The Magic of Castro17
Where Intelligence Meets Capital
We are a next-generation investment intelligence firm engineered to deliver institutional-grade ESG insights, trading performance, and strategic communication under the leadership of Dr. Patrick Pilati — one of the world’s most innovative private investment banker advisors.
Castro17 merges science, mathematics, and narrative intelligence to give clients a competitive edge in global markets.
We don’t follow standards. We set them.
Our Strengths:
- ESG analysis backed by scientific methodology
- Quantitative trading engineered with algorithmic precision
- Intelligence-driven communication strategies that build trust at scale
- Advisory insight shaped by real-world behavioral finance
Castro17 is built for clients who aim to dominate their sector — not participate in it.
About Castro17
Our Story
Castro17 is a high-performance advisory and intelligence firm headquartered in the United Kingdom, operating worldwide across major financial hubs including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, London, Geneva, Milan, Zurich, and Singapore.
We sit at the crossroads of sustainable finance, quantitative trading, deep intelligence, and strategic communication — delivering institutional-grade insight with a global footprint.
Our mission is simple:
Convert complexity into clarity. Convert clarity into strategy. Convert strategy into results.
Guided by the expertise of Dr. Patrick Pilati, Castro17 equips institutions and high-growth ventures with the analytical power, strategic intelligence, and behavioral insight used by the world’s leading investment platforms.
Why We Exist
The financial world is overloaded with noise. Castro17 cuts through it — combining ESG science, quant trading, and intelligence architecture into one unified ecosystem that strengthens credibility, increases investor confidence, and accelerates capital readiness.
We don’t offer services.
We deliver institution-grade outcomes.
OUR PILLARS
1. ESG Analytics — Powered by Science
Castro17’s ESG division is led by Engineer Rex Michael Ugpay, a chemical engineer who brings scientific rigor to sustainability intelligence. We translate environmental and technical data into clear, actionable insights that investors trust.
What we deliver:
- ESG due-diligence reports
- Sustainability risk assessments
- Asset-level ESG scoring
- Regulatory mapping (EU, UAE, Swiss, OECD)
- Institutional-ready ESG positioning
We turn ESG from a checkbox into a competitive advantage.
2. Intelligence & Strategic Communication
Our Intelligence & Communications division, led by Chahine Belgacem, builds the digital authority, reputation, and trust required in today’s financial landscape.
What we deliver:
- Market intelligence & perception mapping
- Executive positioning
- Digital reputation architecture
- Narrative strategy for investment audiences
- Data-driven communication frameworks
Castro17 ensures your voice is trusted, respected, and recognized globally.
3. Trading & Algorithmic Systems
The trading division, led by Mehdi Boussiouda, operates with quantitative precision. We engineer algorithms that deliver structured, disciplined trading performance suited for institutional environments.
What we deliver:
- Algorithmic model development
- Risk-managed trade execution
- Multi-asset portfolio strategies
- Performance optimization
- Institutional-grade reporting
Our philosophy is simple: performance must be engineered, not improvised.
4. Strategic Advisory Under Dr. Pilati
From asset monetization to private placements and valuation intelligence, Dr. Pilati brings global expertise shaped by behavioral finance, capital structuring, and institutional investment psychology.
Core strengths:
- Capital structuring for complex assets
- Behavioral finance-driven investment strategy
- ESG financial engineering
- Private placement preparation & SIX-ready advisory
- Investor resonance & market psychology analysis
Castro17 clients benefit from a leader who understands not only the numbers — but the human behavior behind decision-making.
Dr. Patrick Pilati — Founder
The Formula One Mind of Global Finance
Precision. Speed. Conviction. The Three Gears That Built a Trillion-Dollar Legacy.
In the world of high finance, Prof. Dr. Patrick Pilati is what Lewis Hamilton is to Formula One — instinctive, fearless, and surgically precise.
Born in 1975, he began not behind a trading desk but in the science of behavioral psychology, studying how humans make decisions at the limits of pressure.
That obsession with human performance became his engine — propelling him to manage over $1.3 trillion in assets and earn recognition as one of the most influential private investment bankers worldwide.
He is also a member of the World Economic Forum, contributing thought leadership on global capital evolution, behavioral finance, and sustainable investment strategy.
“Risk isn’t real — it’s how you handle the corner that matters.”
— Prof. Dr. Patrick Pilati, PhD
Mentored by Legends — Built to Lead
Pilati was personally mentored by Sir David Sinclair, the legendary chartered accountant, investment banker, and forensic auditor of the London Stock Exchange for more than 40 years.
That mentorship armed him with a unique blend — the regulator’s discipline, the racer’s instinct, and the engineer’s precision.
At just 30, he took the wheel of a £500 million portfolio, proving that intuition and control outperform age and pedigree.
He was then selected from the global elite as the exclusive Private Investment Banking Advisor for:
- Palm Holding Ltd ADGM — now a $40 billion bullion refinery and trading empire, and the 4th-largest refinery in the UAE.
