Miami-based real estate, finance and luxury-brand veteran to lead the real estate brokerage network’s  expansion into Latin American and Caribbean regions

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices announced today the appointment of Claudio Prattico as managing director, Latin America and Caribbean, overseeing the real estate brokerage network’s expansion and affiliate support efforts in the two regions.

Prattico has more than 15 years’ experience in the financial services and real estate industries, all in the Latin American-centric city of Miami where he resides. He was managing director at Great Properties International where he served as a real estate advisor to high-net-worth clients, and was responsible for all parts of the investment process including transaction structuring, negotiation and execution. Before that, Prattico was a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch and subsequently at UBS, where he was responsible for the wealth management of high-net-worth individuals and institutions in Latin America.

He holds an MBA degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Miami. He is fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, English and Italian.

“We are delighted that Claudio Prattico will direct Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ expansion in Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Peter Turtzo, the network’s SVP of International Operations. “He is a dynamic leader with a deep understanding of culture and protocol in his target markets,” Turtzo said. “His experience in the regions will be a tremendous asset as we expand our brokerage network.”

Prattico’s target markets include major metropolitan cities of Latin America and the most exclusive destinations in the Caribbean with healthy, mature residential brokerage markets including Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Bogota and Lima, plus St. Barts, Barbados, Bahamas, the Cayman Islands and others.

“I’m proud to join Berkshire Hathaway HomeServicesat such a key juncture in its global expansion,” Prattico said. “The Berkshire Hathaway name is warmly embraced in Latin America and the Caribbean and that creates advantages for our Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network. I’m eager to show prospective franchisees how the brand will help them grow and prosper.”

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices announced international expansion plans in 2016 with the simultaneous launch of a powerful property search platform on its website,

www.berkshirehathawayhs.com. Global shoppers of U.S. real estate may translate the site in 12languages, and their property searches yield most residentiallistings in any city serviced by a Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices franchisee. The network also initiated listing syndication programs that broadcast its U.S. franchisees’ listings to real estate websites worldwide.

Prattico’s appointment represents another key step in the network’s global expansion strategy. He joins counterpart Mitch Lewis, who is overseeing franchise development and operations throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Gino Blefari, president and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, welcomed Prattico to his position. “Claudio is a skilled advisor who will guide franchisees to greater growth as part of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brand,” he said. “As important, he understands and appreciates the oversight needed to protect the integrity of our brand as we affiliate with top brokerages in Latin America and the Caribbean. We’re proud Claudio will be helping us grow in both regions.”

About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and HSF Affiliates LLC

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, based in Irvine, CA, is a real estate brokerage network built for a new era in residential real estate. The network, among the few organizations entrusted to use the world-renowned Berkshire Hathaway name, brings to the real estate market a definitive mark of trust, integrity, stability and longevity. Visit www.berkshirehathawayhs.com.