Management Team
The Independent Investor manages a young team of storytellers, passionate about exploring the grassroots stories of entrepreneurs, enablers, and evangelists of early-stage ecosystems.
Ron Castro
Managing Editor
Ron Castro, a veteran in the corporate world for more than three decades, serves as Managing Editor and Business Consultant for The Independent Investor. Leveraging his vast operational experience, he has spent the last several years working with start-ups in bringing their business ideas from concept to execution – quite the hands-on consultant. Ron also brings his expertise in corporate PR and digital marketing from top global and local organizations to TII’s newsroom.
Keenan Ugarte
Managing Director & Co-Founder
Keenan Ugarte is an investor and entrepreneur. He is Managing Partner of DayOne Capital Ventures, an independent Philippine-based private holding company that partners with entrepreneurs across a wide range of industries, with a preference for early-stage ventures focused on the mass market. He is also Co-Founder of Cocopan, an investor-backed neighborhood-bakery concept serving the Philippine market. As an investor and entrepreneur, Keenan values the importance of large and scalable markets, strong unit economics, and effective leadership. He is a firm believer in value-investing principles.
He graduated with a degree in Finance from University of San Francisco and has passed the CFA level 2 exam.
Nachi Ugarte
Creative Director​
Nachi has worked as a creative director at some of the top advertising agencies in San Francisco and Barcelona. With over two decades working in creative media, he has produced award-winning work for global brands such as Sony, Volkswagen, Reebok, Bacardi, Coca Cola, and others.
Nachi has been the founder and creative director of GRID Magazine since returning to the Philippines in 2014. He is also creative director of The Independent Investor.
Pancho Dizon​
Senior Writer​
Pancho Dizon is a published author serving as Senior Writer for The Independent Investor. Throughout his career, he has written on several topics including blockchain, finance, and the startup ecosystem. To date, Pancho has co-authored “The 50: HR Leaders Reimaging the Filipino Organization” and “The Evangelists: Insights from Leaders of the Nation’s Most Beloved Brands”, two books that focus on showcasing Filipino talent in HR and marketing & communications respectively.