Rappi Cofounder Juan Pablo Ortega Added To Viva Air Board of Directors

Colombian low-cost airline Viva Air this week announced that Rappi co-founder Juan Pablo Ortega Merino, co-founder of Rappi has been added to the company’s board of directors. Rappi is an app-based on-demand delivery startup founded in Colombia and currently valued at over $3 billion USD.

 Ortega, a Colombian currently residing in Mexico, received a bachelor’s degree in Applied Economics from Cornell University and is an FAA instrument rated commercial pilot. His experience in the aviation industry, has focused on operations and route planning for carriers such as United Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Spirit Airlines and Florida Jet Services. In his work at Rappi, Ortega has played an instrumental role in taking the company from being a small food delivery startup, to a multinational digital platform with operations in nine countries and a valuation of ~$3.5B.

 Viva claims that Ortega is a strong advocate for digital inclusion and has remained focused on evolving Rappi into the most prominent app-based service in Latin America. The airline says his experience in the digital and aviation industry, coupled with his knowledge in international expansion and financial services, should make a significant contribution to the Viva Air Board of Directors.