Manuel is the Founder and Principal of Grupo Santa Marta, an investment platform focused on long-term ownership and operational transformation across undercapitalized sectors. The firm operates three verticals: a high-performing portfolio of short-term rental properties across Spain, a growing portfolio of investments in search fund–backed and founder-led SMBs, and a regenerative agriculture division cultivating almonds, olives, and chickpeas through sustainable, data-informed farming practices. Manuel also serves as CEO of ETHOSystems, a U.S.-based, private equity–backed Sage ERP partner serving mid-market construction and real estate firms. Backed by Evergreen Services Group (an Alpine Investors platform), ETHOSystems has undergone a full strategic rebuild under his leadership—modernizing delivery, finance, and automation—and is now ranked among Sage’s top 10 ERP partners in North America. Manuel also sits on several boards, where he supports founder-CEOs in scaling operations, professionalizing finance functions, and executing cross-border growth strategies. A full-merit MBA graduate of UCLA Anderson, Manuel is an active member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) and contributes thought leadership on entrepreneurship, systems design, and operator-led investing.