Our team

Rafael Vélez is the founder of Atabey Capital, an investment firm committed to building a more robust, empowered and sustainable Puerto Rico by boosting its economic development. Atabey has provided the initial capital to found Caribbean Transmission Development Co. in order to bring the idea into a real project.

Prior to Atabey, Mr. Vélez also founded Putney Capital Management in June 2007 as an asset management and advisory firm specializing in the energy, agro-industrial, and heavy industry sectors in the NOLA region (Central America, Caribbean and the northern countries of South America). Mr. Vélez has vast experience and success in raising capital, corporate buyouts, turnarounds, and joint ventures. Putney was sold in 2019 in order for him to concentrate his efforts in Puerto Rico.

Mr. Vélez was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He received a B.A. degree in Accounting and Economics from Babson College, and a master's degree in Policy and Leadership from Georgetown University. Mr. Vélez also completed the Advanced Management Program from IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain. He is a Certified Public Accountant and participates on the board of various companies and not-for-profit foundations on the island.

Tirso Selman Rivera has been with CTDC since its inception assuming the role of Project Director. He is responsible for the overall supervision and coordination of CTDC's development activities including stakeholder management, overseeing design engineering, permitting and licensing, contract negotiation and oversight of OEMs and suppliers, communications with external stakeholders, construction management, and all activities required for the successful execution of the CTDC interconnection project. Mr. Selman Rivera has vast experience as a business development executive focused on Energy Markets for Latin America.

He has successfully negotiated and executed contracts for over 1,200 MW of power through the Caribbean, Central, and South America. From 2011 to 2021, Mr. Selman Rivera identified, negotiated, and contracted fast-track thermal power projects. Prior to his role in business development, Mr. Selman Rivera held positions in Project Management, Operations, and Commercial Operations. He also worked in the transmission and distribution of energy for several utilities. Tirso also served six years on the Board of ITABO, the largest coal generation power plant in the Dominican Republic.

Mr. Selman Rivera was born in the Dominican Republic. He received a B.A. degree in Electrical Engineering with focus on Power from the Technological Institute of Santo Domingo (INTEC) and an executive MBA from the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra, both in the Dominican Republic.