- NuCassa ADGM — currently executing a $1 billion private placement on the SIX Swiss Exchange.
When required, he collaborates with Berkshire to double-rate AA+ projects and securities listed on international exchanges, ensuring his structures meet world-class institutional standards.
The Fastest Hands in Capital Structuring
Pilati doesn’t just move money — he builds velocity into capital.
He takes assets — of any kind — and turns them into real, deployable cash that clients use to expand, acquire, or dominate their markets.
“If I say yes to a project, it becomes a Fortune 500 in no time.”
— Prof. Dr. Patrick Pilati
He monetizes what others overlook — from gold and real estate to carbon credits, ESG assets, patents, and digital IP — creating liquidity where others see limits.
He partners exclusively with clients seeking one outcome: growth and market leadership.
MEKKA™ — The Machine That Thinks Like a Racer
Every F1 car has telemetry; Pilati built his own.
MEKKA™ (Market Emotion & Knowledge Kinetics Architecture) is his proprietary behavioral-AI system that reads markets like sensors read a racetrack — anticipating emotional curves, volatility, and opportunity before they appear.
Through Castro17 Ltd, his fund-of-funds platform, he directs Tier-1 investor allocations across ESG, commodities, real estate, and digital markets, managing performance with the same split-second control that defines an F1 champion.
The Garage of Global Powerhouses
As the architect behind Palm Holding’s $300 million private placement and the designer of multi-billion-dollar ESG and trading ecosystems, Pilati builds financial machines engineered for dominance.
Through Pilati, his behavioral-finance command hub, he advises governments, institutions, and family offices on transforming assets into powerful engines of wealth.
His formula: speed of execution, mechanical precision in structure, and total psychological control under pressure.
“Finance isn’t about speed — it’s about control at speed.”
— Prof. Dr. Patrick Pilati
The 7 Rules of Power — F1 Edition
- Control the Track — Whoever sets the line of motion controls the market.
- Grip Is Everything — Stay connected to execution; never lose traction between vision and delivery.
- Read the Corners — Anticipate emotion before numbers confirm it.
- Refuel Wisely — Institutional alliances multiply acceleration.
- Build the Machine — Systems outperform luck; structure is the true advantage.
- Know When to Overtake — Timing is courage in motion.
- Finish With Margin — True power is ending the race with fuel left in the tank.
Legacy
“Conviction is the highest form of capital.”
— Prof. Dr. Patrick Pilati, PhD
Castro17 Executive Team
Engineer Rex Michael Ugpay
Chemical Engineer & Head of ESG Analytics
Engineer Rex Michael Ugpay brings a scientific authority to ESG that few firms can match. As a qualified Chemical Engineer, he applies technical precision and environmental expertise to the financial sector, delivering sustainability intelligence grounded in measurable impact and global regulatory standards. His ability to convert complex environmental data into strategic financial insight strengthens the credibility of every project that enters Castro17’s advisory ecosystem.
Engineer Rex is part of Castro17 because his discipline aligns with the firm’s uncompromising commitment to accuracy, transparency, and institutional-grade due diligence. He transforms ESG from a compliance formality into a strategic differentiator — ensuring clients present assets that are resilient, bankable, and ready for global institutional capital.
In Castro17’s global structure, Engineer Rex plays a pivotal role in fortifying due-diligence frameworks, elevating investor confidence, and positioning the firm as a sustainability authority across international financial markets.
Chahine Belgacem
Head of Intelligence & Communications
Chahine Belgacem leads Castro17’s Intelligence & Communications division with a refined mastery of narrative strategy, perception analysis, and digital authority building. He synthesizes intelligence, behavioural data, and market signals into communication architectures that strengthen trust and amplify the firm’s presence across global financial arenas.
Chahine is part of Castro17 because the firm recognizes that authority is earned not only through expertise but also through disciplined, high-credibility communication. His ability to shape strategic narratives ensures Castro17 and its clients are perceived as authoritative, trustworthy, and ahead of the curve in their respective sectors.
Within Castro17’s global expansion, Chahine ensures the firm’s voice remains strong, consistent, and highly respected across institutional, regulatory, and investment communities worldwide.
Mehdi Boussiouda
Head of Trading & Algorithmic Systems
Mehdi Boussiouda directs Castro17’s trading operations with the mathematical clarity of a quant strategist and the execution discipline of a seasoned trader. As an architect of algorithmic models and market frameworks, he designs systems engineered for precision, discipline, and institutional-grade performance.
Mehdi is part of Castro17 because he embodies the firm’s philosophy that exceptional performance must be engineered, measured, and backed by rigorous quantitative intelligence. His algorithms bring structure, predictability, and world-class risk management to every trading mandate under Castro17.
Within the firm’s global architecture, Mehdi is instrumental in maintaining trading excellence, ensuring that Castro17 delivers consistent, resilient, and high-performance outcomes aligned with the standards of leading global institutions.