Juan Carlos Lara is a managing partner of point5 FAMILY OFFICE, an independent financial company comprised of seasoned experts on emerging markets, dedicated to managing client’s wealth. Under Juan’s expert guidance, point5 focuses on utilizing additional nontraditional metrics like sustainable, responsible, and impactful investing to generate long-term financial returns.
Since accepting his appointment in 2015, Juan has been charged with responsibility over the operations of the Geneva, Switzerland office. point5 primarily serves the community of Latin America, with a very strong commitment to ESGs; environmental, social, and governance affairs. ESG compliance is paramount in all the Group’s actions, as they represent a significant metric for understanding the competency and efficiency of a company’s management and ultimately, its performance.
Juan, originally from Mexico City, has witnessed many forms of mismanagement, including corruption. He has, in fact, used this knowledge to refine his assessment of potential risk when evaluating an investment. This was an especially relevant advantage in the earlier stages of his career, when he founded LaraDorbecker Securities in the USA and held executive positions with international banking institutions such as UBS and HSBC.
Finance has always been one of Juan’s passions. Coupled with his enthusiasm and proclivity toward altruism, he is perfectly suited for his present role. Juan says, “I had considered a vocation as an economist but preferred the more personal interaction involved in client’s facing activities.” This penchant for helping people has resulted in both a stellar reputation within the industry, and an impressive roster of loyal clientele. Juan prides himself on providing professional, ethical, and transparent service. He states, “I think the industry is ripe for a disruptive approach to investing. More than 99% of actively managed assets underperform in the long run, paradoxically they are led by brilliant professionals. Todays’ exclusion of non-financial metrics in analysis distorts the comprehensive assessment of a complex corporate reality. I gauge investment potential with additional criteria based on the company’s leadership and management. Integrity and strong governance are the key ingredients I am looking for, and the outcome is usually good.”
In addition to his financial expertise, Juan is a gifted public speaker, who is often invited to present at conferences and symposiums around the world. He enjoys talking to people and sharing his experiences with other wealth managers and finance professionals and has received numerous standing ovations for his compelling lectures.
Juan is a member of ARIF, a Switzerland based organization comprised of only the top performing wealth advisors and financial professionals. He holds numerous industry certifications, including Series 55 Equity Trader, Series 24 General Securities Principal, Series 53 Municipal Securities Principal, Series 63 Uniform Securities Agent State Law, Series 65 Uniform Investment Adviser Law, and Series 7 General Securities Representative. He is knowledgeable in 4 languages; English, French, Italian, and Spanish, and an active member of The Fight Against Corruption. Since 2015, he has also been an active participant of The United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Juan completed his undergraduate studies at Universidad Iberoamericana, Ciudad de México, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree and continued his postgraduate studies in managerial finance and marketing management at the prestigious Harvard University.
When he is not engaged with the obligations of managing point5 FAMILY OFFICE or involved in a philanthropic pursuit, Juan enjoys collecting and riding motorcycles, participating in Swiss Alpine farmer culture initiatives, and spending time with his wife, and their three daughters in Mexico.