EU citizen based in South America
Available across US, LATAM & EMEA
About
Global Product & Technology Executive combining Fortune 500 governance with startup agility to drive product strategy and business innovation from concept to production scale. VP of Product specializing in scaling ventures, launching new business units, and driving international expansion. With over 16 years of leadership at Mercado Libre, Santander, LATAM, and high-growth ventures, I transform ecosystems into AI-first platforms across Fintech, E-commerce, and SaaS in tech, product, data and design.
I operate at the intersection of three dimensions:
- Digital transformation and AI strategy, especially in regulated markets.
- New business creation and strategic initiatives with P&L ownership.
- Hybrid execution that combines startup speed with corporate governance.
Career at a Glance
Global product leadership
Fortune 500 governance and startup execution
Mercado Livre scale
Cards portfolio growth in digital banking
AI-driven efficiency
GenAI operations at enterprise scale
Platform enablement
Unified design system across 30k microservices
Executive Experience
Click each card to expand details and key outcomes.
Designing and scaling AI-powered products into high-impact, revenue-driven business units across global markets.
Strategic advisor for C-level technology leaders across LATAM, North America, and Europe. Led due diligence programs for enterprise platform adoption, evaluating technical feasibility and ROI frameworks for multinational implementations.
- Technical fellowship focused on AI adoption strategies and responsible innovation frameworks in LATAM.
- Published thought leadership reaching 50K+ technology executives monthly.
- Regional expertise in AI, product strategy, and digital transformation for emerging markets.
Created and led a cross-functional strategic products unit across 6 countries for Mercado Libre's ecosystem (218M+ users, US$110B valuation, 105k+ employees).
- Revenue Growth: Scaled new card suite to US$2.3B ARR (+172% YoY), while raising active-use 35%, boosting account yield 46% YoY, and expanding AUM 86%.
- Operational Efficiency: Implemented GenAI platform supporting 9k agents, cutting ~US$450M/year in OPEX.
- Platform Enablement: Owned Unified Design System strategy adopted by 17k developers across 30k microservices.
- Product Innovation: Introduced Pots savings solutions (2x MAUs), re-engineered insurance portfolio (2.6M policies), and launched loyalty products for retention.
- Brand and UX: Rebranded Mercado Pago as a digital bank, tripling awareness YoY (Kantar Brandz Award 2022-2024), and closed a 34pp NPS gap (+12pp in first quarter).
- Market Expansion: Launched compliant cryptocurrency products across 5 markets, reaching 2M users and ~US$890M volume.
Built and scaled a GenZ traveltech ecosystem from early-stage concept to strategic acquisition in 2 years.
- Scaled the platform to 9x GMV growth through data-driven go-to-market focused on GenZ behaviors.
- Led Product, Engineering, and Design organizations, translating market trends into a full-stack mobile platform.
- Integrated fintech, automation, and AI-driven capabilities to create a frictionless user experience.
Led product innovation and digital experience strategy during pre-IPO growth phase (US$590M IPO in 2020).
- Directed go-to-market strategy and digital transformation initiatives pivotal to the public listing.
- Launched IoT-enabled concept stores and immersive retail experiences across 250 physical locations.
- Implemented first AI/ML customer journey optimization initiatives (+115% CX improvement).
- Built a gamified lifestyle app connecting the community to 200+ events and promotions.
Promoted to strategic role to lead Product and UX, managing a cross-functional team of 30 specialists across 17 agile squads.
- Enhanced digital channels to handle 508M quarterly transactions, capturing 13.2% SMB share and growing unit share from 11% to 15%.
- Redesigned transaction flows and receipts, eliminating 88.9M paper rolls and generating ~R$124M annual savings.
- Reduced omnichannel CAC by 32% through unified identity and design system.
- Scaled Design Ops across 17 squads, reducing design cycle time by 20% and improving NPS by 30%.
- Established 3 digital labs to foster a data-driven product discovery culture across 3,000+ employees.
- Developed a neural network solution for equipment allocation, reducing resolution time from 3 days to ~15 minutes.
- Created patented accessibility payment solution enabling autonomous transactions for visually impaired users.
Led a US$268M revenue optimization initiative using data science for real-time competitive pricing (McKinsey partnership).
- Executed CRM strategy for 55M customers, increasing engagement by 20% and active customer growth by 18.3% YoY.
Empowered data analytics capabilities for LATAM Airlines strategic business transformation during LAN + TAM integration.
Led product lifecycle initiatives at France HQ and LATAM operations.
- Redesigned Pure Life packaging reducing plastic by 10%, saving ~US$24.5M annually.
- Developed digital tools and dashboards supporting Nespresso LATAM expansion.
Orchestrated go-to-market for 5 vehicle launches in Brazil, contributing to ~40% sales growth in targeted segments.
Optimized raw materials and inventory strategies across LATAM, increasing product demand by ~13%.
Education
Core Capabilities
WHAT I AM EXPLORING NOW
After years in software, I am now also exploring hardware
My core track remains software and product leadership at scale. Now I am exploring cyber-physical systems where software, hardware, and AI operate together.
Follow me on my networks for updates. LinkedIn
Ecosystem impact beyond the operating role
Awards, advisory positions, judging, publications, and community contribution presented in a compact high-signal format.
Future Proof Products
2025 - United States
Author of Future Proof Products, a strategy book about foresight, product resilience, and long-term relevance.
Ultrasonic Accessibility Payment System
Issued - Brazil
Inventor of a payment system using high-frequency acoustic signals to improve accessibility for visually impaired individuals.
Fast Company World Changing Ideas Nominee
2025 - United States
Nominated for democratizing accessibility for 20 million Brazilians through patented payment technology.
Santander Innovation Product
2019 - Brazil
Built and launched the B2C fintech unit from zero, recognized for high-impact product execution.
Santander Purpose Driven Team
2018 - Brazil
Awarded for the Argo project: neural network logistics that cut POS resolution from 7 days to 15 minutes.
Santander Customer Centric Leadership
2017 - Brazil
Implemented NPS program and improved customer experience by 257%.
National Product Development Award
2013 - Brazil
National award for engineering and hardware product development excellence.
Recommendations(36)
“Cristian is a powerhouse. He translates complex tech trends like AI into tangible business value effortlessly. What stands out most is his leadership style — he creates alignment across vast, cross-functional teams and moves with speed. He is an innovator at heart with the discipline of a seasoned executive.”
Denis Chamas MSc
AI-First Transformation Leader | Marketing Director | CDO
Worked with Cristian at different companies
COMING IN 2026
Future Proof Products - Book
A strategy book on foresight, product resilience, and long-term relevance. Launching in 2026.
Reserve your copy book@crisbites.com
Strategic sessions for leaders and transformation teams
Executive workshops, keynote talks, and practical product and AI sessions tailored to business impact.

Executive Workshop
In-company workshops on AI strategy, operating models, and adoption roadmaps for leadership teams.

Keynote Talks
Conference presentations on future-proof product systems, resilience, and portfolio-level decisions.

Leadership Advisory Session
Strategic consulting sessions on scaling product organizations from discovery to delivery.
Let's Connect
Open to corporate product leadership roles, strategic programs, advisory projects, workshops, and speaking opportunities.
I can be most useful in scenarios like:









