Elsa Cortijo

Director Business Development

At Root Capital, I’m responsible for supporting our credit team by researching new industries, markets, and products to find potential business opportunities in Latin America. I also generate alliances with other stakeholders to deepen our impact and lead client marketing for Latin America. My background in rural development gave me a solid understanding of the unique challenges and needs faced by agricultural businesses and smallholder farmers. I enjoy contributing to an organization that’s committed to working with these people when others won’t, offering finance and training with a bottom line of community-level impact. I recall meeting the staff of a tiny cooperative that was initially too small to qualify for financing, and watching them grow over several years into a strong business that produces incredibly high-quality coffee. It’s stories of impact like these that make me excited to go to work!