Our People

Experienced. Aligned. Entrepreneurial.

Our founders bring 45+ years of collective institutional investing experience — having deployed €2.1bn+ across 150+ investments through multiple market cycles, and worked together for nearly a decade

We combine the discipline of institutional investing with the agility and ambition of entrepreneurial execution – working alongside teams to build platforms that endure.

The Novena Capital Partners founding team

Jaime is a Founding Partner of Novena Capital Partners. He oversees the firm's overall management and investment activities and plays a leading role in investment strategy, portfolio construction, capital formation and strategic development across the platform. Prior to establishing Novena, Jaime founded Kartesia, a leading European private capital platform which grew to over €6.5 billion in assets under management with eight offices across Europe under his leadership. During his tenure, he served on the Supervisory Board, Investment Committee and Executive Committee, contributing to the firm's strategic direction and investment oversight across multiple market cycles. Before Kartesia, Jaime was a founding member of ICG's Minority Partners strategy and began his career at McKinsey & Company, where he advised corporates and investors on strategy and operational transformation. Jaime currently serves as a technology-focused European private equity firm. He holds an M.Eng. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Jaime Prieto

Managing Partner

Javier is a Founding Partner of Novena Capital Partners. He oversees the firm's overall management and co-leads the firm's investment activities and portfolio value creation initiatives. Prior to founding Novena, Javier was a member of Kartesia's European Investment and Executive Committees and led the firm's operations in Spain, with responsibility for investments in Spain and Italy. During his tenure, he also spearheaded the firm's digital transformation initiatives and played a central role in sourcing and executing lower mid-market transactions across multiple sectors. Before joining Kartesia, Javier worked at Muzinich & Co. and Morgan Stanley, gaining experience across New York, London and Madrid in private capital investing, M&A and capital markets. Javier holds an M.Eng. in Industrial Engineering from ICAI and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he was a Rafael del Pino Scholar.

Javier Castillo

Managing Partner

Cristina is Partner – Head of Capital Formation at Novena Capital Partners, where she leads fundraising strategy, investor relations and LP engagement across the firm's platform. Prior to joining Novena, Cristina was Associate Director in the Investor Relations team at Kartesia, contributing to capital raising and investor coverage across European private capital strategies. She worked closely with institutional investors and family offices across multiple jurisdictions, supporting fundraising, co-investments and strategic partnerships. Cristina began her career at Goldman Sachs within the Private Banking Division, where she was a FICC specialist in the Market Solutions Group, advising clients on fixed income and structured solutions. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Economics from the University of Warwick.

Cristina Amil

Partner – Head of Capital Formation

Jerónimo Fuentes is an Associate in the Investment Team, where he is involved in deal sourcing, execution and portfolio monitoring. Prior to joining Novena, Jerónimo worked as an Analyst at leading private equity firm Promecap, executing investments across the capital structure, including distressed assets, structured debt and equity transactions. Jerónimo holds an MBA from IE Business School, a Master's in Real Estate Development from IE University, and a BBA from ITAM.

Jerónimo Fuentes

Investment Associate

Laura is Head of Finance and Operations at Novena Capital Partners, overseeing financial management and operations across the firm, regulatory compliance and operational infrastructure across the firm's platform. She brings over 20 years of experience in private equity, asset management and financial advisory, with a strong focus on financial oversight, investor reporting and regulatory alignment. Prior to joining Novena, Laura served as CFO at Artá Capital and previously held senior roles across finance and compliance functions at Kartesia, Atlas Capital and Deloitte. Laura holds a Bachelor's Degree in Law and Business Management from the University of Alcalá de Henares.

Our People

Experienced. Aligned. Entrepreneurial.

Jaime Prieto

Managing Partner

Javier Castillo

Managing Partner

Cristina Amil

Partner – Head of Capital Formation

Jerónimo Fuentes

Investment Associate

Laura Martínez

Head of Finance and Operations