Meet the Team
The Big Valley team is united by its members’ desire to drive meaningful environmental and socio-economic change in parts of the world where need is high.
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Mauricio dedicated the first part of his international career as a microfinance consultant, exporting the knowledge gained in Bolivia and traversing more than 20 countries to glean insights from successful Agrifood SME lenders worldwide.
Subsequently, he made Zurich his base of operations, where he dedicated 14 years to overseeing responsAbility Investments AG's agriculture and sustainable food debt portfolio. His leadership resulted in the underwriting of over USD 2 billion in loans and the establishment of responsAbility as a industry pioneer and leader. Notably, Mauricio spearheaded the conception, fundraising, and successful launch of responsAbility's flagship blended finance initiative, the Climate-Smart Food Systems Fund.
He holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Universidad Católica Boliviana, complemented by Master's degrees in Rural Development, Development Management, and Economics from Rühr University Bochum and the University of the Western Cape.
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Prior to Big Valley, Will spent two years working in impact carbon finance solutions on fund research and design, as well as directly with corporates and private investors looking for tailored carbon investment solutions. Previously, Will co-founded a sustainable luxury clothing company and worked on the Global Business Strategy team at Google.
He holds a BA in International Relations from Columbia University and an MSc in International Energy from Sciences Po Paris.
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Prior to Big Valley, Melani worked for four years in infrastructure private equity at Ardian, a global private investment house. She worked on transactions in Europe and the Americas and gained experience in various sectors, including transportation, telecom and clean energy. In addition to investing activities, Melani was involved in asset management and digital transformation projects for portfolio companies.
She holds a BSc in International Economics and Finance from Bocconi University, and a MSc in International Development from Sciences Po. As part of her studies, Melani also studied in Hong Kong, S.A.R. and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Interested in joining?
We are actively looking for like-minded collaborators who are passionate about mobilizing impact finance at scale to tackle some of the world’s glaring problems. If you are interested in learning more about Big Valley and/or applying for a position, please send us an email below.