Our People
Palisander Capital brings together professionals with experience across investment strategy, capital markets, corporate advisory, risk analysis, and client relationship management.
Guided by experience. United by purpose.
Our leadership team provides the strategic direction, market perspective, and professional standards that guide our work.
Thomas Schindler
Chief Financial Officer
Dr. Thomas Schindler is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Allianz Global Investors, responsible for global finance, risk management, legal, and compliance.
He has over twenty years of experience in the asset management industry, having served as CEO and Chief of Staff to the CFO Office, Global General Counsel, Chief Risk Officer, among other roles, and currently serves as CFO.
Thomas has served on multiple internal and external boards, including the European Fund and Asset Management Association (EFAMA), British Virgin Islands Investment Company (BVI), Investment Company Institute (ICI), and several nonprofit organizations.
Thomas holds a German lawyer qualification and holds a master's degree from the University of Oxford and a doctorate from the University of Regensburg. Before joining Allianz Global Investors, he worked as a mergers and acquisitions lawyer at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Outside of work, he enjoys sports, spending time with family, cooking, and traveling.
João Pedro Silva
Chief Investment Mentor
João Pedro Silva was born in Portugal and is the founder of the company's investment philosophy and research system, as well as a core leader of the investment team. He has over twenty years of global capital market investment experience, focusing on equity investment, cross-market asset allocation, and long-term capital growth methodologies.
As Chief Investment Mentor and Special Guest, he is responsible for formulating core investment philosophies, cultivating the team's research capabilities and investment thinking, and providing directional judgments and strategic guidance during key market phases. He insists on fundamental research, risk management, and long-term discipline to build a sustainable and replicable investment system.
Throughout his career, João Pedro Silva has been deeply involved in international capital market operations, collaborating with many international asset management institutions and professional investment teams, including Goldman Sachs, serving high-net-worth clients and accumulating extensive cross-cycle and cross-market practical experience. He has an in-depth understanding of the structural differences, capital flows, and investor behavior in European and North American markets, enabling him to grasp long-term value opportunities from a global perspective.
João Pedro Silva graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, majoring in finance and economics. His study and practice experience across Europe and North America gives him unique advantages in global investment strategy and capital flow analysis, making him a core founder of the company's investment culture and long-term strategy.
Ricardo Apolloni
Chief Risk Officer
Since joining Novo Capital in October 2017, he has served as head of the group’s risk appetite and operational framework in the risk management department. Over the years, he has been responsible for the group and its entities' risk appetite frameworks, investment, liquidity and concentration risks, strategic asset evaluation budgeting and monitoring, recovery and resolution frameworks, investment proposal risk analysis, internal group transactions and mergers/acquisitions or disposals, environmental, social and governance (ESG) and climate change risks, operational risk assessments (ORSA), and emerging risks.
Since October 1, 2022, Ricardo Apolloni has served as Chief Risk Officer.
Maurizia Cecchet
Chief Human Resources
Maurizia Cecchet joined Novo Capital in 2014 as the Global Corporate and Commercial Human Resources Director.
In November 2015, Maurizia transitioned to the investment field as Chief Information Officer Human Resources Manager; in 2017, she was appointed Head of Human Capital. From September 2022 to August 2023, she was assigned to Italy as Chief Human Resources and Organization Officer. Since September 1, 2023, Maurizia Cecchet has been appointed Chief Human Resources and Transformation Officer at Novo Capital.
Elsa Fres
Global Consulting Legal Head
In 2020, she became the Group General Counsel. Before joining Novo Capital, Elsa Fres served as a mergers and acquisitions lawyer for 12 years, first at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in New York, then at Bredin Prat in France.
Elsa Fres holds a business degree from ESCP Business School in Paris, legal degrees from Paris II University (Maitrise and DEA), and an LLM from Harvard Law School.
François Pérolle
Partner, Director
Graduated from HEC Paris and Sciences Po, also attended the École Nationale d'Administration (ENA), known as a cradle for outstanding civil servants. He began his career in 1990 as an auditor at the French General Finance Inspection. From 1994 to 2001, he held various positions at the French Ministry of Finance. In 2002, he was appointed deputy chief of staff to Francis Mer, the French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industry. After Nicolas Sarkozy became Minister of State in 2004, he continued to serve in this role.
David Layton
Partner, Chief Executive Officer
David Layton is the CEO of Partners Group, a listed investment company focused on private markets that has invested approximately $200 billion globally in private equity, private credit, private real estate, and private infrastructure on behalf of its clients. David leads the executive team and global executive board of Partners Group and is also a member of the company’s global investment committee. He primarily works between Partners Group’s Americas headquarters in Colorado, USA, and the global headquarters in Zug, Switzerland. Previously, he led Partners Group’s private equity business unit and represented the company on the boards of several portfolio companies, including Universal Services of America, Nobel Learning Communities, MicroPoise Measurement Systems, Cabot Credit Management, Pacific Bells, and Strategic Partners. David holds a bachelor’s degree from the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University.
Daniel Esteban
Chief Research Officer
Born in 1970 in Madrid, Spain, Daniel Esteban is the company’s Chief Research Officer and Director of Investment Research, fully responsible for macro research, asset pricing analysis, and the construction of investment methodology frameworks. He has over 25 years of professional experience in financial research, capital market analysis, and risk assessment, participating in multiple cross-cycle asset allocation and market structure studies to provide systematic support for investment decisions.
Daniel graduated from Complutense University of Madrid with a degree in Economics and Finance and completed advanced finance courses at the London School of Economics (LSE). Known for rigorous research methods, data-driven analytical logic, and a long-term perspective, he excels at identifying risk boundaries and true return sources in uncertain environments. Under his leadership, the research team continuously produces high-quality research outputs, providing a solid foundation for the company’s investment decisions and risk control.