Complexity demands more than technology.It demands executive direction.
Executive advisory in product, technology, data and AI — next to founders and C-levels on the decisions that matter most.
- In real operations
- 20 years
- Enterprise companies
- +10
- Professionals led
- +78
- Digital operations
- $3B+
Experience built at
The problem is rarely a lack of technology.
Companies rarely fail from a lack of tools. They fail from a lack of direction. Wrong priorities. Investments without return. AI without a thesis. Vendors without criteria. Teams shipping without a clear read of the business. Northbound steps in to bring executive context before the next decisions in product, technology, data, AI and operations.
Less noise.
More context.
Fewer initiatives.
Sharper priorities.
Less tech for tech's sake.
More outcomes.
Business, product, technology, data and AI must operate as one system.
Most companies don't suffer from a lack of technology — they suffer because business, product, technology, data, AI and operations decisions happen disconnected. Northbound works across the six pillars that hold a digital operation together, turning complexity into executive direction.
Strategy & Digital Business
Thesis, priorities and executive read of the operation's moment.
Digital Product
Discovery, roadmap and scope decisions tied to the business.
Technology & Architecture
Platform, scale, cost and tech debt under executive control.
Data & Intelligence
Collection, modeling and reading of data as the base for decisions.
Applied AI
Viable use cases wired into operations with measurable ROI.
Operations, Teams & Vendors
Governance, hiring and orchestration of critical partners.
Where a good decision changes the trajectory.
Northbound steps in when the next decision defines the next chapter: growth accelerating, technology becoming a bottleneck, AI needing to leave the slide, product losing focus, or an executive call too big to make alone.
After Northbound, the company stops operating in the dark.
You start deciding with context on priorities, roadmap, risks, investments, teams and vendors. Technology, product, data and AI stop being scattered initiatives and start working as real levers of the business.
Clear priorities
What to do now, what comes later, and what needs to be avoided.
Executable roadmap
A tech, product and AI plan that speaks to the business plan.
Risks mapped
Where the operation stalls, wastes time, leaks money or exposes the business.
Investments with criteria
Where to place capital, time and focus — and where to stop.
Teams and partners aligned
Less noise between business, tech, vendors and execution.
Decisions in context
Less guessing. More technical, financial and operational judgment.
Experience built in real operations.
Over 20 years, Rafael Torres led strategy, business, product, technology, data and AI at operations such as Buscapé, Polishop, C&A, Lojas Renner, Salesforce, Grupo Boticário, iFood, Reserva, Grupo Soma and Hering.
He worked inside the game — with aggressive targets, millions of customers, dozens of teams and impact measured in revenue, margin and growth. Today he brings that repertoire to founders and executives as an advisor.
Along the way:
- Led structures with more than 78 professionals split across 10 squads.
- Took Reserva's app from 8% to 52% of digital sales — making it the brand's main online channel.
- At Lojas Renner, helped build the mobile operation that surpassed e-commerce and reached 65% of digital revenue.
- Built Customer Data Platforms, leveraged enterprise CRMs, shipped retail apps and created AI-powered tools and automations to reduce costs.
- Reduced +35% of operational CAPEX and OPEX cost, renegotiating contracts and rationalizing systems through AI agents.
- Deployed AI-powered recommendation engines that generated more than 6.5 million orders at iFood.
Today he advises founders, C-levels and executives who need to decide on business, product, technology, data and AI with confidence — without carrying the cost of a full-time executive.
- 20 years in the field
- 10+ enterprise companies
- Billion-real digital operations
- Led 78+ professionals
- Product · Technology · Data · AI
- Retail, platforms and marketplaces
What professionals who've worked with Rafael say.
"Rafa served as a true mentor to me in my product career. He managed to unite areas that previously worked in silos, strengthening the integration between product, UX and engineering."
"Rafa combines technical depth, product vision and customer experience focus."
"The insights Rafa brought completely changed the way we measure success. A professional who combines leadership, strategic vision and execution."
"He always demonstrated motivation, execution capability and commitment to quality. One of the people who most helped raise the level of the team's deliveries."
