Juan Castañeda is Principal and Senior Financial Advisor at Alta Vera Global Capital Advisors, where he brings a rare combination of global perspective, hands-on service, and decades of experience advising ultra-high-net-worth families. His addition expands Alta Vera’s presence across Latin America and strengthens the firm’s ability to deliver sophisticated, cross-border strategies for clients with complex financial lives.

Before joining Alta Vera, Juan founded Mar8 Family Office, where he built a focused practice serving a select group of clients across Latin America, Europe, and the U.S. With a deep understanding of the unique challenges global families face, Juan and his team provided customized solutions across investments, credit, trusts, and estate planning — all designed to preserve and grow wealth across generations.

His experience also includes senior roles at some of the world’s leading financial institutions. As Senior Vice President at Merrill Lynch Private Wealth in Miami, Juan led a team focused on holistic planning for affluent families. Prior to that, he was Executive Director at J.P. Morgan Private Bank, where he advised ultra-high-net-worth clients and delivered tailored banking and investment solutions. Earlier in his career, he worked at a boutique family office bank and spent over a decade at UBS Investment Bank between New York and São Paulo, building deep cross-border expertise and a global client lens.

Juan holds his Series 7, 63, and 66 licenses and stays actively engaged in the industry as a member of the Greater Miami Tax Institute and the Aspen Institute. He also serves as president of the Virginia Club of Miami and is a committed member of the Key Biscayne community.
Outside of work, Juan brings the same competitive drive and focus to life as he did as a former international junior tennis player for Panama and competitive squash player for the Yale Club of New York. Today, you’ll often find him foiling or sailing when he’s not helping families navigate their most important financial decisions.

Originally from Peru, Juan’s multicultural background has been shaped by living in Venezuela, Argentina, Panama, Colombia, Switzerland, Brazil, and the U.S. He earned his B.A. in Economics with a minor in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia, where he was named to the Dean’s List, and later completed the Senior Executive Program at IESE Business School. He lives in Key Biscayne with his wife, two daughters, and son.