| December 15, 2003 #2003-58 Carlyle Group to Begin Investing in Mexico |
| Leading Efforts are Luis Téllez and Joaquin Avila Thomas F. McLarty to Become Senior Advisor to Carlyle and Advisor on Mexico Investment Activities Washington, DC -- Global private equity firm The Carlyle Group today announced that Luis Téllez, currently Executive Vice President of Desc, and Joaquin Avila, currently Managing Director of Lehman Brothers, will join Carlyle as Managing Directors to establish an office in Mexico City and co-lead Carlyle’s first-ever buyout investment activities in Mexico. Also joining Carlyle as Senior Advisor to the firm with an emphasis on Mexico is Mack McLarty, President of Kissinger McLarty Associates and Chief of Staff to and Special Envoy to the Americas for President Bill Clinton. Messrs. Téllez, Avila, and McLarty begin at Carlyle on January 1, 2004. David M. Rubenstein, Carlyle co-founder and Managing Director, said, “Mexico is fertile terrain for private equity investing. Luis and Joaquin are the perfect investment professionals to spearhead Carlyle’s investment activities in Mexico. They bring an unmatched depth of experience and knowledge of the business community and embody Carlyle’s thoughtful and conservative approach to investing. We are also particularly pleased to have Mack McLarty join Carlyle as a Senior Advisor. The firm will benefit greatly from his insightfulness and creativity, and his intimate knowledge of Mexico will serve our investment activities well.” Mr. Téllez said, “The time is right to invest in Mexico and Carlyle, with its global platform and credibility in the markets, will be the first major player to make this type of commitment. I am particularly pleased that my friend and long time associate Mack McLarty will join us in this important and exciting endeavor. Mack knows Mexico, its challenges, and opportunities. His strategic input and problem solving ability will be critical to our success.” Mr. Avila said, “I am quite pleased to join The Carlyle Group and to help lead this unique institution’s entry into the Mexican buyout market. Carlyle brings needed equity and tremendous management experience to the Mexican business community and a management-friendly approach to investing that will be well received by owners and workers alike.” Mr. McLarty said, “I have known and worked with The Carlyle Group for a number of years and am quite pleased to join them in this timely endeavor. Carlyle and I have several intersections of mutual interest, including automotive, transportation, and energy issues, and, of course Mexico and the Americas. Mexico presents great opportunity and with Luis and Joaquin leading the effort, Carlyle will be able to have a real impact on the investment climate.” * * * * * Luis Téllez has served as Executive Vice President (CEO) of DESC, S.A. de C.V., one of Mexico’s largest companies. Desc, a diversified industrial conglomerate with nearly US$2 billion in sales, has businesses in the auto parts, chemicals, food production, brand management, and real estate sectors. Mr. Téllez has played a key role in the strategic management of the company. From 1997 to 2000, Mr. Téllez served as Mexico’s Secretary of Energy. During his tenure, he designed and implemented an ambitious program to restructure the Mexican electricity sector, allowing for broader private involvement in generating, distributing, and transmitting electricity in Mexico. In 1998 and 1999, Mr. Téllez headed Mexico’s oil diplomacy efforts and played a key role in restoring stability in international oil markets and oil prices. For the previous three years, Mr. Téllez served as Chief of Staff to President Ernesto Zedillo. After the Mexican crisis of 1995, he joined the Minister of Treasury and the Governor of the Central Bank to successfully secure the financial rescue package of US$50 billion dollars granted to Mexico by the U.S. and other major financial institutions.[1995: The height of ASARCO's years of illegal and secret hazardous-waste burning of military and industrial unmanifested-wastes, while Grupo Mexico sat on the Asarco Board (Carlyle now owns 20% of Grupo Mexico)] From 1987 to 1993, Mr. Téllez served in several senior positions in the Mexican government, including Head Economist at the Ministry of Treasury and Undersecretary of Planning at the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources. Since 2001, Mr. Téllez has been a member of APEC’s Business Advisory Council and is currently a member of the Board of Directors of DESC, Femsa, Grupo México, a member of the Business Council of the Reforma newspaper and of the Board of Counselors of Kissinger McLarty Associates. He is also a member of the Board of diverse non-profit organizations such as Fundación Televisa, Fundación Únete and Universidad Iberoamericana. Mr. Téllez was named Global Leader of Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum, and Leader for the New Millenium by Time Magazine. Mr. Téllez, 45, earned