Our Team

The Reviva Capital team consists of veterans of commercial and private lending, corporate and investment banking, corporate finance and M&A transactions as well as real estate investment management, development and operations. In addition, we have an in-house team of IT experts responsible for building and maintaining our operational platform.  This winning formula of wide multi-disciplinary background is complemented by a diverse and in-depth local market knowledge and language skills, across several European markets.

Moreover, we add a combination of a highly disciplined and ethical work approach required for the regulatory and institutional business environment we operate in, with energetic and solutions-oriented entrepreneurial spirit and mentality.

While our team is a mix of people from many professional disciplines and countries, we all share the passion and drive to deliver top quality services to our clients and participate in building a successful enterprise.  Our team is tightly knit and long-serving, with average tenure of 8 years with our firm, average NPL experience of 10 years and average professional banking and real estate experience of 25 years.

Opportunities

We seek to hire experienced people who have a strong professional and educational background and, at the same time, share our passion and drive for success.

As a part of a growing business we are constantly on the outlook for new talent. Don’t hesitate to contact us to see if there are any opportunities at this stage.

Management

Paul Embleton, CEO, Co-founder

Paul is Co-founder and CEO of Reviva Capital, responsible for the company’s overall management, strategy and growth, as well as its daily management and development of its international loan servicing platform and Group operations.

Paul has over 30 years’ experience in banking and finance having worked for “Big 4” audit firms, banks and has expertise in financial and operational restructuring and turnarounds.

Paul holds a Masters Degree in Accounting and Economics from the University of Aberdeen and is Fellow of the Scottish Institute of Chartered Accountants. He holds a Luxembourg business licence as an economic advisor and accounting expert.

Paul is a British citizen and has lived in Luxembourg since 1990.

Brandur Thor Ludwig, Executive Director, Head of Business Development and Asset Management

Brandur joined Reviva in 2010 and leads the company’s new business and growth activities, as well as its asset management practice. He is actively engaged in new deal origination, portfolio underwriting efforts as well as the company’s current workout management mandates.

Brandur has over 30 years’ experience in the international finance, cross-border M&A and Private Equity Real Estate Investment & Management. Since 2008, he has been an actively involved in the European NPL market especially in the realisation of complex commercial real estate loans and collaterals across Europe.

Graduated with Cand. Oecon in Finance from the University of Iceland in 1996 and has extensive experience in working across borders and cultures from having operated in USA, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Brandur was born in USA and has lived and worked in Iceland and the UK before moving to Luxembourg in 2004 where he currently resides.

Bjorn Agust Bjornsson, Executive Director, COO

Bjorn Agust joined Reviva Capital in 2012 and leads all aspects of the company’s information technology activities. He oversees the IT setup and daily operations, both from an infrastructure and operational aspect, as well as the development and servicing of the company’s IT platform. He’s actively engaged in the onboarding of new business portfolios both from an operational and information technology perspective.

Bjorn Agust has over 25 years’ experience in information technology, both within the financial services industry and the retail industry. He has a proven track record and expertise in developing and delivering complex business solutions to international companies in Europe, USA, Asia and the Middle East.

Bjorn Agust holds a B.Sc. Degree in Computer Science and Business Administration from Reykjavik University. He is originally from Iceland but has lived abroad for most of his adult life and currently resides in Luxembourg.

Philip Wittrup, Executive Director, Nordic Branch Manager

Philip joined Reviva in 2016 as Senior Transaction Manager, with base in Copenhagen after spending 2,5 yeas at the head office in Luxembourg. Philip is involved in all aspects of the mandate management and underwriting of new transactions.

Prior to joining Reviva, Philip spent 6 years at EY Corporate finance with a focus on Infrastructure advisory and transaction support. Prior to EY, Philip spent 3 years as functioning Group Treasurer at DNB Nord.   

Philip graduated with a Masters in Economics (Cand. Polit.) from the University of Copenhagen.

Diogo Pereira, Managing Director, Reviva Portugal

Diogo is the Managing Director of Reviva Capital’s operations in Portugal and oversees the workout management and debt advisory services provided in South-European markets.  

Diogo joined Reviva Capital in early 2022 from CMS Portugal.

Diogo is a Portuguese national and lives and works in Lisbon.

Board of Directors

Ari Danielsson, Chairman

Ari is Co-founder and Chairman of Reviva Capital.

Ari has over 25 years’ experience at the intersection of information technology and banking and finance, in both executive and non-executive roles and has spent the last 12 years as an active participant on the European NPL market. Prior to incorporating Reviva Capital, Ari was Managing director of Glitnir Bank Luxembourg and led its successful restructuring and voluntary winding-down from 2008.

Ari holds B.Sc. in Computer Sciences and MBA from Reykjavik University and has completed the International Directors Programme at the INSEAD university in France.

Ari is a native Icelander, living and working in Luxembourg for the last decade, but recently returned to his home country where he is actively engaged in investments and board member roles in finance and IT sectors.

Steen Parsholt, Director

Steen Parsholt has served as the Non-executive Director of Reviva Capital S.A. since 2016.

Since 2005 Steen has served on a wide range of boards in Denmark and abroad, in both financial services and a wide range of industrial companies. Steen also played an active role in unwinding defaulted banks in Denmark and Iceland during the years 2010-2016. Steen currently serves as Chairman or Deputy Chairman of 6 Companies and as a board member of an additional three companies.

Prior to his career as a non-executive director, Steen served in various companies in the international financial services sector, both banking and insurance, in Denmark, UK, Italy and US, including Citibank, UBS, Atradius and Aon.

Steen is a Danish national and resided in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Maxim von Mitzlaff-Laeisz, Director

Maxim is the co-head of Asset Management at Davidson Kempner European Partners, covering Europe and Asia for the Real Estate, Corporate and Structured Product desks.

Maxim has over 15 years experience in the financial sector with focus on real estate debt and direct asset workout.

Maxim holds a Master degree in Finance and Management and BSC (Hons) in Economics from Loughborough University. 

Maxim joined the board of Reviva Capital in June 2022.