Meet Marco! He’s our new General Manager for South America and with over 25 years of experience working with key industry leaders, he makes a great fit for the role.

• What is your background/career history prior to joining Fulkrum?

I’ve been working in the oil and gas industry for over 25 years now, particularly focusing on marketing, sales, and business development for key industry leaders across Latin America, the Caribbean and Spain.

I started my career in 1994, holding a variety of roles at Shell for 16 years and working my way up to Sales and Operations Manager. I’ve had a deep involvement in start-up processes and managing both B2B and B2C communications, which has built my knowledge on corporate matters such as sustainability, responsibility, communication, the environment, and health and safety.

• The region is relatively new to the renewables market, how will your experience contribute to the development of Fulkrum’s footprint within the renewable energy sector?

Throughout my career, I had an opportunity to manage start-up processes, which helped me gain first-hand experience and in-depth knowledge required to success fully expand the company’s footprint in the target market and develop tactical strategies to execute the expansion process.

In fact, I led and developed the introduction process of a new line of products in Colombia and Mexico, which included the involvement of internal and external stakeholders, enabling the results related to Aviation in Latin America to be on the spotlight in two years.

I also supported a startup branch in Brazil, leading all processes from start to finish, and within two years, I managed to establish a second branch in the region, reaching new heights in both size and performance.

Although renewables sector is a new market to South America, Brazil is leading the way, as energy officials draft a bill for the development of offshore wind farms within the region. My plan for the Brazilian branch is to take advantage of this new market and find opportunities to support projects in the renewables industry.

• What do you enjoy most about your job?

I’ve always enjoyed the social aspect of my roles, particularly when I’ve had to travel for work. One of my favorite parts of my career is strengthening client relationships across the world, not only in a professional sense but a personal one, too.

Client relationships and business development truly go hand in hand. Building on existing and future customer connections boosts both employee and client morale, making the experience of working together a pleasant and memorable one. This in turn helps to increase company activity, grow revenue, and build trust.

A few years ago, I designed a relationship programme that gained the trust of the Cuban Government and favoured the introduction of new premium products from the industrial and aviation markets generating a boost in revenue.

• What made you choose Fulkrum?

In the last year, after the recent opening of the Brazilian office, Fulkrum has built a successful reputation in South America, quickly becoming one of the energy industry’s leading providers. When I saw they were looking for a general manager of the Brazilian branch, I took the opportunity to apply right away.

The way in which Fulkrum values its people is what truly stood out above all. After the pandemic, work habits of many of us have changed completely so having the support and flexibility of Fulkrum to help sustain the work-life balance is key for me.

• What regional projects do you see Fulkrum homing in on in the future?

My goal is to strengthen client relationships, particularly international clients, for Fulkrum. We are looking to increase our operations here in Brazil as well as the rest of South America, aiming to expand our operations in Guyana and continue the growth from there, with potential growth opportunities further East.

We are currently making up for losses caused by the pandemic which is why we are putting our energy into opportunities available in Brazil, so that we can bring the region up to the same standard as the US. Not only are we looking to expand geographically, but we are also looking to expand our industry focus in the LNG, EPCs, small water projects and renewable markets soon.

• What is a fun fact about yourself/hobby/talent or what do you like to do outside of work?

It doesn’t come to mind about any talent or funny fact that is interesting or that I can share! As for hobbies, yes, I have some. I love traveling the world, but in a way that I can combine it with good food and drink. I love sports and, in that respect, I like to practice outdoor running, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and skiing. As an admirer of sports, I am a fan and ardent supporter of Fluminense Football Club, a club in my city, Rio de Janeiro, and one of the most popular in Brazil.

• What advice would you give young people entering the industry?

That’s a million-dollar question, but I’m going to have to try to answer it using the example I’m trying to pass on to my son who is still very young.  It doesn’t matter what business segment or industry you want to work in, you must develop your professional career with passion and doing what you love. If you work with pleasure, your chance of achieving personal fulfillment will be much greater and it is very likely that by being satisfied in your career, you will acquire the respect of your peers, subordinates, and superiors, generating mutual trust.