We Build for the Future

Phoenix
Development Company

Phoenix Development Holding Company, LLC (PDC) was formed by
a group of entrepreneurs out of Texas, Suriname, the Netherlands,
Curacao, New York, Miami and London.

Core Values

Authenticity – Adhering to strong moral and ethical principles in all we do.

Responsibility – Developing responsibly, preserving, and enhancing human and material resources.

Consciousness – We are a part of nature, and nature is a part of us.

Fairness – Communicating and working with others for the benefit of all.

Respect – Recognizing and valuing the dignity and uniqueness of every person.

Relationships

Our team members have relationships with Qatar Terminals Limited, Freeport LNG, General Electric, Siemens Energy, Baker Hughes, Worley Parsons, Repsol, Bechtel, Dentons, Vinson & Elkins, Hogan Lovells, Shell, Port of Rotterdam, TotalEnergies, Schlumberger, BW Offshore, Technip, RWE, CB&I MCDERMOTT, Naturgy, BW Energy, Shanghai Gorgeous, Havenbeheer Suriname, Shaw Group, Schwob Energy, Black and Veatch, Aker Solutions, Leif Hoegh, Abengoa, Centrica, Uniper, ConocoPhillips, Martano Inc, Golden Pass LNG, Ocean Energy, and other customers and partners.

Strategic Partner

Strategic Port Development Advisor

Strategic Legal Advisor
Firebird LNG

Strategic Partner

ESG Consultants / Advisor

Team Bio's

Meet the team

Walter C. Teter

Mr. Teter has focused his 25+ career on the development of energy related projects with a specific focus on projects based on clean power sources reducing GHG emissions using liquid natural gas (“LNG”). Investor/client value creation through identification of undervalued assets, the management of permitting, and the commercial structuring of opportunities has been the hallmark of his career activity. Mr. Teter has negotiated multiple complex agreements on behalf of clients and investors, including Purchase and Sale Agreements, Terminal Use Agreements, and corporate structure agreements required to execute complex power delivery chain and related infrastructure activities.

Over the last decade, Mr. Teter has been a principal negotiator or advisor for LNG SPA contracts with a notional volume in excess of 7,000,000 MM BTU/day. Additionally, he has been an investor, advisor and negotiator for the development and utilization of nearly a dozen LNG receiving and liquefaction terminals. In the terminal development role, deals negotiated by Mr. Teter secured investors a return of 600% in a period of only 18 months.

Prior to 2002, Mr. Teter held the position of Senior Vice-President at El Paso Energy where he was responsible for negotiating long-term LNG contracts and all LNG spot trading. The value realized during his three years at El Paso Energy exceeded $225 million (cash basis) and included the successful negotiation and monetization of a 20+ year LNG SPA, the re-opening of the Elba Island LNG receiving terminal, and the acquisition of more than a dozen spot cargoes.

Mr. Teter then embarked on a career in energy with Statoil (Equinor), first in North America with the startup of power trading and IPP development and subsequently undertook a key role in the commercial development of the first LNG export project in Europe (Snøhvit). The Snøhvit project has been instrumental in opening up an entirely new frontier energy province, creating prosperity for Northern Norway and enhanced energy security in the Atlantic basin.

Mr. Teter has also been involved with projects such as QG2, QG3, QG4 with Qatar Terminals Limited, Ras Gas, Kitimat LNG Project, Panama NG, Martano Panama Projects, Elba Island Reactivation and LNG Deliveries, Access Northeast Energy (Bear Head) LNG Facilities, Lake Charles LNG Deliveries, Cove Point Negotiations (Reactivation & Supply), Neptune LNG Deepwater Port (Boston Harbor), Global Energy Bridge TM Projects, Martano Project Panama.

Mr. Teter is a founder and President of Featherwood International Management and Consulting, a leader in energy markets.

Maarten Scholten

Maarten R. Scholten holds a Master of Science in politics from the University of Paris (Sorbonne) and a JD Commercial Law from the University of Amsterdam. He started his career at Loeff & van der Ploeg a Dutch law firm (now part of Allen & Overy ) working in the Amsterdam and New York offices after which he spent two decades in senior and executive positions at Schlumberger Ltd.

Maarten Scholten has almost 30 years of extensive legal and financial experience in the oil and gas industry.

During his 20 year career at Schlumberger, Maarten was Director of Legal Service, Head of Finance, President Schlumberger Oilfield Services ECA (Europe, Africa and CIS), and Director Mergers & Acquisitions.

From 2006 – 2009 he was Co-founder and Co-executive Director of Delta Hydrocarbons SA (Luxemburg and Amsterdam) a private equity firm investing in the oil and gas business.

