SCELLEC TECA LTD.

Meet the Team


  • CEO and Co-founder

    (Director Scellec Teca Esp Investments SL, Scellec Teca Colombia SAS and Scellec Caribe SAS)

    He holds a BA Economics (Group IX) and an MBA from University College Dublin. During his time in Corporate Finance, he was introduced to the idea of Teak as an investment by John Gilliland and Raymond Keogh from Coilte Consult (the Irish state forestry company consulting arm). He has developed and directed Scellec Teca from a standing start to a Company now employing over 324 employees. Michael’s background is in project finance, corporate finance, investment risk and agribusiness banking (ICC Bank) where he commenced his career as a graduate trainee. He has worked overseas in project finance in New Mexico, the middle east, and as a volunteer in Rwanda.

  • Teak Technical advisor

    Formerly of Coillte Consult, the international consulting arm of Coillte (Ireland’s national forestry agency), Ray is globally recognised teak expert and has devoted most of his working life to understanding how to optimise teak growth and implement quality teak plantation management. He has consulted on a large number of teak plantations across the world, and has a deep knowledge and love of Latin American teak plantations. He is the author of many related publications.

  • Director of Scellec Teca ESP Investments SL, Chairman Scellec Teca Ltd.

    Stewart holds a BAI in Engineering from Trinity College Dublin and an MSC in Informatics from Leeds University. For 15 years, Stewart worked for Accenture on large IT transformation projects as a technical architect and delivery lead across multiple sectors, banking, healthcare, energy. After a short career brake, he left the IT world and took on the role of CEO in Volnay, a small family-owned investment firm with a focus on sustainable investments.

  • Executive Assistant

    (Scellec Teca Investments SL; Scellec Teca Esp.)

    Laura is an International Affairs professional from Colombia, and holds a Master’s degree in Project Management and Direction from Spain. She has worked in both the private sector and the public sectors. She was a project manager involved in allocating investment resources dedicated to social impact and education. And her previous experience was focused on the implementation of the Peace Agreement in Colombia. Currently, she manages the CEO’s relations with the public sector as well as other managing, administrative and operational affairs. 

Our Caribe Management Team

Colombian subsidiary of SCELLEC TECA LTD.

  • Country Manager

    Agricultural Engineer from El Zamorano, MBA from the Universidad del Norte de Barranquilla. He has more than 20 years designing, implementing and managing agro-industrial and commercial businesses, as well as coordinating the production and marketing of agricultural, forestry and mass consumption products. He currently represents the company in Colombia to all stakeholders, being in charge of formulating the Scellec Caribe’s operational and strategic plans. He also manages the execution of the operations in all its lines: planting of crops, installation of a clonal garden and nursery, wood processing and marketing. For eight years he managed the largest teak plantation in Colombia. He has more than 20 years’ experience in the production and commercialisation of agricultural and forestry products, and in the design, assembly and start-up of agro-industrial businesses.

  • Sierradentro Nursery Manager

  • External Relations Manager

    Social communicator, Masters Degree in Cultural Studies from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. For ten years she has designed and implemented various research and intervention projects with vulnerable populations, both rural and urban, in different areas of Colombia, implementing participatory methodologies with a community approach. She is currently in charge of designing, planning and executing the relationship with the surrounding communities and stakeholders of Scellec's plantations, following the FSC guidelines under a community and collaborative management approach for their welfare and the integration of the company in the territories.

  • Forestry manager of Poza Redonda

  • Infrastructure and Road Maintenance Leader

    Civil engineer from the National University of Colombia, certified in basic revit, costs and budgets. He has experience in the execution of civil works projects, budgeting, costs, engineering plans and field supervision, working for the mining and public sector. He is currently in charge of the execution of construction, camp maintenance and road improvements in all of Scellec's Teak estates.

  • Forest Manager Las Mercedes

  • Forestry Coordinator

  • Supervisor

    Emiro comes from the local communities. His knowledge on the land, trees, nature and environment are empirical and technical adapted to the highest standards. Emiro worked this land before even Scellec Teca arrived and he has been an exceptional member of the team considering his very valuable experience.

  • Accountant Department Analysis Assistant

  • Accountant Department Analysis Assistant

  • Senior Accountant

  • HR Leader

    Industrial Engineer, Specialist in Human Talent Management from the University Corporation of Asturias. He has more than 10 years of experience leading human resources processes, recruitment processes, audits and administrative coordination. He is currently in charge of advising the strategic planning of the company, ensuring the welfare of the human capital of the company for the successful achievement of goals, integrating diversity and managing conflict positively.

  • HR Assistant

  • Monitoring Leader

    Environmental and Sanitary Engineer. He has experience in the management of geographic information systems, mastery of the following software: QGIS, AutoCAD and database. He also has experience in the formulation of projects under the guidelines of the adjusted general methodology AMS and logical framework. He is currently in charge of the geographic information area for the monitoring of plantations and the resources used for the establishment and maintenance process.

  • Assistant for geographical and information systems

  • Administrative Supervisor

  • Logistic Officer

  • Corporate Finance Consultant

    Fundraising and strategy consultant for Scellec Teca Ltd.



  • CFO

    Paul qualified as an ACA with Arthur Anderson in Dublin and worked in London with Salomon Smith Barney as an investment banker. He and Michael met while working together in the corporate finance department of an Irish stockbroking company. Paul is an experienced CFO at Plc level and works as a financial consultant and corporate adviser to several Irish companies.

Internal Newsletters

  • Caribe te cuenta

    This first edition explains further what our newsletter’s dynamic will be. More activities and useful info are to come!

    First edition

  • Caribe te cuenta

    For this Christmas edition, we present the main gear for protection and the use of the proper safety protocols in forestry practices.

    Second edition

  • Caribe te cuenta

    Care and health are very important priorities for us. Taking care of our staff and informing about our programmes is key.

    Third edition

Genetics and Nursery


  • Teak Genetics Academic

    Olman is founder and director of the international Tree Improvement Co-operative, GENFORES. He is a consultant in breeding, plantation management and forest appraisal for FAO, FONAFIFO and private companies in Latin America. He is a frequent speaker at industry sector events and is the author of over 80 scientific articles and 8 books. He is also Professor at the Instituto Tecnologico de Costa Rica. Olman holds a B.Sc. in Forest Engineering, an M.Sc. in Tree Improvement and a Ph.D. in Forest Genetics.

In Appreciation


  • Former Chairman and Co-founder

    The late great Eddie O’Connor passed away 6th January 2024. It was Eddie who told Michael Hayden, “you should do that again”, referring to the creation of a Teak fund for Institutional Investors in 2012 which was to invest in Panama and Brazil, that did not go ahead. After some additional conversations, Eddie joined Michael in setting up Scellec Teca Limited, and the rest, as they say, is history. Eddie was renowned for his ability to identify early opportunities in the natural resources space. He created IEP£2bn of value in Bord na Mona as CEO and was founder and CEO of Airtricity up until its €1.8bn sale in 2008. He was also a founding shareholder in Mainstream Renewable Power, which created a successful exit for investors with the 75% sale to Aker, valuing Mainstream at €1bn. Eddie will be terribly missed for simply being Eddie. For those who were lucky enough to know Eddie well, he was not just driven, with clear opinions - he was fun loving, a really interesting conversationalist, a really good person, and of course a great ideas man.