Ricardo Zuloaga

Senior Legal & Commercial Counsel | International Trade & Strategic Partnerships​

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Ricardo Zuloaga is a seasoned cross-border counsel and commercial strategist with extensive experience in international trade, multi-jurisdictional negotiations, and complex supply-chain structuring. A licensed New York attorney with a strong background in corporate law and global markets, Ricardo has built a track record executing multimillion-dollar transactions across metals, oil, agricultural, and poultry commodities. His work blends legal rigor with commercial execution, enabling efficient operations, stronger counterpart relationships, and long-term strategic value for his partners.

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Experience in International Trade & Cross-Border Negotiations

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As Senior Legal & Commercial Counsel at Zumar Trading Corp., Ricardo has been instrumental in structuring and negotiating international supply frameworks, coordinating logistics across Latin America, Europe, and Asia, and ensuring contractual enforceability under diverse regulatory regimes. His work includes onboarding major U.S. and European partners, designing China-bound export structures, and leading complex enforcement actions. Ricardo’s emphasis on legal clarity, operational integrity, and risk-aware deal architecture ensures every transaction meets institutional standards.

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Legal & Business Expertise

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Ricardo began his career with a strong foundation in corporate and financial regulation, assuming roles that combined legal analysis, commercial strategy, and operational execution:

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• Legal & Compliance Consultant at Stone Ridge Asset Management (New York)

  Ricardo advised on structured products, fund operations, and high-risk regulatory matters. His work included drafting and negotiating trading, custody, and service agreements, streamlining onboarding cycles, and reinforcing governance practices across investment and operational teams.

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• Legal & Commercial Consultant at Payfully (New York)

  At this fintech startup, Ricardo restructured the company’s receivables recovery program, resolving more than half a million dollars in delinquent balances. He negotiated investor agreements, strengthened core service contracts, and helped stabilize revenue operations—contributing to the company’s acceptance into the Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator (ERA) and a successful multimillion-dollar capital raise.

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• Director of Strategic Partnerships / Senior Legal & Commercial Counsel at Zumar Trading (United States, LATAM)

  Ricardo has executed high-value commodity transactions across several product categories, aligned trade flows with OFAC and ICC frameworks, and built corporate and banking structures across the U.S. and Panama. His work also includes leading a naval mortgage enforcement in Panama on behalf of a major Central American power producer, securing vessel control and favorable commercial outcomes.

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Educational Background

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• MBA (Accepted), Duke University – The Fuqua School of Business (2025); Awarded a $100,000 scholarship; GMAT 730

• LL.M., Duke University School of Law (2014)

• J.D., Universidad Monteávila, Caracas (2011)

• Software Engineer Trainee, Coding Temple (2025)

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Licenses & Memberships

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• Admitted to practice law in New York and Venezuela (NY Bar #5508239).

• Active participant in the international business community.

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