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Upon leaving Schlumberger in 2006, he co-founded Delta Hydrocarbons SA (Luxemburg and Amsterdam), a USD 1.1 billion Oil and Gas investment firm.

From 2013 until 2017 Maarten Scholten was appointed Senior Vice-President, General Counsel of Total S.A., based in Paris.

Mr. Scholten has been active as an investor and advisor in energy related business opportunities. Subsequently, Mr Scholten acted as advisor and board member of several companies in the energy, medical and IT sectors. Mr. Scholten is currenty also on the Board of BW Offshore.

Steve Rowan

Steve Rowan is a British Chartered Chemist with over thirty years’ experience as an environmental professional and investment advisor. He began his career as a regulatory enforcement officer and Waste Management Specialist for UK Waste Regulation Authorities before moving to the private sector where he has worked as a consultant since 1990.

He has worked for and been instrumental in the growth of several global consulting firms until 2010 when he founded Earth & Marine Environmental Consultants (EAME). EAME is a niche consulting practice focusing on environmental and sustainability appraisals of investment projects in emerging markets. Since 2015, he has been focusing on Sustainable Development projects in Guyana.

Mr Rowan has extensive technical experience in a wide range of projects, including: environmental due diligence of large real estate and manufacturing portfolios, industrial complexes and specialist businesses; environmental risk assessment for Corporate Governance, Insurance or funding purposes; Environmental Impact Assessment of major infrastructure projects, port facilities or large property developments and detailed technical appraisals of businesses from every sector for either permitting, compliance or resource efficiency studies and investment appraisals of major infrastructure projects. 

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Mr. Rowan has worked internationally in over 50 countries, has been retained by many large corporations as an environmental adviser and has provided expert witness testimony in planning appeals, licensing appeals and litigation. He has also presented at both national and international conferences, presented hundreds of training sessions, and authored guidance documents and manuals.

George R. Wentz Jr.

George R. Wentz, Jr. is a partner with the Davillier Law Group, which has offices in New Orleans, Louisiana and Sandpoint, Idaho. Mr. Wentz received his Bachelor of Science degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Delaware, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He received his Juris Doctorate degree from Georgetown University Law Center, cum laude, in 1983 and served as the Administrative Editor of the Georgetown International Law Journal.

Mr. Wentz was appointed to the Office of Policy Development of the Federal Trade Commission by President Ronald Reagan, where he analyzed the economic impact of trade laws and regulations. He also developed and proposed legislative and regulatory approaches to enhance the overall efficiency of regulatory bodies. Since his days in the Reagan Administration, Mr. Wentz has continued to work in the areas of constitutional law and the intersection of economics and law.

Mr. Wentz has over thirty years experience in handling complex international litigation, maritime litigation, oil and gas exploration and production matters, alternative dispute resolution, international transactions, and providing general business advice. Mr. Wentz has been chosen to serve as an arbitrator in several significant international arbitrations.

Mr. Wentz has a reputation as a result-oriented lawyer known for innovative thinking and problem solving. During his career, he has worked in most aspects of the oil and gas business, representing leading international oil and gas exploration and production companies. He has also represented CFE (the power company of Mexico) in various matters. Mr. Wentz has been active in the power generation industry as well as the transportation industry on national and international levels.​

Mr. Wentz has represented underwriters of various energy and power generation companies in significant subrogation matters, including Houston Casualty Company and underwriters at Lloyd’s of London. He has expertise in international tax issues related to offshore banking as well as commodities transactions, including banking and financing related to those transactions.

Mr. Wentz has assisted alternative energy and high tech companies in bringing their products to market.

Mr. Wentz is an active member of the Louisiana State Bar Association. He provided pro bono work following Katrina, where his efforts assisted in the formation of New Orleans’ public-private partnership for economic development. He received the 2008 Leadership in Law Award from New Orleans City Business Magazine.

Mr. Wentz is admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the United States Court of Federal Claims, the United States Supreme Court, and all Louisiana State Courts. He has also litigated cases in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, and in various Texas state courts.

Mr. Wentz resides in Sandpoint, Idaho. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Idaho College of Law, where he teaches a course in International Business Transactions.

Lieutenant General Jon M. Davis

Lieutenant General Jon M. Davis, USMC (Ret); President, Green Monarchs Enterprises Inc.

Jon joined the Marines in 1977, was commissioned after he graduated from college in 1980 and served 37 years as an aviator, instructor, leader, thinker, and doer.

He flew the AV-8A, TAV-8A, AV-8B, F-5, FA-18A-D, MV-22, AH-1W/Z, UH-1N/Y, CH-53D/E and KC-130T/J in service with the United States Marine Corps. In service as an exchange officer with the Royal Air Force in the UK and Germany, he flew Jet Provosts, Hawks, Harrier T-4, and Harrier GR-3, 5 and 7. He commanded VMA-223, MAWTS-1 and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.

