Executive Advisory & Board Services
A former CEO who has owned the P&L, now working alongside your board and your C-suite.
More than 25 years running businesses for brands such as Salvatore Ferragamo, Swarovski and Estée Lauder. Today I support boards, shareholders and executives on strategy, governance, transformation and expansion.
An owner’s view, a CFO’s rigour and a luxury retailer’s eye
I have built businesses from scratch, bought back a brand after ten years under franchise, restructured tax and commercial models, and opened stores from Chile to the north of Brazil. That executive experience is what I bring to every board and leadership team I work with.
In mentoring and advisory, that experience becomes a method: clear priorities, decisions on record and measured results. For efficiency projects, I draw on Ariston’s matrix budgeting methodology.
Who it is for
Companies and boards
- Boards and shareholders looking for a director with hands-on executive experience
- CEOs and partners who want an independent sounding board for critical decisions
- Mid-sized and large companies in consumer goods, retail, fashion, beauty and services
- International brands entering or repositioning in Brazil and South America
- Businesses going through restructuring, turnaround, merger or acquisition
Executives and professionals
- Executives who have stepped, or are about to step, into a CEO, director or board role
- Professionals preparing to serve on boards of directors
- Executives moving from corporate life to their own business, consulting or board work
- Founders in retail, fashion, beauty and luxury who want to grow with professional management
- Professionals building or expanding a career in Latin America or Europe
How I work
Six areas, engaged on their own or together, depending on where the company stands.
Advisory board member
Strategic support for boards of directors, shareholders and committees.
Executive advisor to the C-suite
Ongoing mentoring and support for CEOs, CFOs, COOs and other executives facing critical decisions.
Business transformation
Strategy, productivity, change management and performance improvement, with matrix budgeting and organisational sizing.
Corporate governance
Seats on advisory boards, strategy committees and decision forums.
Expansion and new business
Internationalisation, growth, positioning, channels and strategic real estate.
M&A and integration
Executive support through acquisitions, post-merger integration and value creation.
Results from the executive chair
Recent case, 2025
R$ 7 m
improvement in results for a cosmetics company, through an efficiency project led by Ariston
10x
growth in Swarovski Brazil’s sales volume in euros, including e-commerce and franchising
+30 pp
in gross margin after buying back Salvatore Ferragamo in Brazil
US$ 15 m
in Ferragamo South America sales in 2016, with real growth of 25% a year in dollars
30+
new store leases signed for Estée Lauder in Brazil, Chile and Argentina in 2011
−40%
in mall entry costs (key money) for more than 20 international brands
9 stores
opened in two years for Tania Bulhões Perfumes, with positive EBITDA in under two years
What people say about Fabio
Recommendations published on LinkedIn.
“Fabio is one of the most skilled professionals in the Brazilian luxury market, with a strong financial background and long experience in retail. He knows the main shopping mall chains and their managers, and he is an excellent negotiator with a very wide network.”
“It has been an enormous pleasure to work, as Superintendent of ParkShopping in Brasília, with Fabio when he was Swarovski’s General Manager for Brazil. He is a creative, result-oriented leader with a strong knowledge of the retail and luxury market, very respectful and ethical, and a great negotiator. Together we brought the Swarovski Christmas Tree to Latin America for the first time, and it became a market icon.”
“Fabio was hired to turn an idea into what TB Perfumes is today. As CEO he faced the complexity of running a business in Brazil reporting to an international PE firm. I would recommend Fabio to any company seeking to thrive in Brazil.”
How we work together
Mentoring and advisory with the same management discipline I used as a CEO: numbers on the table, decisions on record and results measured every 90 days. For companies and for individuals.
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1
Executive review
Companies: P&L, cash, structure and market. Individuals: career, current moment and goals. We leave with three priorities and the indicators that will measure each one.
1 to 2 weeks
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2
90-day plan
Decisions to make, owners, deadlines and measurable targets, set out in an objectives agreement signed by both sides.
Start of the cycle
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3
Follow-up meetings
Agenda sent beforehand, decisions and next steps recorded afterwards. Between meetings, direct access for urgent decisions.
Fortnightly or monthly
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4
Results review
Indicators compared with the starting point. What worked is consolidated; what did not changes course.
