Leaders at the Bell with Roy Ellis, CEO, LatAm Energy Partners, April 29, 2026

Roy Ellis, CEO of LatAm Energy Partners, joins Leaders at the Bell from the NYSE floor to discuss what he describes as one of the most significant investment opportunities in Venezuela's contemporary history. Ellis, whose career spans major institutions including Salomon Smith Barney and Deutsche Bank and who previously served as Director of Public Credit in the Venezuelan government over 35 years ago, explains that his firm is executing on opportunities created by Venezuela's new hydrocarbons law. This legislation provides legal security for private investors to participate in rehabilitating the country's oil production and export capacity, representing an even larger opportunity than the petroleum opening of 1996. With backing from institutional investor LionHeart Capital and U.S. drilling specialist XDriel, LatAm Energy Partners is pursuing mature field acquisitions with the goal of increasing production using modern technology and innovative financing methods.

Ellis emphasizes the strategic advantage of Venezuela's 300 billion barrels of oil being just five days transit from Gulf Coast refineries, compared to 45 days from alternative sources. He reports completing the 90-day process of aligning investors and operators in Caracas, with announcements forthcoming on property acquisitions. Addressing investor concerns about timing and risk, Ellis positions his firm as the spearhead for those seeking direct exposure to Venezuelan upstream oil before the opportunity becomes widely accessible following democratic elections. He notes significant institutional interest from investors seeking vehicles to access this sector, and attended a Venezuelan petroleum chamber conference two days prior that drew over 1,000 participants including international funds, law firms, and consultants. Ellis envisions LatAm Energy Partners eventually listing on exchanges to provide broader market access and sees parallel opportunities emerging across infrastructure, telecommunications, and other sectors as Venezuela's economic reactivation unfolds.