Bringing the Best of South America to Discerning Customers
At Peninsula Trading, we specialize in sourcing and delivering premium food products from South America to the Gulf region. We are dedicated to providing supermarkets, luxury hotels, and fine restaurants with an ever-growing range of value-added products. Our mission is simple yet ambitious: to bring the best food producers from South America to discerning customers around the globe. By collaborating with trusted partners and continuously exploring new offerings, we ensure our clients benefit from a superior selection, uncompromising quality, and exceptional service.
Daniel Melhem
Chairman
Daniel Melhem brings over 27 years of global market expertise to Peninsula Trading. Daniel is also the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Knightsbridge Partners, an investment management firm with offices in London, Buenos Aires, and Riyadh. His distinguished financial career includes leadership roles at Lehman Brothers and Morgan Stanley, where he advised prominent families and institutional investors across the globe. A recognized thought leader featured in The Economist and The Financial Times. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics and International Business from Babson College.
Born in Córdoba, Argentina, Lucio directs Peninsula Trading’s operations and institutional relations. His background in public affairs, including his tenure as Political Secretary for a National Senator, provides the company with practical expertise in stakeholder engagement and regulatory frameworks. Through his active memberships in the Argentine-American Dialogue Foundation and the Sociedad Rural Argentina, Lucio deals with the country's primary agricultural producers, ensuring a reliable and transparent supply chain for our global partners.
Lucio Martinez Villada
Managing Director
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Santos specializes in public relations and commercial development, with a strong ability to build strategic, long-term business relationships. He combines sharp negotiation skills with a results-driven mindset, connecting people and opportunities with precision and discretion. Coming from a family with over 150 years of involvement in shipping and production, he brings a deep understanding of international trade, large-scale operations, and long-term value creation.
Santos Menéndez
Commercial Director
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Alfonso specializes in strategic project management and global business development. With a dual background in business administration and design, he brings a highly structured yet innovative approach to opening new markets for Peninsula Trading. He successfully led cross-functional teams of up to 40 people and managed complex, end-to-end logistical operations.
Alfonso Melhem
Director of Business Development
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Joaquin specializes in business administration, corporate restructuring, and value investing within capital markets. He combines deep financial acumen with sharp operational oversight, ensuring resilient global logistics, optimized capital allocation, and sustainable, long-term growth.