David Martínez: The Investor Behind Fintech Advisory

Last Updated on July 26, 2026 by Business Blog Media Editorial Team

Introduction

David Manuel Martínez Guzmán is an investor and the founder of Fintech Advisory Inc. He is best known for buying debt, shares, and business interests during periods of financial change.

He founded Fintech Advisory in 1987 after working in Citibank’s Latin American debt-restructuring division. Over the years, his firm has invested in companies such as Grupo Televisa, Telecom Argentina, Banco Sabadell, and Mexican airport operator OMA.

As of July 2026, Martínez remains the founder and principal of Fintech Advisory. He also holds confirmed board positions at Cemex, Alpek, Sigma Foods, and ICA Tenedora.

His career is different from that of a traditional business founder. Instead of building a consumer company from the beginning, he usually invests in governments or businesses that are dealing with debt, ownership changes, or financial pressure.

David Martínez Quick Facts

Fact	Verified detail
Full name	David Manuel Martínez Guzmán
Birth year	1957
Birthplace	Monterrey, Mexico
Profession	Investor and businessman
Main company	Fintech Advisory Inc.
Company founded	1987
Known for	Debt restructuring and strategic investments
Current role	Founder and principal of Fintech Advisory
Education	Engineering, philosophy, and an MBA
Major sectors	Banking, media, telecommunications, infrastructure, and industry
Current board roles	Cemex, Alpek, Sigma Foods, and ICA Tenedora

Who Is David Martínez?

David Martínez is a businessman who specialises in complex financial investments.

He often invests when a company or government is facing serious money problems. This can include high debt, falling share prices, ownership disputes, or difficulty making payments.

His firm may buy part of the debt or shares and then take part in negotiations about how the organisation can recover.

This type of work is sometimes called distressed investing or special-situation investing.

In simple words, Martínez looks for businesses or financial assets that may be struggling but still have long-term value.

His approach is different from that of a traditional banking entrepreneur who builds and manages a bank, or a technology company founder who creates products for customers.

Early Life and Education

David Martínez was born in Monterrey, Mexico, in 1957.

Official company records show that he studied three very different subjects.

He earned a degree in mechanical and electrical engineering from the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

He also studied philosophy at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

Later, he completed a Master of Business Administration at Harvard Business School.

His education covered technical problem-solving, philosophy, and business management. These qualifications became part of the experience he later used in international finance and corporate negotiations.

Early Career at Citibank

Before founding his own company, Martínez worked at Citibank in New York.

From 1984 to 1986, he served as a vice president in the bank’s Latin American Sovereign Restructuring unit.

Sovereign debt means money borrowed by a national government. When a country cannot repay that money according to the original agreement, banks and investors may negotiate new payment terms.

This process is called sovereign-debt restructuring.

During his time at Citibank, Martínez helped work on the 1984 Argentina Financing Plan. The role gave him direct experience in negotiations involving governments, international banks, and major creditors.

That experience later became an important part of his work at Fintech Advisory.

Founding Fintech Advisory

David Martínez founded Fintech Advisory Inc. in 1987.

Despite its name, Fintech Advisory is not mainly a modern financial-technology company. It is an international investment firm.

Its work has included:

• Buying government and corporate debt
• Participating in debt-restructuring agreements
• Investing in financially troubled companies
• Buying shares in major public businesses
• Supporting debt-to-equity transactions
• Holding long-term strategic investments
• Taking part in company ownership and governance arrangements

A debt-to-equity transaction happens when some debt is exchanged for company shares. This can reduce the amount of money a business owes while giving the creditor an ownership position.

Fintech Advisory has invested across Latin America, Europe, and other international markets.

Its investments have covered banking, telecommunications, media, infrastructure, construction, utilities, oil and gas, and industrial businesses.

According to the official Cemex board profile, Martínez has participated in several major government and corporate debt restructurings during his career.

How David Martínez’s Investment Strategy Works

Martínez is commonly connected with special-situation investing.

This investment method focuses on companies or assets going through an important change.

A simple version of the process can look like this:

1. Fintech identifies debt, shares, or business assets that appear undervalued.
2. The firm buys a meaningful financial position.
3. It studies the company’s debts, assets, and future prospects.
4. It may join negotiations with owners, banks, or other creditors.
5. The company may change its debt terms, ownership, or business plan.
6. Fintech may later keep, reduce, or sell its investment.

These deals can take years to complete. They can also involve complicated legal and financial agreements.

Martínez is therefore known more for long-term financial strategy than for short-term share trading.

Major Investments and Business Deals

Grupo Televisa

Fintech-related companies became important shareholders in Grupo Televisa, one of Mexico’s largest media businesses.

A United States securities filing submitted in February 2025 reported a beneficial position equal to approximately 9.7% of the class used in the filing.

The reported holding included more than 260 million Televisa CPO securities.

The investment matched Fintech’s wider interest in media and telecommunications companies.

Because company shareholdings can change, the 9.7% figure should be understood as the latest detailed public filing identified for that position, rather than a guaranteed current percentage.

Telecom Argentina

Fintech has also held a major investment in Telecom Argentina.

Through Fintech Telecom, the firm owned important Class A and Class B share positions in the telecommunications company.

Public company documents also identified David Martínez as one of the trustees connected with voting arrangements involving certain Telecom Argentina shares.

In February 2026, Fintech completed a secondary sale of part of its Class B investment. A secondary sale means that an existing shareholder sells shares to other investors. The company itself does not issue the shares or receive the sale money.

