Guma Aguiar
Encyclopedia
Guma L. Aguiar is a Brazil
ian-born energy industrialist and millionaire
businessperson who splits his time living between the United States
and Israel
. Guma Aguiar is recognized as a leading philanthropist who has supported a variety of Jewish causes including Nefesh B'Nefesh
and the March of the Living
. In July 2009, Aguiar invested over US$4 million in support of the Beitar Jerusalem Football Club.
Guma was interviewed on October 4 by Jeremy Last and Uriel Sturm on http://www.israelsportsradio.com.
, Brazil
in to a Jewish family. His family moved to the United States
when Aguiar was two years old, though he now lives in the Yemin Moshe
quarter in Jerusalem for much of the year. The remainder of the time he lives in South Florida.
Aguiar is the vice chairman and chief executive officer
of Leor Energy
. Aguiar began his career as a clerk on the floor of the NYMEX
in 1999 where he focused on the energy markets, with particular emphasis on natural gas
. Transitioning from daily trading activity to the long-term physical markets, Aguiar joined with his uncle, Thomas Kaplan
, in 2001 to manage a portfolio of family investments ranging from venture capital
to private equity
and debt. During this time, he served as a director of several public and private companies and was given responsibility for creating a U.S.-based energy company focused on aggressive early-stage oil and gas exploration. After assembling a diversified portfolio of energy properties in Louisiana and Texas, ranging from unconventional natural gas to shallow oil, Aguiar identified and executed Leor’s acquisition of its flagship property in the Deep Bossier of East Texas
in 2003.
By late 2004, Leor had amassed the largest land position in the heart of the Deep Bossier, which is one of the most important domestic discoveries in recent history. Under Aguiar’s executive management, Leor successfully engineered the series of financings which fully capitalized the projects in the company’s portfolio including the company’s industrial alliance and joint venture partnership with Encana, which was a mezzanine financing with one of the largest hedge-fund groups, Amaranth Capital LLC; and, most recently, Leor’s financial alliance with its first strategic equity partner, Goldman Sachs & Co
.
On January 14, 2010, Mr. Aguiar was committed to a mental hospital near Tel Aviv.
, a Zionist organization which promotes mass Jewish immigration from North America
and the United Kingdom
to Israel. He is also a leading supporter of the March of the Living
, which organizes educational programming in Poland
and Israel
to enable students to better understand the Holocaust and the rebirth of Zionism
and the creation of the modern Jewish state of Israel.
For his philanthropic activities, Aguiar was recognized as one of the 36 most influential Jewish leaders under the age of 36 by the New York Jewish Week.
In October 2009, Aguiar and his wife Jamie served as the co-chairs of the prestigious "Facing Tomorrow" Conference in Jerusalem organized by Israel's President Shimon Peres
. During the Conference, Aguiar was featured on a panel with the President and offered his vision on Israeli society and culture from the perspective of one of the country's most recognized entrepreneurs.
Guma Aguiar founded the "Defender of Jerusalem Award" which recognizes public figures who have taken uniquely strong stances in support of Jerusalem. The award has already been presented to Israel's President Shimon Peres, former Arkansas Governor and Fox News host Mike Huckabee, Texas Governor Rick Perry, Congresswoman Ileana Ros- Lehtinen and Texas State Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa.
which despite a massive fan following had grown into financial distress
and was on the brink of collapse prior to the investment. A lifelong die-hard sports enthusiast who has played soccer and tennis at competitive levels, Aguiar was motivated to purchase the team out of his love for the sport combined with a passion for Jerusalem and Israel.
In September 2009, Aguiar took his commitment to Jerusalem sports to the next level when he invested over $1.5 million in the city's leading basketball franchise, Hapoel Jerusalem.
Since these investments, Aguiar has become a fixture in Israeli social circles and regularly meets with members of Knesset and local political and business leaders.
