Meet our team

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Lourdes Santisteban

Director

Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.

– Peter Drucker

Lourdes has done a General Management Program by IESE Business School and, before becoming the CEO of AvaLanding in 2018, she made a successful career in representing international clients in Spain as a lawyer and member of the Barcelona Bar Association (ICAB).

Raisa Venermo

Head of Business Development

The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it.

– Chinese Proverb

Raisa, originally from Finland, is an entrepreneur and lawyer specialized in foreign investment in Spain. She was working with foreign investors in France and Mexico before settling down to Spain over 15 years ago. In 2007 she founded AvaLaw, the predecessor of AvaLanding. Raisa is a member of the board of directors of the Realtors’ Association of Barcelona, member of the board of directors of FIABCI Spain, and President of the Legislation and Environment Committee of FIABCI Global for the term 2019-2020.

Andrew Yao

Digital Strategy Advisor

The best way to predict the future is to create it.

– Abraham Lincoln

Andrew is a Canadian high tech entrepreneur specializing in enterprise digital transformation and mobile applications. With over 25 years of international experience in the commercial and technical aspects of convergent IT systems and digital sales, Andrew provides leadership for the continued development of an innovative, robust, and secure information technology environment at Avalanding focused on continually improving our clients digital journey.

Anna Gracia

Team Leader, Lawyer

Your time is limited, do not waste it living the life of another. Have the courage to do what your heart and your intuition tell you.

– Steve Jobs

Anna is an economist and a lawyer specialized in Commercial and Civil Law. After completing her university studies, she prepared for 5 years oppositions to the Judiciary under the supervision of a Magistrate of the Supreme Court of Catalonia, currently in the Supreme Court. This stage allowed her to deepen in everything she learned in the law career. After the oppositions, she re-joined the professional practice and collaborated with different firms, before joining AvaLanding in 2018.

Lusiné Minasyán

Senior Tax Lawyer

It always seems impossible until it is done.

– Nelson Mandela

Lusiné, originally from Armenia, is a licensed attorney both in Spain and Armenia. Before moving to Spain, she has been working as a criminal lawyer in her home country. In Spain, modifying her specialization, she continued her professional path as in-house tax lawyer in different companies and in law firms, proving legal aid to international clients. Lusiné is fluent in 5 languages, she holds 2 Bachelor’s and 3 Master’s degrees in Law, currently she is completing her PhD. Also, Lusiné is a professor of Law and Ethics.

Vanessa Ferrari

Senior Corporate Lawyer

Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas.

– Winston Churchill

Vanessa, originally from Brazil, is a lawyer specialized in corporate and M&A. She likes keeping things simple, as she believes that law is a language that should be accessible to everyone, not only for lawyers. Previously she has developed her career in the legal department of great international companies and has also worked as an autonomous lawyer. Vanessa has 2 masters ‘degrees (Corporate Law and Contracts) and has also studied an executive MBA.

Aki Peltola

Economist

If your goal is anything but profitability – if it’s to be big, or to grow fast, or to become a technology leader – you’ll hit problems.

– Michael Porter

Aki is an international financial management professional and a serial entrepreneur. After completing the international business studies in Finland, work took him to Barcelona. Aki has gathered extensive experience in financial management in multinational companies such as Hewlett Packard and Vueling. He attends the clients in matters such as profitability, financial planning and company valuations.

Toni Musalaev

Senior Lawyer

If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.

– Nora Roberts

Toni, originally from Russia, is a lawyer specialized in Immigration and Criminal Law. He has studied Law and Master’s degree in Law at the University of Barcelona. In 2019 he has obtained a title as a specialist in Business Law, issued by the Barcelona Bar Association (ICAB); and a specific degree in order to be able to represent the Clients before the Criminal Court. During this time, he has collaborated with different firms, before joining AvaLanding in 2022. 

Isabel Montero

Accountant

Who looks outside, dreams, who looks inside, awakes.

– Carl Gustav Jung

Isabel studied Business Administration and Finance at UDIMA. She likes a job well done, faces problems as challenges and enjoys what she does. At AvaLanding, Isabel, being a wizard with numbers, works as an executive accountant for our clients.

Isabel Palomares

Tax advisor

If I look too passionate, it’s because I care. And if I get strong, it’s because I feel strong. If I push too hard, it’s because things are not happening fast enough.

