Celso Barros - Prior to joining Vergent Partners in 2003, Mr. de Barros was Chairman of the Board of a major Brazilian consumer cleaning products company and responsible for implementing a financial restructuring plan and change in management in preparation for the eventual sale of the company. Previously, Mr. de Barros was co-head of Corporate Finance for Morgan Stanley in Brazil where he participated in important M&A transactions in the telecom and chemicals industries. As head of Investment Banking for Salomon Smith Barney/Citigroup’s Brazilian operations, Mr. de Barros led some of the most important transactions in the Brazilian market, including the US$19 billion sale of the Government’s controlling stake in the telecommunications system, Telebrás and the US$ 3 billion privatization of CVRD, the global mining concern. He also participated in numerous other private and public sector M&A, debt and equity financing transactions in the financial, power distribution and telecommunications industries, among others. Previously, Mr. de Barros worked in New York and London with Salomon Brothers and S.G. Warburg & Co., respectively. Mr. de Barros has a Master of Business Administration degree from Tulane University.