Aguiar has been known to take a very active role in the management of the teams and is in daily contact with the general managers of both Betar (Itzik Kornfein) and Hapoel (Dani Klein.) In November 2009, Guma travelled with Kornfein to Brazil with the goal of scouting out players for the Betar team. He makes an effort to be at every team practice and meets regularly with the players and staff of both teams.
On Wednesday, January 13, 2010, Aguiar was forcibly admitted to a psychiatric hospital following a court order.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian-born energy industrialist and millionaire
Millionaire
A millionaire is an individual whose net worth or wealth is equal to or exceeds one million units of currency. It can also be a person who owns one million units of currency in a bank account or savings account...
businessperson who splits his time living between the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Guma Aguiar is recognized as a leading philanthropist who has supported a variety of Jewish causes including Nefesh B'Nefesh
Nefesh B'Nefesh
Nefesh B'Nefesh is an organization that encourages immigration by Jewish people to Israel from North America and the United Kingdom...
and the March of the Living
March of the Living
The March of the Living, is an annual educational program which brings students from around the world to Poland, where they explore the remnants of the Holocaust...
. In July 2009, Aguiar invested over US$4 million in support of the Beitar Jerusalem Football Club.
Guma was interviewed on October 4 by Jeremy Last and Uriel Sturm on http://www.israelsportsradio.com.
History
Guma Aguiar was born in Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
in to a Jewish family. His family moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
when Aguiar was two years old, though he now lives in the Yemin Moshe
Yemin Moshe
Yemin Moshe " or "Moses' Memorial") is an old neighborhood in Jerusalem, Israel, overlooking the Old City.-History:Yemin Moshe was established in 1891 by Moses Montefiore outside Jerusalem's Old City as a solution to the overcrowding and unsanitary conditions inside the walls, and eventually named...
quarter in Jerusalem for much of the year. The remainder of the time he lives in South Florida.
Aguiar is the vice chairman and chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Leor Energy
Leor Energy
Leor Energy is a Houston-based natural gas exploration company focused primarily on unconventional gas in North America. In November 2007, Leor sold its Deep Bossier natural gas and land interests to a subsidiary of EnCana Corporation for $2.55 billion...
. Aguiar began his career as a clerk on the floor of the NYMEX
New York Mercantile Exchange
The New York Mercantile Exchange is the world's largest physical commodity futures exchange. It is located at One North End Avenue in the World Financial Center in the Battery Park City section of Manhattan, New York City...
in 1999 where he focused on the energy markets, with particular emphasis on natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
. Transitioning from daily trading activity to the long-term physical markets, Aguiar joined with his uncle, Thomas Kaplan
Thomas Kaplan
Thomas S. Kaplan is an American entrepreneur, natural resources investor, philanthropist and art collector. He is the Founder and Principal of Tigris Group and the Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of The Electrum Group LLC, a New York City-based investment, advisory and asset management firm...
, in 2001 to manage a portfolio of family investments ranging from venture capital
Venture capital
Venture capital is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growth startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as...
to private equity
Private equity
Private equity, in finance, is an asset class consisting of equity securities in operating companies that are not publicly traded on a stock exchange....
and debt. During this time, he served as a director of several public and private companies and was given responsibility for creating a U.S.-based energy company focused on aggressive early-stage oil and gas exploration. After assembling a diversified portfolio of energy properties in Louisiana and Texas, ranging from unconventional natural gas to shallow oil, Aguiar identified and executed Leor’s acquisition of its flagship property in the Deep Bossier of East Texas
East Texas
East Texas is a distinct geographic and ecological area in the U.S. state of Texas.According to the Handbook of Texas, the East Texas area "may be separated from the rest of Texas roughly by a line extending from the Red River in north central Lamar County southwestward to east central Limestone...
in 2003.
