Translating Between Worlds in Political Risk Consulting with student Joaquin Martinez Alban

On a typical morning at Profitas, Joaquin Martinez Alban F’26 opened a dozen tabs across his screen – Ecuador’s major dailies, government gazettes, wire services, and ministerial websites. “You always have to be very attentive to what is happening politically,” he said. “What ministers are doing, what agencies are doing, what Congress is doing, what legislative commissions are doing.”

His duty as a summer intern at Profitas wasn’t easy: deciding which developments mattered, to whom, and distilling them into concise reports for clients.

A Niche in Political Risk

Profitas is a political risk consultancy in Quito, Ecuador, serving multinational companies. It advises both newcomers seeking a “soft landing” in Ecuador and incumbents adapting to shifting conditions.

“They operate in a niche market,” Joaquin explained, “but always with a multidisciplinary perspective.” Profitas doesn’t focus on one industry but on the risk factors that cut across them.

He had long admired the firm. “When I was reading newspaper articles, Profitas was often cited.” Rather than waiting for an opening, he sent a cold email and landed the role.

What Clients Want

Clients wanted clarity on three fronts. “The main risks are usually about tax—are we going to pay more? Then operations—are we going to be able to continue functioning normally? And finally, which agency or political actor will decide these things? Because in Ecuador, it’s not always clear where the real authority lies.”

Joaquin tailored reports to each client’s needs—some wanted daily updates, others weekly or monthly analysis. The highlight came when his recommendations helped a company decide to keep investing in Ecuador. “Bringing in foreign investment isn’t just about pitching the country to big banks in New York City,” he noted, “but providing objective risk analysis.”

Bridging Numbers and Words

The internship was a natural extension of his background. Joaquin graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor’s degree in economics and international Relations and later worked as a strategy analyst at Avanti Ecuador, a supplier of marble, granite, quartz, and premium surface coverings.

But he wanted to expand his horizons. “The more I learned about the world, the more I realized that it’s not black and white, but shades of gray,” he said. That curiosity led him to Fletcher, where he studies the intersection of international affairs and business.

The role gave him a chance to apply both academic training and professional experience. “You’re monitoring, analyzing, and writing up findings— just like for a class project,” he said. “The difference is that in consulting, you’re doing it for a client. A good consultant has to put the client first.”

It also tested his ability to bridge worlds.  “When you sit with a CFO, he’ll talk in terms of cash flow and capital requirements. But you also need to frame things in terms of risks—how likely is it that a new tax will go into effect? You have to be the translator between those worlds.”

Fletcher’s interdisciplinary education helped prepare him. “Some people can understand the words, others the numbers. But making those two distinct languages talk to each other—that’s valuable.”

He also recognized areas for growth: sharpening interpersonal skills, navigating sensitive conversations, and managing interactions with challenging counterparts.

Giving Back at Home

Doing the work in Ecuador made it more meaningful. “It’s always good to be home, applying what you learned elsewhere and bringing it back,” he said, “putting your grain of sand toward contributing to a broader goal.”

For him, that goal is helping his country move forward. “For the youth of the developing world, that’s the mission. That’s what we’re called to do.”