Corrado had close relationships with some of the largest companies and family groups in Brazil, the result of many years of local experience in mergers, acquisitions and financial restructuring transactions. Even so, the news of his move to the country to operate independently caused great interest in the local financial community and reinforced the perception that Brazil would finally become one of the most dynamic and attractive financial markets on the planet.

But the biggest surprise would be Corrado’s choice of the people with whom he would share this venture: Renato Klarnet and Marcelo Lajchter. In a market still accustomed to single-product financial advisory boutiques and ultra-specialized asset managers, it would be commonplace for Corrado to have sought to partner with other investment bankers who, like him, were specialists in mergers and acquisitions. But that was not what he had in mind. Corrado had a different vision for G5 and so he would pay great attention to choosing his future partners. Renato Klarnet, an economist with a degree from PUC in Rio de Janeiro, had accumulated 15 years of experience working from New York, as head of equity desks for banks such as Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs. In both places, Renato had worked with Corrado, who recognized in him the rare combination of technical excellence with good business sense and ability to deal with people.

Marcelo Lajchter, a lawyer with a degree from the State University of Rio de Janeiro, had worked for several years as a partner at one of the most renowned law firms specializing in corporate law in the country: Barbosa, Müssnich & Aragão. There, this staunch Rio native with an outgoing personality had developed a solid reputation working on complex financial restructuring situations, often in partnership with Varoli’s Goldman Sachs. But the partnership between a white-shoe banker engineer, an economist specializing in capital markets, and a lawyer with a knack for rescuing entrepreneurs from sinking waters only began to make sense to the market when Corrado, Renato, and Marcelo began to execute the strategy envisioned for G5 Partners. The first step was to attract new talent to the team. Once again, the logic used was to strengthen G5 with people who could bring skills and professional experience that complemented those of the founding partners. What these people had in common was the same values ​​and ethical work principles advocated by the three.

Even today, at G5, “differences” are not only valued, but, above all, enhanced. To a large extent, this is its greatest competitive advantage. And that is how G5 saw Francisco Gros arrive — with his vast experience in the national public and private sectors — and André Benchimol — a wealth management specialist who had long specialized in serving Brazilian family groups, to complete the G5 corporate mosaic, or the “Group of 5”. Unlike what happens with financial boutiques that rely on a single-product strategy, G5’s purpose is to be prepared to address all of its clients’ priorities, whether they are businesspeople, executives, board members, investors or family leaders. To make this possible, all of its professionals are encouraged to go beyond their areas of specialization, constantly seeking to develop knowledge on other topics of relevant interest.

In addition, the fact that G5 Partners operates completely independently allows it to adopt a work approach free from the conflicts of interest common to large, diversified banking institutions. The company’s golden rule has remained the same since its creation: any new relationship begins by seeking to identify the priority or immediate problem that the client needs to address. At G5, the client sets the work agenda, not the advisor’s convenience. From there, dedication, competence and commitment to the client’s success conspire in a virtuous cycle to perpetuate and grow each relationship.

G5 Partners now has a team of over 80 “multifaceted” professionals who serve an increasingly diverse universe of clients, made up of local and multinational companies, as well as family-controlled businesses and investors in general. Likewise, the company has become known for successfully acting in the most varied and complex situations, always in an aligned manner and in the best interests of its clients.

Sixteen years after Varoli, Lajchter and Klarnet decided to set up G5 Partners, the company has grown and diversified. In particular, in the M&A and financial restructuring advisory business, this development has led the company to consolidate itself as a leading independent advisor in the Brazilian market over the past four years. Whether through its work in mergers, acquisitions or financial restructuring transactions, in preparing companies for IPOs, in structuring innovative financial products or in managing over R$35 billion in third-party resources, G5 is today the most complete, admired and respected independent financial services boutique in Brazil. As you can see, the culture of valuing differences has made all the difference.

And this is just the beginning.