– Leslie Knope, Parks and Recreation

Isabel is a specialist in the international income tax matters and has knowledge of Business Administration. Isabel has worked in all types of organizations, from small businesses to international non-profit organizations, and she is currently a member of the Tax Department of AvaLanding.

Dani Valenzuela

Project Manager - Integration

Without deviating from the norm, progress is not possible.

– Frank Zappa

Daniel has a degree in Chemistry and Oenology and an MBA from the IMF Business School. He has a long experience in the wine sector where he has worked in different positions and in different countries, such as the United States, New Zealand, Austria, and Spain. His experience in different positions has allowed him to develop good organizational and execution skills.

Cristina Vásquez

Content & Performance Advisory

The only obstacle to your success is your own imagination.

– Shonda Rhimes

Cristina it’s currently completing an MBA Future Leaders. She has a degree in Public Relations and Marketing Management. She also holds a master’s degree in Digital Marketing and Social Media. Cristina has developed her career in different sectors such as technology, fashion, and engineering. She also volunteered at HOP NGO as coordinator of the Hands to Care and Hands to Teach programs among medical students from the United States and Perú.

Angela Uribarri

Office Manager

If everything seems to be under control, it means that you go too slow.

– Mario Andretti, Legendary racing driver

Angela holds a degree in Information and Document Management and has worked in the communication and administration departments of several companies and institutions, including a museum and an international magazine.

Dimon Bortnyk

Accountant and Financial Advisor

The most stable thing in life is the change.

– Heráclito

Dimon holds a degree in Finance and Accounting at Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona. He has specialized in financial accounting. Endorsed by a wide professional career as CFO in chemical sector carried out a controlling task, risk management, return on capital and financial strategies.

María Saavedra

Labour Advisor, Lawyer

I can’t understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I’m frightened of the old ones.

– John Cage

María has a Law Degree from the University of Santiago de Compostela. After an internship in a multinational, she prepared for five years oppositions to the Superior Corp of Labor and Social Security Inspectorate in Spain under the supervision of the Chief Inspector of this organism in Lugo. After the oppositions, she re-joined the professional practice as a labor assistant in A Coruña and joined Avalanding as a labor lawyer in 2021.

Fiona Sitbon

Legal Advisor

If you are working on something exciting that you really care about, you don´t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.

– Steve Jobs

Fiona is originally from France, where she studied law at the University Paris Est. She completed her studies with a master specialized in European Law. Over the past few years, she worked in legal departments of several companies and law firms.

Work took her to Barcelona, Spain where she has been working in the immigration field for the last years.

Mauro d’Aquino

lawyer

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

– Chinese Proverb

Mauro, originally from Italy, is a lawyer with expertise in immigration procedures and civil law. Understanding the difficulties of changing countries, he enjoys helping others to navigate the process. He was admitted to legal practice in Italy and Spain, and has collaborated with various international law firms. With a Master (LL.M.) in IT & IP Law (Derecho de la Sociedad de la Información) from cAmpus ICAB (Barcelona Bar Association), he is also passionate about new technologies. He is an expert in customer relationships and has more than ten years of experience in multicultural team management and project management for several renowned multinational companies.

Carol Rebelo

Landing strategist

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.

– Aristotle

Ana Carolina, originally from Brazil, is a lawyer licensed in Brazil, Portugal and Spain. She worked for years in a large multinational company in the area of civil and corporate law. When she decided to move to Spain, she switched areas while doing her own immigration planning and started working as self-employed, providing immigration services to Portugal. Ana believes in humanised advocacy and empathy to meet clients’ needs.

Marcos Andrade

Administrative Officer

If plan A does not work, the alphabet has 25 more letters.

– Claire Cook, Author

Marcos is highly competitive, motivated and an administrative enthusiast with experience working as part of a team in different areas and environments. Very organized and proactive, Marcos provides efficiency and precise administrative assistance to AvaLanding.

Helena Turu

Landing Strategist

The desire to reach for the stars is ambitious. The desire to reach hearts is wise.

– Maya Angelou

Helena has a degree in Marketing and Public Relations and also has a Master’s degree in Marketing Management and Sales by ESIC Business School. She has more than 6 years of experience focused on organization, sales and marketing positions in different companies, the majority providing services.

She has a global and international mentality, she is innovative, proactive and always focused on the customer experience. Her success, is to transmit the importance and priorities of our clients.