FELIPE's BIOGRAPHY

Felipe Alviar-Baquero

 

BA(Hons) B.C.L (Oxon)

Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales 

 

Felipe was born in Bogota, Colombia where he grew up and completed his primary and secondary education. 

When Felipe finished secondary education in 1998 he decided to travel to the UK to learn English.  Felipe planned to study English for 6 months and return to Colombia to study law. Felipe's mother was born in London and as a result he was a British citizenship. 

After a few months of lessons at an English language school, Felipe found an advert in a local paper to work for the UK Government in the Benefit Agency (now the Department of Work and Pension (DWP)) and after successfully passing various exams and interviews Felipe was offered a job as an Administrative Assistant.

For three years Felipe worked full time in the DWP and attended college in the evenings after work. In 2001 Felipe was offered a place to study law and business administration full time at the University of Kent. However, he continued working with the DWP (part-time during term time and full time during the holiday period). In 2004, Felipe graduated with First Class honours and was awarded the Sweet and Maxwell Best Law Student Award. During his studies at the University of Kent, Felipe founded and presided over the Latin American Society and hosted the first radio show focused in Latin American music and news at the university radio station. Between 2003-2004 Felipe was a member of the managing committee of the Kent Law Clinic.  

During the third year of Felipe's degree he secured a training contract (starting in 2006) with Slaughter and May. As part of the training contract  Slaughter and May sponsored Felipe to do the Legal Practice Course at BPP Law School in London from 2004 to 2005.

In 2005 Felipe was offered a place to undertake the Bachelor of Civil Law (B.C.L)(which is the most prestigious common law masters degree) at Oxford University and in 2006 graduated from the BCL with a Distinction. During his studies at Oxford University Felipe was elected as President of the University of Oxford Latin American Society. He was also elected as the student representative at the Oxford University, Law Faculty Committee. During 2005-2006,  Felipe hosted the first radio show focused in Latin American music and news at Oxide Radio, the university of Oxford radio station. 

Felipe was the first Colombian to train and qualify at Slaughter and May. He started his training contract at Slaughter and May in September 2006 and after gaining experience in the corporate, dispute resolution, property and construction and finance departments of the firm, he qualified as Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 2008. 

In 2010 Felipe moved to Latham & Watkins, where he was a senior associate in the international project finance team. His work included advising a number of export credit agencies and multinational financial institutions in relation to two large LNG project finance transactions: (i) the APLNG Project (Asia Pacific Oil & Gas Deal of the Year - 2012);  and (ii) the Ichthys Project (Asia Pacific Deal of the Year - 2012). Felipe also have worked with the International Senior Lawyers Project - United Nations Development Program (UNDP), in the preparation of a workshop in Tanga, United Republic of Tanzania, Christian Aid and Save the Children.

In 2014, Felipe joined INDECS Consulting Ltd, where he is a consultant specialised in international project finance and risk management. As part of a team Felipe manages more than 50 transactions with a total value of over USD 31.5 billion.

Since 2009 Felipe has been a member of the board of  trustees of Children Change Colombia, a UK registered charity working in Colombia to support and protect vulnerable Children.

Felipe designed, build and now operates with his family Tiny Town. Tiny Town is one of the biggest indoor play areas in the country. Tiny Town is a family company which main aim is to be a the centre of the community. Tiny Town is the product of three years planning involving parents, teaching professionals, psychologists and people committed to the development of children's play areas offering the best facilities, food and value. Tiny Town is a new concept in play areas that is educational and entertaining. Felipe recognised the need for children to have adequate facilities to train football. Tiny Town has state of the art 3G football pitches, which are used by the local community.

Felipe is married to Jennifer and have two beautiful girls called Isabella and Sophia.

 

 

 

 

Felipe was selected as one of the 100 Colombianos of 2012