Charles Bedford

Co-Founder and Chief Impact Officer,
Carbon Growth Partners

With over 25 years of global conservation and climate experience, Charles Bedford is the Founder and Chief Impact Officer of Carbon Growth Partners and also serves as a Professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He has worked with business and government leaders in the Asia Pacific region on conservation solutions including conservation finance, park and preserve declarations, climate change, fisheries, and forest management. He previously served as the Regional Managing Director for The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) Asia Pacific Region, where he spearheaded critical climate, marine, freshwater, and land conservation initiatives.

Charles comments, "NetaCarbon is building a much-needed solution in removing barriers to entry into project development for small communities and entrepreneurs in the Global South. I think it’s a terrific idea and have been impressed by how quickly Mar and Grace are moving up the learning curve and designing their project.”

Our team was excited to meet with Charles recently in Boston – we had an extremely productive afternoon where we discussed NetaCarbon’s strategy and near-term roadmap. We were grateful for the invaluable insights Charles shared on the latest trends and observations in financing carbon projects, and we look forward to continuing leveraging his expertise as we grow.

Juan Manuel Fernandez Cortina

Head of Investment Banking | Corporate Finance,
Banco Santander Mexico

Our second advisor, Juan Manuel Fernandez Cortina, brings three decades of M&A experience to NetaCarbon. Currently serving as the Head of Investment Banking | Corporate Finance at Banco Santander Mexico, Juan Manuel has worked in New York, London, and Mexico with a long track record of supporting cross-border transactions in five continents and 23 countries. He is an experienced Board Member and has advised boards for decades on complex deals. He is a distinguished alumnus of both Harvard Business School (MBA) and Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.

Juan Manuel's vast expertise in finance and strategic leadership will significantly contribute to NetaCarbon's growth and expansion in the Latin American market.Juan Manuel states, "I am excited to support NetaCarbon in its journey to accelerate climate transition in Latin America. The carbon market opportunity is enormous – I believe NetaCarbon’s platform will have the potential to unlock the much-needed climate investments in this region."

Our founders met up with Juan Manuel over the summer in Mexico City, where we discussed the long-term strategy of NetaCarbon, as well as the projects we are launching with our pilot customers. With Latin America as one of NetaCarbon’s prioritized regions, we are grateful for the unique insights and network from this region that Juan Manuel brings to our team.

Felipe Bittencourt

CEO and Co-Founder,
WayCarbon

Our third advisor, Felipe Bittencourt, is the CEO and co-founder of WayCarbon, a sustainability management provider, where he leads a team of 300 professionals focused on catalyzing the just and resilient transition to a net zero economy. As CEO, Felipe has focused on scaling digital sustainability products, enhancing the generation of carbon credits, expanding geographically, and influencing leaders in business and government on climate change and net zero strategies. He graduated in Civil Engineering and has a Ph.D. at the University of Oxford. Felipe founded WayCarbon in 2006, having over 17 years of experience engaging with the carbon market.

Felipe states, “I’m pleased to be one of NetaCarbon’s advisors and I hope to help with product market fit and commercial strategies.” Despite a hectic schedule at the NYC Climate Week, our co-founder, Mar Velasco, managed to catch up with Felipe and share updates on NetaCarbon’s product and business development efforts. We appreciated Felipe’s candid sharing of his founder’s journey and his helpful advice on our path moving forward.

Reflecting on these appointments, NetaCarbon’s co-founders, Grace Lam and Mar Velasco, add, "We are honored to welcome Charles, Juan Manuel, and Felipe as advisors to NetaCarbon. Their extensive experience and deep commitment to sustainability align perfectly with our mission to democratize access to the carbon market. We look forward to their valuable insights and guidance as we continue our journey towards a more sustainable future."NetaCarbon is committed to working with experts and leaders in the field to drive innovation, sustainability, and positive climate impact. The expansion of our advisory team marks another significant step forward in our mission to create lasting change in the carbon market.