La Vida Trustees Profiles


Katy Vatis Chairperson Katy co-founded La Vida with Helen Ilsley after a business trip to Brazil in early 2006. She has a degree in Economics with Spanish from the University of Birmingham. Katy started her career at Pictet Asset Management in 2000 and moved to Threadneedle Investments in 2006 as a Latin American Portfolio Manager. Since 2011, Katy has worked part-time in equity research for a hedge fund at GAM whilst devoting the rest of her time to running and managing La Vida. Her work has involved a lot of travel to the region where she has experienced first hand the extreme levels poverty and the need for improvements in health and education. Katy is a CFA charterholder and speaks Spanish and Portuguese.
Helen Ilsley Secretary Helen co-founded La Vida together with Katy Vatis in the Autumn of 2006, specifically to raise funds for their original project, The Ponseti Technique Clubfoot Project in Brazil. Helen is a Latin American equity salesperson at Deutsche Bank, and has been closely involved with Latin America for more than 12 years. She received her BA in Business Economics from Nottingham Trent University.
Aneli Gonzalez Treasurer Aneli joined the LA VIDA Board of Trustees in 2006, with the aim of giving something back to Latin America. Originally from Guatemala, she graduated with First Class honours from the London School of Economics, has a M.Sc. in Economics for Development from Oxford University. She started her career at Merrill Lynch in London specialising in Latin American equities. She continues with that role at another investment bank today. Both her work and family ties allows her to have a strong connection with the region which she visits regularly. Aneli is a CFA charterholder and is fluent in Spanish, French and English.
Rosie Bichard Trustee Rosie has a degree in French and Spanish from St John's College, Cambridge and is a Chartered Financial Analyst. She has worked in finance since 1990, and was involved with Latin America for twelve years as both an investment banker and a portfolio manager for Deutsche Bank. She currently works as the Global Consumer Analyst for Newton Investment Management, part of Bank of New York Mellon. Rosie has travelled extensively in Latin America for both personal and professional reasons and speaks both Spanish and Portuguese. Rosie became a La Vida trustee in early 2008.
Lisa Smart Trustee Lisa has been a trustee of La Vida since it was founded in 2006. She is Director of Client Services at Genesis Investment Management. Lisa recently received her MBA from London Business School and has a degree in Mathematics from the University of Durham.
Marta Rodriguez Head of Projects Marta joined La Vida in January 2009. She is responsible for co-ordinating all the administration for La Vida's projects and also chairs the New Projects Prioritisation Committee. She has a degree in Business Administration and Finance from the University of Zaragoza in Spain. Marta started her career with Deutsche Bank in Edinburgh in 2000, has also worked for State Street Global Advisors, JPMorgan Asset Management, which also involved managing the relationship of their Latin American business from a product perspective. She joined First State Investments as a Senior Product Manager in November 2011. Her trips to Latin America over the last few years have encouraged her to get involved with La Vida. Marta is a CFA Charterholder and speaks Spanish and English.
Zarela Feeney Trustee Zary joined La Vida in December 2012. She has an MBA from George Washington University and a BA in Finance from Marymount University. She began her career with Ernst & Young's Financial Advisory Team in Washington DC where she focused in Latin America. She moved to London to join Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein's M&A team. She retired from banking in 2001 to raise her family and has since been involved in several charitable and philanthropic activities in Latin America, particularly in Bolivia, her native country. She speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Katy Vatis

Chairperson

Katy co-founded La Vida with Helen Ilsley after a business trip to Brazil in early 2006. She has a degree in Economics with Spanish from the University of Birmingham. Katy started her career at Pictet Asset Management in 2000 and moved to Threadneedle Investments in 2006 as a Latin American Portfolio Manager. Since 2011, Katy has worked part-time in equity research for a hedge fund at GAM whilst devoting the rest of her time to running and managing La Vida. Her work has involved a lot of travel to the region where she has experienced first hand the extreme levels poverty and the need for improvements in health and education. Katy is a CFA charterholder and speaks Spanish and Portuguese.

Helen Ilsley

Secretary

Helen co-founded La Vida together with Katy Vatis in the Autumn of 2006, specifically to raise funds for their original project, The Ponseti Technique Clubfoot Project in Brazil. Helen is a Latin American equity salesperson at Deutsche Bank, and has been closely involved with Latin America for more than 12 years. She received her BA in Business Economics from Nottingham Trent University.

Aneli Gonzalez

Treasurer

Aneli joined the LA VIDA Board of Trustees in 2006, with the aim of giving something back to Latin America. Originally from Guatemala, she graduated with First Class honours from the London School of Economics, has a M.Sc. in Economics for Development from Oxford University. She started her career at Merrill Lynch in London specialising in Latin American equities. She continues with that role at another investment bank today. Both her work and family ties allows her to have a strong connection with the region which she visits regularly. Aneli is a CFA charterholder and is fluent in Spanish, French and English.

Rosie Bichard

Trustee

Rosie has a degree in French and Spanish from St John's College, Cambridge and is a Chartered Financial Analyst. She has worked in finance since 1990, and was involved with Latin America for twelve years as both an investment banker and a portfolio manager for Deutsche Bank. She currently works as the Global Consumer Analyst for Newton Investment Management, part of Bank of New York Mellon. Rosie has travelled extensively in Latin America for both personal and professional reasons and speaks both Spanish and Portuguese. Rosie became a La Vida trustee in early 2008.

Lisa Smart

Trustee

Lisa has been a trustee of La Vida since it was founded in 2006. She is Director of Client Services at Genesis Investment Management. Lisa recently received her MBA from London Business School and has a degree in Mathematics from the University of Durham.

Marta Rodriguez

Head of Projects

Marta joined La Vida in January 2009. She is responsible for co-ordinating all the administration for La Vida's projects and also chairs the New Projects Prioritisation Committee. She has a degree in Business Administration and Finance from the University of Zaragoza in Spain. Marta started her career with Deutsche Bank in Edinburgh in 2000, has also worked for State Street Global Advisors, JPMorgan Asset Management, which also involved managing the relationship of their Latin American business from a product perspective. She joined First State Investments as a Senior Product Manager in November 2011. Her trips to Latin America over the last few years have encouraged her to get involved with La Vida. Marta is a CFA Charterholder and speaks Spanish and English.

Zarela Feeney

Trustee

Zary joined La Vida in December 2012. She has an MBA from George Washington University and a BA in Finance from Marymount University. She began her career with Ernst & Young's Financial Advisory Team in Washington DC where she focused in Latin America. She moved to London to join Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein's M&A team. She retired from banking in 2001 to raise her family and has since been involved in several charitable and philanthropic activities in Latin America, particularly in Bolivia, her native country. She speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese.