Rafael Serrano

Rafael Serrano Quevedo is a Spanish businessman and investor. Previously, Serrano was an investment banker and financier at JPMorgan in New York City, and later managed the fund-of-funds investment vehicle at Focus Investment Group in London.

As CEO of Prime Investors Capital (PIC), Serrano specialises in alternative investment opportunities in the UK and Europe. He led numerous real estate transactions such as the developement of the Bulgari Hotel & Residences in 2009, and Admiralty Arch Waldorf Astoria in 2012, in London.

He is credited with advancing the branded residences real estate model through the Bulgari Residences in Knightsbridge which at the time of its opening in 2012 was the most expensive hotel in London, while achieving the highest square foot prices for the branded residences in the world.

Through his long-standing track record and experience in the market, Serrano has access to a global patfrom of investment opportunities and deal flow in both the public and private sectors.

He currently resides in Chelsea, London, with his wife and children. He is a passionate tennis player and dedicates his free time to charitable causes, such as supporting the British Red Cross. He has also been a proud advocate and long-term donor to the CRIS Cancer Foundation.

Born in Madrid, he began his career in 1991 as a Investment Banker at JPMorgan, working both in London and on Wall Street, New York City. He continued his career as an executive to Focus Investment Group, specialists in fund of funds and with $3bn under management.

In 2009, Serrano became the Founder and CEO of Prime Investors Capital (PIC) Limited, an investment management company focusing on Finance, Private Equity and Real Estate. Prime Investors Capital was responsible for the origination, funding and development of the BVLGARI Hotel and Residences in Knightsbridge. The Bulgari Hotel & Residences opened in 2012 as the most expensive hotel in London, while achieving the highest square foot prices in the world at the time ^[1][2][3]

In October 2012, Prime Investors Capital led a UK-based team of 20 British companies to secure a bid to purchase a 250-year lease of Admiralty Arch from the UK Government, with plans to restore the Grade I listed building and create a hotel that preserves its historic design.^[4][5][6][7] Admiralty Arch is the first major building to be sold by the Government, as part of austerity measures to rationalise their property portfolio and raise funds for the Exchequer.^[8][9]

In August 2013, PIC was granted full planning permission by Westminster City Council to restore, convert, and transform Admiralty Arch into a 100-room luxury hotel, private residences and private members' club of one of Britians most iconic landmarks.^[10] The restoration of Admiralty Arch remains fully ongoing.

Originally designed by Sir Aston Webb and built by John Mowlen & Co in 1912 in memory of Queen Victoria, the building has been the recent home of the Cabinet Office. It was previously the address of the First Sea Lord and high-ranking naval officers.^[11]

In 2014, Prime Investors Capital formally advised the Spanish Government on the historic bidding process for the sale and repositioning of the largest Spanish cultural public foundation in London. This strategic advise led to the highest-yielding disposal of an overseas asset by the Spanish government.

Since 2024, Serrano has been diversifying with ongoing relationships and deal flow in the digital and technology investment arena. He has long established relationships with a variety of national governments, sovereign wealth funds and both private and public investment companies, with direct access to a range of deal flow through his exclusive networks across Europe, particularly in UK, Spain and Italy, as well as the Gulf and key markets in Asia. Among his actual and current engagements, he is formally appointed by a European government and consulting and advising in an ad hoc basis to Sovereign Wealth funds in the Middle East and Asia.

Additionally, he is a member of various strategic international forums, including the FII (Future Investment Institute) in Riyadh and Hong Kong, and the IISS (International Institute for Strategic Studies). He is a patron of the 135-year-old British-Spanish Chamber of Commerce and an activist for many others.

He holds a degree in Law from the University Complutense of Madrid, and a Postgraduate from the London Business School. As well as English, he speaks and conducts business fluently in French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.

In November 2012, Serrano was named in the top 1000 most influential Londoners by the Evening Standard newspaper.^[12]

In May 2020, Serrano supported the London Taxi Drivers Association's efforts offering taxi services to local health centres and key workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.^[13]

• https://primeinvestors.com/our-team/ Information about Serrano on the Prime Investors Capital website