CEO & Founder
Houston | MSc Physics, MBA
Diego is an accomplished energy business leader with over 25 years of global experience in oil & gas upstream operations, business development, and general management. Prior to founding Orion, he held senior leadership roles at Repsol, Maxus, YPF, and Astra. As President of Repsol Bolivia, he led the company to achieve record production levels, annexed high-value exploration acreage, and negotiated E&P contract extensions. As Managing Director of Akakus Oil Operations in Libya, he oversaw one of the largest global operations, achieving record production levels of over 350,000 bopd. He also led the technical evaluation for Repsol’s $2B acquisition of the Shenzi deepwater asset in the U.S.
At Orion, he is building a bold and adaptive energy firm that combines strategic vision, technological depth, and a powerful global network of outstanding professionals. The firm supported a client’s high-stakes entry into Venezuela, providing talent placement and consulting services, from supporting the initial data room phase, through producing development plans, to final contract negotiation. Orion is currently helping clients in the Americas deploy advanced digital tools to boost operational performance and navigate complex M&A processes to unlock value.
As the energy sector evolves, Diego remains committed to breaking traditional silos and leading the transition toward a sustainable, resilient, and multi-source energy future.
In addition to leading Orion, he currently serves as Managing Partner at Plata Energy, a leading oil and gas consultancy focused on the Americas.
He holds a BSc and MSc in Physics from Instituto Balseiro and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