"He always sought the best solution for the business without losing focus on user experience. Fast, responsible and with a strong sense of leadership."
"Demonstrated commitment to results, collaboration and excellence in deliveries. He was a great partner."
"An exceptional leader! From the very first moment he helped a lot in the evolution of Digital Products and Business Strategy. He is an inspiration to me!"
"A high-impact executive with a rare ability to align stakeholders, connect dots between silos and translate complexity into action."
"Rafa combines strategic vision, technical depth and people-centered leadership. Has a rare ability to connect dots between silos and translate complexity into action."
"Loved it!! I really needed to evolve in some technology things and Rafa came at the right time. Rafa was incredible!!"
"Rafa served as a true mentor to me in my product career. He managed to unite areas that previously worked in silos, strengthening the integration between product, UX and engineering."
"Rafa combines technical depth, product vision and customer experience focus."
"The insights Rafa brought completely changed the way we measure success. A professional who combines leadership, strategic vision and execution."
"He always demonstrated motivation, execution capability and commitment to quality. One of the people who most helped raise the level of the team's deliveries."
"He always sought the best solution for the business without losing focus on user experience. Fast, responsible and with a strong sense of leadership."
"Demonstrated commitment to results, collaboration and excellence in deliveries. He was a great partner."
"An exceptional leader! From the very first moment he helped a lot in the evolution of Digital Products and Business Strategy. He is an inspiration to me!"
"A high-impact executive with a rare ability to align stakeholders, connect dots between silos and translate complexity into action."
"Rafa combines strategic vision, technical depth and people-centered leadership. Has a rare ability to connect dots between silos and translate complexity into action."
"Loved it!! I really needed to evolve in some technology things and Rafa came at the right time. Rafa was incredible!!"
The themes where a decision carries weight.
Not a service catalog. The six axes where Northbound brings executive context before the cost of the wrong decision becomes too expensive to reverse.
Strategy
Reading of the moment, thesis and priorities of the digital business.
Product
What ships now, what waits and what leaves the roadmap.
Technology
Architecture, platform, cost and tech debt under control.
AI
Viable use cases wired into the business, with real ROI.
Data
Collection, modeling and reading of data as the basis for decisions.
Operations
Teams, vendors and governance that sustain growth.
Every transformation starts with a well-framed decision.
Before any plan, it makes sense to talk about the moment your operation is in. Pick the format that fits your context.
Strategic Conversation
A direct conversation to understand where your operation is today and where Northbound can (or can't) help.
Ideal for:
- Mapping the moment of the business
- Identifying the main bottlenecks
- Discussing tech, product and AI priorities
- Deciding whether it makes sense to work together
Executive Session
A 90-minute executive session to work a concrete topic next to you — with context, repertoire and clear next steps.
Ideal for:
- Executive diagnosis on tech, product or AI
- Architecture and platform review
- Applied AI strategy
- Priorities and roadmap for the next 6–12 months
- Hiring, vendor or investment decision
You walk away with:
- · Executive read of the topic
- · Practical, prioritized recommendations
- · Clear next steps for the next 30 days
- · Direction on the most suitable engagement model
Secure payment via Stripe. After confirmation, you'll be redirected to Cal.com to choose a time.
Strategy built close to those who execute.
Presence in operations, workshops, mentorship and tech and AI communities — because good decisions are born closer to the team than to the slide deck.
Vibe Garage · Next Build Session
In-person vibe coding session with builders.
Vibe Garage · First Model
First session of the local vibe coding community.
Lovable Build Day · Campinas
Builders hackathon in upstate São Paulo.
MoEngage × Shopify São Paulo
Panel on AI applied to business.
MoEngage × Shopify São Paulo
Hands-on discussion on building with AI in operations.
Lovable Founder Series
Lovable meetup for founders in Brazil.
Lovable Bootcamp
Hands-on Lovable bootcamp — building live.
Webinar AI Building
Dedicated session on building practical AI.
Direct conversations, executive presence.
Based in Indaiatuba (SP, Brazil), working with founders and operations remotely across Latin America — and in person when the context calls for it.