his BS in economics from the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México, suma cum laude, and his Ph.D. in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. * * * * * Joaquin Avila joined Lehman Brothers in 2000 as Managing Director and Co-Head of Latin America. He is responsible for developing and implementing strategic plans for the region. In 2001, under Mr. Avila’s leadership, the Latin America team generated one of the highest fee income per employee of the firm. In 2001, Lehman received the “Deal of the Year” award for Latin America by Euroweek Magazine for a Pemex US$750 million bond issue. From 1996 to 2000, Mr. Avila served as Managing Director of VA Investments/Compass Group in Mexico City where he formulated the strategic plan to develop asset management and private equity businesses in Mexico. Mr. Avila also formed VAI, a private equity firm in Mexico that was financially supported by Banco Santander, where he successfully acquired the Hoteles Krystal for US$125 million. From 1989 to 1996, Mr., Avila worked at Banco Santander, first as Head of Corporate Finance-Latin America and then as Managing Director and Member of the Board of Santander Investment. As head of Corporate Finance-Latin America, Mr. Avila structured the first “Matador” bond issue of the Mexican Government and Bancomext; negotiated a US$980 million loan to Grupo Alameda, parent company of Grupo Televisa; launched private sector bond issues including Astra, Novum, and Vitro; and negotiated a US$500 million loan to CeMex for the acquisition of Valenciana de Cementos in Spain. As Managing Director, Mr. Avila was responsible for the development of strategy throughout Latin America; acquired Banco Mexicano, the fourth largest bank in Mexico; and developed the business plan that led Santander Investments to obtain a full-power section 20 subsidiary in the U.S. From 1988 to 1989, Mr. Avila worked at Bankers Trust as Representative of the Mexico City Office and was a board member of Unica, one of the oldest venture capital firms in Mexico. From 1987 to 1988, Mr. Avila served at Libra Bank PLC as Representative of the Mexico City Office where he acquired Grupo Rassini on behalf of Corporación San Luis. And from 1982 to 1987, he served General Director of Mines in the Mexican Ministry of Energy and Mines. Mr. Avila, 50, earned his BS in engineering from the Universidad IberoAmericana, his MS in engineering from Stanford University, and his MBA from Yale University. * * * * * Mack McLarty is President of Kissinger McLarty Associates, a partnership with Dr. Henry Kissinger that provides strategic advisory and advocacy services to U.S. and multinational businesses with active involvement in Mexico and throughout Latin America. Mr. McLarty is also Chairman of McLarty Companies, a third-generation family transportation business based in Little Rock, Arkansas. Mr. McLarty will remain in both of these positions after joining The Carlyle Group. From 1993 to 1997, Mr. McLarty served in several senior positions in the Clinton White House, including Chief of Staff to the President, Counselor to the President, and Special Envoy for the Americas. As Chief of Staff, Mr. McLarty organized the first Democratic Administration in twelve years and directed a wide variety of White House achievements, including enactment of the historic 1993 deficit reduction package, the North American Free Trade Agreement, and the Family and Medical Leave law. As Counselor to the President, Mr. McLarty served in the President’s Cabinet and on the National Economic Council, advising the President on a wide range of subjects, particularly on business and economics. In 1994 Mr. McLarty organized the successful Summit of the Americas in Miami, and he played a critical role in structuring the Mexican peso stabilization program. Mr. McLarty participated in several G-7 and APEC Summits, and he traveled to the Persian Gulf on the President’s behalf to build financial support for the Bosnian peace process. As Special Envoy to the Americas, Mr. McLarty served as President Clinton’s personal representative to the western hemisphere. He coordinated U.S. policy toward the region, including three presidential trips and U.S. participation in the 1998 Summit of the Americas in Chile. Prior to his years in the White House, Mr. McLarty was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Arkla, Inc., a Fortune 500 natural gas company with more than 2 million customers in 11 states and significant exploration and pipeline activities. Arkla was recognized by Forbes Magazine for management excellence, and by other national organizations for environmental initiatives and minority enterprise development. Mr. McLarty, 57, was awarded the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Medal presented by Madeleine Albright and the Order of the Aztec Eagle presented at Los Pinos by Mexico President Ernesto Zedillo. # # # |
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