of Universal Studio Hollywood, Corporate Executive Chef worldwide at United Airlines, Hilton Hotels and the Trump organization in Atlantic City NJ.
He is a member of the ACF (American Culinary Federation) and has been recognized by Nation’s restaurant news as one of the top 50 chefs in the United States. Chef Eric has also been featured in numerous magazines and publications and has appeared on national morning shows. Chef Eric has also been honored with cooking twice at the James Beard house in New York City.
Ernesto Echeverri
Marketing & Sales
ACP: Operators Team
Ernesto Echeverri
Marketing & Sales
ACP: Operators Team
Ernesto Echeverri
Marketing & Sales
Ernesto has an extensive experience and proven track record across multiple blue chip companies and industries, including Goya Foods, Colgate-Palmolive, Citibank, Mastercard, LATAM Airlines, RABINOVICI, KONFIO, BASF, and Leo Burnett.
His impactful contribution to the U.S. food industry during his time at Goya Foods underscores a deep understanding of market trends, consumer behavior, and innovative marketing strategies.
Ernesto has demonstrated exceptional skills in driving brand transformations, pioneering digital and omnichannel marketing initiatives, and leading diverse teams to achieve remarkable growth and market leadership.
Additionally, his strategic approach to sales and omnichannel marketing has consistently led to significant revenue increases and market expansion.
Gabriel Guerrero
Marketing, Brand & Creative
With a background in Communications from Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia, Gabriel embarked on a dynamic journey in the world of media and creativity.
After graduating, he founded his first production company, crafting TV commercials and graphic designs that captured his clients’ visions. Seeking further expertise, he pursued Cinematography in Michigan, USA, before setting up a specialized music video production company in vibrant Miami.
For two decades, he spearheaded Creative and Marketing efforts in the airline industry, co-founding a successful media company. Recently, Gabriel ventured into a promising partnership with Felipe Rojas at ACP, combining their talents and experiences for the next exciting chapter in their journey.
Charles Hart
Production & Manufacturing
Professional with extensive experience in production, manufacturing, new product development and as interim CEO.
Has worked in beef, chicken, pork, salsa and cocktail garnish among others.
Supplying customers such as Smithfield, Subway, Costco, Walmart, Sam’s, Sysco and many other foodservice companies.
Charles has partnered with 3 private equity firms over the last 15 years focusing on brand growth, recognition and acquisitions.
ACP: Private Equity Advisory Team
Eduardo Michelsen
CEO & Managing Director of Kandeo Private Equity Fund
ACP: Private Equity Advisory Team
Eduardo Michelsen
CEO & Managing Director of Kandeo Private Equity Fund
Eduardo is co-founder, current Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Kandeo as well as an active member of its Investment Committee.
From 2001 – 2009, before the launch of Kandeo, Eduardo served as CEO of Televisa Publishing and Interactive Media, which is not just the largest Spanish language magazine publisher worldwide, but also an operational branch of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B., the world’s largest Spanish speaking multimedia company.
Prior to joining Editorial Televisa, he served as CEO of Publicaciones Semana, Colombia’s largest magazine publisher, from 1999 to 2001.
Eduardo worked for McKinsey & Company’s Latin American division from 1997 – 1999, where he focused on telecommunications and financial services. During the years 1991 – 1995, he held a position as Finance Manager and Supervisor for Procter & Gamble (Colombia).
Eduardo received his B.S. in Economics from Universidad de los Andes (Colombia) and his M.B.A. from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University in Chicago.
In addition, Eduardo has completed various executive-level Private Equity courses at the prestigious Harvard Business School.
ACP: External Advisors Team
We’ve secured the support of nationally recognized advisors across various domains to enhance our efforts. With their collective expertise and insights, we’re well-equipped to navigate the most complex challenges.
ACP is teaming with nationally recognized Auditors, Attorneys, Food Strategy Consultants, a World Class Management Team & Board of Directors.
Pricewaterhouse Coopers and Winston & Strawn will help us with the Due Diligence and some Post Transaction Roles.
