Independent Advisor
Katherine Downs is a private equity professional with more than 25 years of experience investing in Latin American companies and private equity funds. Since 2020, she has been an independent consultant and board member, working with development finance institutions and private funds evaluating and structuring investments and sitting on boards in Latin America.
Previously, Katherine managed direct equity and fund investments in Latin America at the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) for their Manufacturing, Agribusiness, and Services division.Before joining IFC, Katherine was a Managing Director and Partner in the Latin America group of EMP Global, a pioneering emerging markets private equity fund manager, where she invested in infrastructure companies and raised new funds in Latin America. Katherine began her career in the investment group of Prudential Insurance USA making debt and equity investments in US companies and Funds.
Katherine has managed all stages of the private equity cycle, from origination to exit, partnering with strategic operators, entrepreneurs, and family companies, as well as co-investing with private equity funds. As a shareholder and board member, she has worked closely with partners and company management in developing and implementing ESG and strategic plans, expanding to new markets, capital raising, M&A, and professionalizing family companies.
Katherine, who splits her time between Washington, DC and Lima, Peru, is a member of the Peru chapter of Women Corporate Directors (WCD) and sits on the steering committee of WCD Global’s Private and Family Company Peer Group. She participates actively in programs of Latin American think tanks and emerging markets private equity associations as well as non-profits in the US and Peru.
Katherine holds a BA from Wesleyan University, JD from Boston University, MBA from Yale School of Management, MIPP from Johns Hopkins SAIS, various board certifications, and the CFA designation.