INTERNATIONAL OFFICE

Ronald Lafever, Managing Director
ronaldlafever@johnsoncapital.com

Ronald serves as managing director for Johnson Capital’s International Advisory and Merchant Banking operations. In this role he is responsible for expansion and management of the firm’s operations in high growth emerging markets outside the U.S., with Latin America (Mexico) and South Asia/Middle East (India and Dubai) presently underway. Prior to joining Johnson Capital, Ron held several senior financial positions in corporate banking, principal finance, and mergers and acquisitions for firms such as Union Bank (Los Angeles), Lehman Brothers (Madrid), Credit Suisse (London). His real estate background includes roles with a major developer / borrower of Union Bank as acquisitions vice president, and with Kennedy Wilson International in Mexico and Spain advising financial institutions on the monetization of NPL and REO portfolios. Ron also co-owned a real estate distressed asset advisory firm in Madrid, where he lived for five years. He holds a B.B.A. degree in finance and international business from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas, at Austin, and an M.B.A. degree from the University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business. He is a registered representative with the Securities and Futures Authority Limited in the UK.

Benjamin Johnson, Senior Vice President
benjaminjohnson@johnsoncapital.com

Benjamin serves as the senior vice president for Johnson Capital International’s (JCI) real estate investment banking operations in Mexico. He is headquartered in the high growth market of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. In his role he is responsible for real estate advisory services to clients and capital providers, with a focus on placing debt and equity for well qualified sponsors and projects in Mexico. He will focus on high growth markets in Northern and Southern Baja California, as well as selective markets in the Mexico mainland. Prior to joining Johnson Capital, Benjamin worked for an investment banking firm, Norris Beggs and Simpson (NBS), in the Pacific Northwest. During his commercial real estate tenure, Benjamin also worked in commercial real estate lending and commercial real estate investment sales. Benjamin has a thorough understanding of the capital structure, with transactional experience in long-term fixed-rate financing, bridge financing, mezzanine financing, and private equity. Moreover, Benjamin spent over three years working, living, and studying throughout Mexico, Central America, and South America, and is fluent in Spanish. Benjamin graduated Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Oregon and holds an M.B.A. degree, with an emphasis in international finance, from Thunderbird, the Garvin School of International Management.