Martínez should therefore be described as a major investor connected with Telecom Argentina, not as the sole owner of the company.

Banco Sabadell

David Martínez was a major shareholder and board member at Banco Sabadell in Spain.

He served on the bank’s board for approximately 12 years.

In 2025, Spanish banking group BBVA attempted to take over Sabadell. Martínez supported the revised takeover offer, while the other members of the Sabadell board recommended that shareholders reject it.

The proposed takeover failed after receiving support from shareholders representing only about 25.47% of the bank’s voting rights.

Martínez resigned from Sabadell’s board in November 2025.

In July 2026, he sold a 1.558% position in the bank and retained a reported holding of 1.937%. The remaining investment was valued at around €300 million using the bank’s market price at that time.

OMA Airports

Fintech previously held a large position in Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte, commonly called OMA.

OMA operates airports in Mexico.

In 2022, Fintech agreed to sell its approximately 29.9% interest in OMA to Vinci, a major French infrastructure company.

The announced deal was valued at about $815 million.

The transaction showed that Martínez’s investments were not limited to banks, media, or debt. They also included important transport and infrastructure assets.

Vitro

Fintech was involved in the restructuring of Mexican glassmaker Vitro.

Several creditors had challenged the company’s restructuring plan in the United States.

In 2013, Fintech purchased debt held by some of the opposing investment funds. Under the reported agreement, Fintech received a 13% interest in a Vitro subsidiary and $235 million in subsidiary debt.

The agreement helped end a major legal dispute connected with the restructuring.

Current Board Positions

Cemex

Martínez has served as an independent director of Cemex since 2015.

Cemex is one of the world’s major cement and building-material companies.

Shareholders elected him again as an independent director in March 2026.

His experience in corporate finance, debt, international markets, and restructuring is relevant to his position on the board.

Alpek

David Martínez joined the Alpek board as an independent director in 2025.

Alpek is a major producer of petrochemicals and materials.

The company identifies him as the founder and chief executive of Fintech Advisory.

He continued as a board member following Alpek’s 2026 shareholders’ meeting.

Sigma Foods

Martínez has served on the Sigma Foods board since 2010.

Sigma is an international food company with operations in several countries.

Current company materials continue to identify Martínez as a director and as the founder of Fintech Advisory.

ICA Tenedora

Martínez is also listed as a board member of ICA Tenedora.

The company is connected with construction and infrastructure activities in Mexico.

Why Is David Martínez Famous?

David Martínez is famous in the business world because of the size and complexity of his investments.

He has worked with governments, banks, media groups, telecommunications companies, industrial businesses, and infrastructure operators.

His public importance comes mainly from:

• Founding Fintech Advisory
• Participating in sovereign-debt restructurings
• Buying important positions in financially troubled companies
• Holding shares in major international businesses
• Serving on the boards of large Mexican companies
• Taking part in major ownership and restructuring negotiations

He is not known for maintaining a large celebrity-style public presence.

Most reliable information about his work comes from company filings, official board profiles, shareholder documents, regulatory records, and trusted financial reporting.

Spanish Regulatory Case

In 2020, Spain’s National Securities Market Commission imposed a €300,000 administrative fine on Martínez.

The regulator said he had failed to meet disclosure requirements connected with significant shareholdings in Banco Sabadell.

Martínez challenged the decision.

Spain’s National Court rejected his appeal in September 2022. The Supreme Court later declined to hear a further appeal, and the sanction became final in 2023.

This matter was an administrative securities-disclosure case. It should not be described as a criminal conviction.

Verified Interesting Facts

• Martínez studied engineering, philosophy, and business administration.
• He worked in government-debt restructuring before founding Fintech Advisory.
• Fintech Advisory was created in 1987.
• He has invested in banking, media, airports, telecommunications, and industrial businesses.
• He served on Banco Sabadell’s board for around 12 years.
• He has been a Cemex director since 2015.
• His business information is mainly found in corporate and financial records rather than personal interviews.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does David Martínez do?

David Martínez is an investor. He buys debt, shares, and strategic business interests, especially when companies or governments are facing financial change.

What is Fintech Advisory?

Fintech Advisory is an international investment firm founded by Martínez in 1987. It focuses on government debt, corporate restructuring, private equity, and special financial situations.

Is Fintech Advisory a technology company?

No. It is mainly an investment firm. The company name should not be confused with the wider financial-technology industry.

Why is David Martínez well known?

He is known for major investments in companies such as Grupo Televisa, Telecom Argentina, Banco Sabadell, and OMA.

Did David Martínez work for Citibank?

Yes. He worked in Citibank’s Latin American Sovereign Restructuring unit in New York from 1984 to 1986.

Is David Martínez still on the Banco Sabadell board?

No. He resigned from the board in November 2025.

What companies currently have him as a board member?

As of July 2026, confirmed positions include Cemex, Alpek, Sigma Foods, and ICA Tenedora.

What did David Martínez study?

He studied mechanical and electrical engineering, philosophy, and business administration.

Final Thoughts

David Martínez built his career by investing in difficult and complex financial situations.

Through Fintech Advisory, he has worked with government debt, corporate restructurings, banks, media companies, telecommunications groups, airports, and industrial businesses.

His influence comes from becoming an important creditor, shareholder, or board member during periods of major financial change.

As of July 2026, he remains the founder and principal of Fintech Advisory and continues to serve on the boards of several major companies.