DIRECTOR PROFILES
JOSÉ PARÉS - CHAIRMAN
Non-Independent Non-Executive Director
Jose is the Chief Executive Officer of Finaccess Capital. He is also the Chairman of the Board and a Proprietary Director of AmRest Holdings SE. During his professional career he has been Director of the Board of Crown Imports, Chicago, Il, the Vice Chairman of the Board of MMI, Toronto, Canada, Director of the Board of DIFA, Mexico and former member of the Beer Chamber of Mexico.
Previously, Jose worked for 19 years at Grupo Modelo (Mexico), in various positions, including as the Vice President of Marketing and Sales International where he oversaw growth of Grupo Modelo’s annual revenues from USD1 billion to USD3 billion.
Jose graduated from Universidad Panamericana, Mexico (Business and Finance) and completed his MBA at ITAM, Mexico as well as the Business D-1 Program at IPADE, Mexico and Executive Programme at Wharton, San Francisco.
MALENA PATO-CASTEL
Independent Non-Executive Director
Malena has over 33 year of experience in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods and Retail Hospitality industries in the US and Europe, including senior regional roles at Unilever and Yum! Brands. Prior to her retirement from the company
in 2020, Malena spent nine years in various roles at AmRest Holdings SE (six of which as a member of the AmRest Exec Committee). Her appointments included President for AmRest Spain and, most recently Chief Proprietary Brands Officer with responsibilities extending across markets in Spain, China, France, Portugal and Germany.
Malena served on the board of various Yum! Brands subsidiaries that operated Pizza Hut and KFC stores in Spain and has extensive experience as an owner/operator of KFC branded restaurants in Europe as a co-founder and managing director of a restaurant operating company that grew from 14 to more than 130 restaurants prior to being acquired by AmRest.
Melena is fluent in English, French and Spanish and holds a Business Administration and Management (ADE) degree from the ICADE School of Business and Economics.
EMILIO FULLAONDO
Independent Non-Executive Director
Emilio is a senior executive with over 23 years of experience in the beer industry. Emilio worked in a number of finance roles for Grupo Modelo, including four years as Chief Financial Officer. Following the acquisition of Grupo Modelo by AB InBev in 2013, Emilio oversaw significant cultural and organisational changes at AB InBev (Mexico) as Vice President, Human Resources (to 2017) and Vice President, Projects until his resignation in January 2019.
Emilio graduated from ITAM, Mexico (Public Accountant) and completed his MBA at the same institution as well as the Executive Management (AD) Program at IPADE, Mexico.
CARLOS FERNÁNDEZ
Non-Independent Non-Executive Director
Over the last 30 years, Carlos Fernandez has held positions in various business sectors. He was the CEO (1997-2013) and Chairman of the Board of Directors (2005-2013) of Grupo Modelo. From the time he was named CEO, up to 2013, this group consolidated its position as the leading brewing company in Mexico, the seventh biggest worldwide and the world's biggest beer exporter.
He has also served on the boards of national and international companies, including Anheuser Buchs (US), Emerson Electric Co. (US), Seeger Industrial (Spain), Grupo Televisa (Mexico), Crown Imports Ltd. (US), Inbursa (Mexico) and Mexican Stock Exchange (Bolsa Mexicana de Valores). He has served on the advisory board of Grupo Modelo and has also been a member of the international advisory board at Banco Santander, S.A. and a director of Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico S.A.B de C.V.
Carlos is currently Honorary Chairman of the Board of Directors of Grupo Finaccess S.A.P.I. de C.V. - a company of which he was founder and which controls 75% of Restaurant Brands ordinary shares and is also active in Mexico, Europe, Asia and the US.
Carlos is an industrial engineer and has also studied on senior management programmes at the IPADE Business School (Instituto Panamericano de Alta Direccion de Empresa).
LUIS MIGUEL ÁLVAREZ
Non-Independent Non-Executive Director
Luis Miguel Alvarez is a Board Member, Audit Committee Member and Investment Committee Member of Finaccess, S.A.P.I. de C.V. (since 2013).
For over 25 years Luis Miguel occupied different positions within several Grupo Modelo entities (including the Vertical Companies Director of Grupo Modelo, S.A.B. de C.V., President & General Manager of Gmodelo Agriculture, LLC., Idaho Falls, Idaho, Vice President & General Manager of Gmodelo Agriculture, Inc.). During his time at Grupo Modelo, Luis Miguel held various board positions within the group, including: Alternate Board Member and Executive Committee Member of Grupo Modelo, S.A.B. de C.V., Board Member and Executive Committee Member of InteGrow Malt, LLC., as well as Board Member of Impulsora Agricola, S.A. and International CO2 Extraction LLC.
Luis Miguel is currently a Proprietary Director of AmRest Holdings SA.
STEPHEN WARD
Independent Non-Executive Director
Stephen Ward is a professional Director with diverse corporate governance experience in New Zealand and Australia together with extensive expertise as a corporate and commercial lawyer in New Zealand.
Stephen was a partner of Simpson Grierson, one of New Zealand's leading law firms for over 20 years (including over 14 years as a member of the firm's Board of Management) and continues to be a consultant to the firm.
Stephen holds an LLB from the University of Canterbury, is a member of the New Zealand Law Society and is a Chartered Member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors.
HUEI MIN (LYN) LIM
Independent Non-Executive Director
Lyn Lim has served on the boards of the New Zealand Shareholders' Association, Public Trust, the New Zealand China Trade Association, the Hong Kong and New Zealand Business Association, was the Chair of the New Zealand Chinese Youth Trust and held the positions of Trustee, Deputy Chair and Chair of Foundation North (the biggest and leading philanthropic entity in New Zealand). She has been a member of ANZ Private Bank External Advisory Board and has served as a council member of the Auckland District Law Society Inc.
Lyn was a founding partner of Forest Harrison which she started in 2006 after being a partner of a national legal firm for eight years. Lyn commenced her legal career in 1990, after graduating from the University of Canterbury with an LLB (Hons). In her legal practice she specialises in commercial, corporate and governance issues and dispute resolution.
In 2017, Lyn was appointed as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to New Zealand-Asia relations and governance. Lyn is a Chartered Member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors, a member of the New Zealand Law Society and a member and Vice Chair of the Women in Business Committee of the Inter Pacific Bar Association.