Rafael Russ

Rafael Russ joined WM Partners in 2021 as Director of Integrations, with over 25 years of experience creating startups, operating international businesses, and negotiating exits.
He is responsible for managing the integration process of the portfolio companies acquired by WM Partners.
He had previously worked with WM Partners in 2017 to help integrate the Wellnext portfolio of brands which was sold to The Clorox Company in 2018.
After the sale to Clorox, Mr. Russ joined Clorox as Finance and Customer Operations Consultant.
Mr. Russ co-founded YellowPepper Holding in 2006, a Miami-based FinTech company that raised funds from Visa, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and two VCs.
He was also a board member of YellowPepper until the company was sold to Visa in 2020.
In 2001 he co-founded Opecable, a CATV operator in Guatemala, by acquiring and integrating three local operators.
Opecable was acquired by Millicome (NASDAQ TIGO) in 2012.
He also co-founded Amtech Inc. in Miami, a provider of telecommunications technologies in over 20 countries in Latin America which was sold to TVC in 1998.
Mr. Russ has a degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Tecnologico de Monterrey in Mexico.
He has a certificate in Strategic Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
He was a certified Fellow Governance Member of the NACD (National Association of Corporate Directors) and has been on the board of a few non-profit organizations in South Florida, including serving as Chairman of the Board of a large private school.