In the course of his career, he has flown over 4,300 mishap free military hours plus over 1500 hours in general and experimental aviation aircraft. He is a rated Kodiak 100, Mooney Ovation and Velocity pilot.

Lt. General Davis also served as Deputy Commander --Network Warfare at Fort Meade, as well as Deputy Commander, United States Cyber Command where he stood up to lead the nation’s first Cyber Joint Interagency Task Force (JIATF).

His last active-duty billet was to serve as Deputy Commandant for Aviation, Headquarters Marine Corps.

He retired in 2017 from the Marine Corps after 37 years active-duty service and began his business career, helping good companies become better and helping many companies bring great ideas both to life and to market.

He holds a Bachelor of Science from Allegheny College, a Master of Science from Marine Corps University, and a Master of International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. He is a graduate of the Wharton School, “Boards That Lead” program.

He currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rolls Royce North America, a Director on the board of Chemring Group, the Chair of the Strategic Advisory Board of Make A Difference Energy, and as a business advisor for several cutting edge companies.

His expertise in both business strategy and implementation is invaluable to the goals, direction and overall future of PDC.

Vidjai Doerga

Vidjai Doerga, a Curacao-native of Surinamese origin, lived and studied in Miami, Florida. As the Project Manager of the Project Lead the Way STEM Program at Gulliver Preparatory, Vidjai was instrumental in his high school engineering team to receiving the Toyota Tapestry Grant, and also competing in the university-level competitions such as National Engineering Design Competition (NEDC), Battle Bots, Bots IQ, etc.

He then received his degrees in International Relations and International Political Economics from Florida International University in 2014.

With eye on the rapid shifting of the global political- and trade-systems, as well as, rapidly evolving global markets, Vidjai is working to help Suriname fit into the world’s newly forming Supply Chains. To that end, he co-founded Phoenix Development Company in 2018 with Raxshaaz Ilahibaks.

As a partner at the company his father founded as well, The Alesie Group, Vidjai is diversifying the portfolio. The focus is to develop industries that will carry us into the next 100 years. His current ventures delve into Sustainable Development, Renewable Energy, Manufacturing, Agro-Industry and R&D, Hemp Industry and R&D, Brokerage, Blockchain Technologies, Auto-Industry, and the Overall Development of Emerging Markets.

Rax Ilahibaks

Rax Ilahibaks, a Suriname-native, quick learner and serial entrepreneur starting off with a local import business in Paramaribo at the age of 18.
In 2010, he joined the "Parboiled Producers" Economic Development team for the Private Sector Investment Programme by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.

In 2012 he founded one of the leading training, inspection and consulting companies in the mining, construction and production industry for local and international industry leaders such as: Newmont Goldcorp, IAMGold, Koole BV, Baitali Group, Kuldipsingh, Argos, ALCOA, Surmac Caterpillar, Parbo Bier Heineken, Fernandes Group (Coca-Cola), etc.

Utilizing his successful experience in developing business from ground up in Suriname, Raxshaaz co-founded and serves on the Board of Phoenix Development Company.

Today, Raxshaaz’s role is integral in the development of Suriname’s Deep Water Port & Special Economic Zone, creating a bridge upon which his home country can successfully, and proudly step onto the world’s stage.

Sebastian Antonio Ortega 

Antonio Sebastian Ortega graduated from Lynn University with Bachelor’s Degrees in Business, and a Masters Degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Entrepreneurial Finance. 

Antonio was scouted by Raymond James, one of the top public financial services firms in the US to work directly under the Senior VP directly overseeing client relationships and portfolio management. Antonio then co-founded a boutique asset management firm specializing in the wealth management and advisory services for high net worth individuals. 

Antonio is a Managing Partner and heads up his family’s investment company, Inception Group. In this he directly oversaw the management and capital investment in Real Estate, Insurance, Blockchain Technology, Jet Charter Services and Energy/Infrastructure projects around the world. 

Antonio has founded several entrepreneurial ventures internationally and has used his expertise in international corporate finance and capital raising. By utilizing his network of financial institutions, family offices, and ultra high net worth individuals, he delivers ventures to success. Antonio also serves on the board of directors of Custodia Financial, a financial technology company based in Dallas, Texas currently valued at upwards of a billion dollars. 

In his latest endeavor, Antonio became a co-founder, and serves on the Board of Phoenix Development Company (PDC) which is the exclusive developer of Suriname’s Deep Water Port & Special Economic Zone.

We Aim to Build a Better Tomorrow