Every 90 days
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5
Autonomy
Routines, dashboards and management rituals stay with you or your team, so you can carry on without dependence.
End of each cycle
Four lenses in every conversation
Numbers
P&L, margins, cash and budget, seen by someone who has been CFO and CEO.
Market and brand
Positioning, channels, pricing and real estate, drawn from premium and luxury retail.
People and structure
Leadership, organisational sizing and multicultural teams.
Governance
Clear roles for shareholders, board and management, following IBGC practice.
Ways to engage
Individual programme
For professionals and executives: a 90-day cycle with fortnightly meetings.
Monthly advisory
For CEOs and partners: ongoing support, with a six-month minimum and the option to end the engagement at the first results review, on day 90, with written notice.
Advisory board
A seat on a board or committee, with monthly meetings and preparation.
Workshops and projects
One-day workshops, interim management and Ariston efficiency projects.
About Fabio
An executive with more than 25 years in CEO leadership, strategic planning and P&L management across administration, controlling, marketing and sales. Known for building and leading cross-functional, multicultural teams. Member of IBGC, with board experience.
Education
Business Administration, PUC São Paulo
Specialisation in Finance, FGV São Paulo
Languages
Native Portuguese; fluent English, Italian and Spanish; conversational Greek
Governance
Member of IBGC, the Brazilian Institute of Corporate Governance
Career
From financial analyst to regional CEO: a career built across finance, retail and global brands.
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2017 – today
Ariston Consultoria — Founder & CEO
Boutique consultancy for operational efficiency, organisational sizing, commercial practices, post-merger integration and matrix budgeting. Strategic partnership with Gradus.
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2012 – 2016
Salvatore Ferragamo — CEO South America
Full responsibility for Brazil, Chile and Argentina. Led the buy-back of the brand in Brazil after ten years under franchise and realigned its image with global guidelines.
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2011 – 2012
Estée Lauder Companies — Retail Director Latin America
Expansion of MAC, Clinique and other group brands. Led “Retail Best Practices”, delivering 20% annual growth in dollars and cutting staff turnover by more than 30%.
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2011 – 2012
F/Gianni Gestão Empresarial, now Ariston — Managing Director
Market entry and management in Brazil for brands such as Valentino, Tod’s, Elizabeth Arden, Kate Spade and Longchamp, including interim management, pricing and assortment.
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2007 – 2010
Tania Bulhões Perfumes — CEO
Launched the fragrance and cosmetics business, from manufacturing to expansion, with a distribution centre able to supply 50 points of sale.
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1998 – 2007
Swarovski Brazil — General Manager → Finance, Administration & Commercial Director
Re-engineered tax and import processes, cutting import costs by 30%. The first subsidiary to run online with every store and headquarters at the same time.
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1990 – 1998
Itautec, Loan Asset Management and Hyundai Motors Group
A grounding in finance: financial analysis, lease contracts, asset management and the administration of consumer credit and leasing.
Brands along the way
Where I was an executive
Salvatore Ferragamo, Estée Lauder Companies (MAC and Clinique), Swarovski, Tania Bulhões, Hyundai and Itautec.
Served through F/Gianni and Ariston
Valentino, Tod’s, Elizabeth Arden, Kate Spade, Longchamp, Tiffany & Co., Arezzo&Co, Vans, Brooksfield, Ervadoce, Vitória Régia, Tess, Baw Clothing, Acostamento, Controle, Unilever, Magneti Marelli, MWM, Eisenmann, SHV and Makro.
Frequently asked questions
Do you work with companies outside Brazil?
Yes. I work with companies in Latin America and Europe, especially Italy. I have run operations in Brazil, Chile and Argentina and work in English, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese, with conversational Greek.
Do you serve on boards?
Yes. I am a member of IBGC and serve on advisory boards and boards of directors, focusing on mid-sized and large companies in consumer goods, retail and services.
How are fees set?
Mentoring and advisory are engaged per programme or per month, in formats agreed at the first conversation.
How long does mentoring or advisory last?
I work in renewable 90-day cycles. The initial executive review takes one to two weeks. Ariston efficiency projects follow their own timeline: a 7 to 15-day diagnostic and 3 to 4 months of implementation.
Shall we talk about where your company stands?
A first conversation, with no commitment, to understand the challenge and see whether an initial review makes sense.