Ariel Blumenkranc joined Advent in 2012 and is a Managing Director in Mexico City. He advises on investments in the business & financial services, healthcare, and technology sectors. Ariel is a member of Advent’s Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. He has advised on 10 investments during his career, eight while at Advent.
Prior to joining Advent, Ariel worked at Morgan Stanley in its investment banking division in New York, covering financial institutions across Latin America. Previously, he worked as a consultant at McKinsey & Company in a variety of sectors across Latin America and Spain.
Ariel holds a BS in Business Economics from Torcuato Di Tella University, where he was valedictorian of his graduating class, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
How do you identify compelling companies?
A big component of it comes down to having deep sector specialization. Advent’s scale and global presence allows us to gain valuable insights into the plans and growth objectives of key strategic players within our focus sectors. So, when Advent evaluates an investment theme or opportunity, we work all this out and then back-solve. What do we need to acquire, and what should we do to create value in those assets?
How does your global network of colleagues at Advent help you succeed?
The governance within Advent makes sure that collaboration, best practices, and strategic thinking flow naturally. For example, we have regional calls at the sector level every two weeks, and once a month we’ll also have a global call. You’ll be listening to what is happening in Shanghai, along with Frankfurt, London, New York, Boston, Palo Alto, etc. There may be sub-sectors that are growing a lot in some regions and that could be a leading indicator that they could be attractive in Latin America or Mexico in the coming years. For instance, someone might say that nutraceuticals is a fast growing segment and one that is highly valued by strategics, and we haven’t looked at it in Mexico, so let’s get more informed about the sub-sector, build a thesis, look for interesting assets, and develop relationships so that we can do deals in the future. It’s very powerful for idea generation.
“The governance within Advent makes sure that collaboration, best practices, and strategic thinking flow naturally.”
Ariel Blumenkranc
Managing Director, Advent
What advice would you offer to someone new at Advent?
There are several traits you need to have to be successful at Advent. One of the most important is an owner mentality: thinking of a company as if it’s yours. You need analytical rigor and to be able to understand problems comprehensively and in depth to develop clear, succinct views. Another aspect is to be open, collegial, and transparent in your communication. And through hard work and observation, you should keep improving these abilities. If you can do that, the firm will help you rise.
When did you first decide you wanted a career in this business?
I was in my twenties, and private equity was not well known in Latin America. I discovered it two or three years after I joined McKinsey, through a friend. He was pursuing his MBA, called me and told me private equity was a mix of finance, operations, and strategy, and he thought it would suit me. I started investigating and loved the idea of serving in an entrepreneur-like role and having an impact in many industries and geographies. In private equity, you can do that without losing sight of being entrepreneurial – you’re finding exciting ideas and executing on value creation.
What keeps you busy outside of the office?
I love to travel with my family – both in cities and the great outdoors. I think it’s a privilege to travel with my kids in the early days of their lives. We enjoy hiking, biking, and anything that connects us with nature.
1. Member of the Neoris Advisory Board.