By late 2004, Leor had amassed the largest land position in the heart of the Deep Bossier, which is one of the most important domestic discoveries in recent history. Under Aguiar’s executive management, Leor successfully engineered the series of financings which fully capitalized the projects in the company’s portfolio including the company’s industrial alliance and joint venture partnership with Encana, which was a mezzanine financing with one of the largest hedge-fund groups, Amaranth Capital LLC; and, most recently, Leor’s financial alliance with its first strategic equity partner, Goldman Sachs & Co
Goldman Sachs
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is an American multinational bulge bracket investment banking and securities firm that engages in global investment banking, securities, investment management, and other financial services primarily with institutional clients...
.
On January 14, 2010, Mr. Aguiar was committed to a mental hospital near Tel Aviv.
Philanthropic Activities
Aguiar is the chairman of the Lillian Jean Kaplan Foundation and is involved in numerous philanthropic activities. He has donated more than US$8 million to fund the activities of Nefesh B'NefeshNefesh B'Nefesh
Nefesh B'Nefesh is an organization that encourages immigration by Jewish people to Israel from North America and the United Kingdom...
, a Zionist organization which promotes mass Jewish immigration from North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to Israel. He is also a leading supporter of the March of the Living
March of the Living
The March of the Living, is an annual educational program which brings students from around the world to Poland, where they explore the remnants of the Holocaust...
, which organizes educational programming in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
to enable students to better understand the Holocaust and the rebirth of Zionism
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
and the creation of the modern Jewish state of Israel.
For his philanthropic activities, Aguiar was recognized as one of the 36 most influential Jewish leaders under the age of 36 by the New York Jewish Week.
In October 2009, Aguiar and his wife Jamie served as the co-chairs of the prestigious "Facing Tomorrow" Conference in Jerusalem organized by Israel's President Shimon Peres
Shimon Peres
GCMG is the ninth President of the State of Israel. Peres served twice as the eighth Prime Minister of Israel and once as Interim Prime Minister, and has been a member of 12 cabinets in a political career spanning over 66 years...
. During the Conference, Aguiar was featured on a panel with the President and offered his vision on Israeli society and culture from the perspective of one of the country's most recognized entrepreneurs.
Guma Aguiar founded the "Defender of Jerusalem Award" which recognizes public figures who have taken uniquely strong stances in support of Jerusalem. The award has already been presented to Israel's President Shimon Peres, former Arkansas Governor and Fox News host Mike Huckabee, Texas Governor Rick Perry, Congresswoman Ileana Ros- Lehtinen and Texas State Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa.
Jerusalem Sports
On July 21, 2009, Aguiar announced an investment of over US$4 million to support the Beitar Jerusalem Football TeamFootball team
A football team is the collective name given to a group of players selected together in the various team sports known as football.Such teams could be selected to play in an against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-star team or even selected as a...
which despite a massive fan following had grown into financial distress
Financial distress
Financial distress is a term in Corporate Finance used to indicate a condition when promises to creditors of a company are broken or honored with difficulty. Sometimes financial distress can lead to bankruptcy...
and was on the brink of collapse prior to the investment. A lifelong die-hard sports enthusiast who has played soccer and tennis at competitive levels, Aguiar was motivated to purchase the team out of his love for the sport combined with a passion for Jerusalem and Israel.
In September 2009, Aguiar took his commitment to Jerusalem sports to the next level when he invested over $1.5 million in the city's leading basketball franchise, Hapoel Jerusalem.
Since these investments, Aguiar has become a fixture in Israeli social circles and regularly meets with members of Knesset and local political and business leaders.
Aguiar has been known to take a very active role in the management of the teams and is in daily contact with the general managers of both Betar (Itzik Kornfein) and Hapoel (Dani Klein.) In November 2009, Guma travelled with Kornfein to Brazil with the goal of scouting out players for the Betar team. He makes an effort to be at every team practice and meets regularly with the players and staff of both teams.
Personal life
Aguiar is a married father of three, in the process of immigration to Israel, an act described by himself as a personal dream.On Wednesday, January 13, 2010, Aguiar was forcibly admitted to a psychiatric hospital following a court order.