Estrativa
Gabriela C. Hernández
CPA, Esq.
Founder & Managing Principal
CPA (Puerto Rico)
Attorney & Notary Public (PR)
U.S. Federal Bar
Dual-licensed Certified Public Accountant and Attorney with over 12 years of experience leading legal, financial, and regulatory governance across highly regulated, multi-entity, and cross-border environments.
She combines deep operational expertise with strategic oversight — managing complex initiatives from structuring and diagnostics through execution, compliance monitoring, and audit readiness — often with millions in assets and institutional accountability at stake.
Her career spans Big Four advisory, international law firms, private banking, multinational manufacturing & distribution, and federally regulated financial institutions, making her a trusted leader for organizations navigating federal funds, grants, regulatory compliance, and institutional risk.
After years inside Big Four tax teams, international law firms, and complex multinational operations, I saw the same pattern everywhere: brilliant businesses struggling because their legal, financial, and operational foundations were built in silos. The attorney didn't talk to the CPA. The CPA didn't talk to the technology team. And the business owner was left coordinating between all of them.
I returned to Puerto Rico because I firmly believe that local leaders and organizations deserve the same rigorous frameworks that global companies take for granted — without the corporate bureaucracy, without layers of intermediaries, and without distance.
That is why I founded Estrativa: to be the one firm that brings legal, financial, tax, and technology together under one roof. Not just another provider — your partner in building a structure that holds.
Banco Santander International — Private Banking
Vice President — Director, FATCA / NRA & Withholding Operations
November 2023 – Present · Miami, FL
- Owns high-risk compliance and financial processes in a federally regulated environment serving ~30,000 clients
- Leads hands-on review of complex IRS forms (W-8, reverse hybrids, multi-tier structures), multimillion-dollar reconciliations, and payments to the IRS
- Manages year-end balances, identifies discrepancies, and implements corrective action plans
- Provides monthly governance reporting to Director of Operations and CEO
- Supervises a team of 9 professionals
Vital Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Bang Energy)
Global Tax Manager
January 2022 – November 2023 · Weston, FL
- Directed global tax, legal, and regulatory readiness for a billion-dollar multinational with ~46 entities across the U.S., APAC, Europe, and Latin America
- Owned intercompany transactions, entity structuring, compliance, and international expansion
- Coordinated global legal counsel, created foreign entities, and managed licensing, insurance, and annual reporting obligations
- Oversaw transfer pricing, cost allocations, and compliance during rapid growth and subsequent bankruptcy/acquisition by Monster
Hayman Woodward PLLC — International Law Firm
Global Controller & International Tax Advisor
November 2019 – November 2021 · Miami, FL
- Served as hands-on Global Controller for a group of 21+ domestic and international entities
- Led financial reporting, budgeting, reconciliations, and compliance across jurisdictions (U.S., Dubai, Spain, UK, Brazil)
- Advised high-net-worth foreign clients on U.S. tax residency restructuring and asset reorganization
- Managed COVID-era crisis: staff reductions, entity closures, and relocation to Washington D.C.
BDO LLP
Experienced Senior Associate — Tax Advisory
February 2019 – November 2019 · Miami, FL
- Supported corporate clients with tax compliance, intercompany analysis, and regulatory documentation
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC)
Senior Associate — Tax & Transfer Pricing
September 2014 – February 2019 · Miami, FL / San Juan, PR
- Delivered full-spectrum tax advisory services in Corporate Income Tax, International Tax, and Transfer Pricing for multinational clients, including Restaurant Brands (Burger King and portfolio companies)
- Conducted functional analyses, economic benchmarking, intercompany pricing studies, and documentation in compliance with OECD guidelines and IRC §482 regulations
- Prepared and reviewed transfer pricing reports, country-by-country reporting, and master/local files for global tax compliance
- Advised on cross-border tax structuring, income tax returns, and regulatory interpretations for U.S. and Puerto Rico operations
- Provided tax and regulatory consulting to government entities and corporate clients in Puerto Rico
- Supported high-stakes engagements requiring detailed regulatory review, documentation integrity, and alignment with federal and local tax authorities
Legal interpretation and operational translation of federal statutes, regulations, and program requirements
Full-cycle oversight of financial governance, internal controls, and documentation integrity for public funds
Risk identification, mitigation, and corrective action planning in regulated environments
Structuring and review of contracts, inter-entity arrangements, and regulatory obligations
Audit-ready financial and legal documentation standards
End-to-end execution leadership across legal, finance, compliance, operations, and technology
Cross-functional coordination with external advisors, agencies, and stakeholders
Preparation for federal audits, Inspector General reviews, and oversight processes
Certified Public Accountant (Puerto Rico)
Attorney & Notary Public (Puerto Rico)
Admitted to U.S. District Court of Puerto Rico (Federal Bar)
Miami, Florida · Puerto Rico
