Jose Alfredo Molina has a vision for transforming the Yucatan Peninsula through innovative, eco-friendly real estate projects. Molina is the Chief Financial Officer and head of Investor relations for the Mexico Eco Park Fund I. With his partners, Janos and Juan Marie, he welcomes investors into diverse disruptive and unique projects in the area, including the construction and development of the Xieltun Eco Park. The park is located on a magnificent 272-acre piece of land of a lush jungle ecosystem, harboring inside 2.2 kilometers of underground rivers, cenotes, caves, and rich wildlife preserved in their original state at just 10 minutes from the town of Tulum.
"This Eco Park project will not only be sustainable and regenerative in terms of conservation, using cutting-edge clean technologies, but it will also be disruptive and unique in its class. After extensive research, we finally found an engineering and architecture studio that accepted the challenge to build a colossal 85-meter (279 feet) tall walking sculpture of the Mayan goddess Ixchel that will feature a breeding center for the splendid monarch butterfly, together with high-speed elevators, two restaurants, observatories, and a stage on the surrounding lake," says Molina. "The visual impact will be astonishing; you will be able to see it from a long distance from the highway, the Mayan Train, and obviously from the airplanes in and out of Tulum," he continues.
"There is a lot of interest from people around the world, and especially from the Asian markets, to learn more about these intriguing and fascinating pre-European civilizations and their legacy of wisdom, knowledge, and values. We might have missed something," he adds.
Jose Alfredo, known as Freddie by his acquaintances, goes even further in the vision he shares with his partners. "We don't envision sustainability only as 'the right thing to do' or because we believe in living in sound environments, but it is a way to preserve value for our investors, anticipate tighter restrictions in the future, and boost returns."
"We have done a tremendous amount of research and developed detailed financial projections for this plan and its companion projects. Besides the eco-park, we've got an adjacent master-planned community of more than 22 hectares (54 acres) that we plan to develop in close synergy with the Park project, providing its future residents with exclusive access to 50+ hectares (124 acres), an area of the Park reserved purely for conservation with access to its caves, cenotes, and underground river that they will be able to enjoy as an extension of their homes, as well as privileged access to the premium hotel amenities," he explains. "We're using eco-conscious urbanization to maximize value. This means merging mindfulness and nature in residential, wellness, hospitality, and retail zones."
The third and fourth projects in our pipeline are boutique luxury hotels, one within Xieltun with 117 rooms melted in the jungle at 6 meters (20 feet) high, holistic wellness center, and multi-use salons; the other is a 72-room boutique hotel in the nearby historic city of Valladolid located on the way to Chichen Itza, the pre-Columbian Mayan town with its famous world marvel pyramid.
With an extensive background in finance and the cleantech industry, he has played key roles as a co-founder, executive partner, and investor in diverse business ventures such as Naab Capital, Inmobiliaria Tres Elementos, Shabtai Capital Partners, Geneva Consulting Group Argentina, and General Investment Bankers, among others. Freddie has consistently demonstrated his ability to drive strategic growth and operational excellence. A native of Argentina, Molina is also familiar with most of Central and South America from an investment point of view, and he sees the Yucatan Peninsula as the perfect location for these sustainable development projects.
"Mexico as a geographical location is a key factor," he says. "It's in the center of the Western hemisphere. Mexican airports are some of the busiest in the world, and we have the luxury of having the recently inaugurated Tulum International Airport with connections worldwide; you've got connections to everywhere."
Freddie Molina and his partners, Juanmari Molina (no relation) and Janos Gregus, represent three different generations. "This should give us at least a broader scope," Freddie says with a sly grin. We see amazing potential in the area. Multi-billion dollar Mexican federal infrastructure programs are prompting continued momentum for tourism growth. The Mayan Train runs over 900 miles through the Yucatan Peninsula and five states. The Tulum International Airport, Mexico's first environmentally-planned airport, will increase tourist and residential activity in the area.
"The government projections for the area expect population and tourism to grow up to 4.5 times in the next 20 years, so that's huge," Molina says. "Mexico Eco Park Fund I is a private investment vehicle dedicated to preserving investor capital and delivering attractive risk-adjusted returns."
Freddie's journey has been equally spectacular and diverse. In Argentina, he established a renewable energy company and was instrumental in setting up the nation's first open tender for renewable energy investments. Freddie took a short retirement, but the enormous potential he saw in Mexico drew him in. He is a devoted family man who is grandfather to five, stepfather to two, father to four, and happily married to Verónica. His many international business and pleasure journeys have enhanced his spirit of adventure, which extends to his love of sailing, golf, and diving.
Join the Conversation