BY ROB SMENTEK
Cover Art: Cover Art: Mundi Worldwide Founder & CEO Fernando Carlison Jr. at Seafair, Miami’s yacht-based event destination. Photography by Chris Weiss. With every end comes a new beginning. As Mundi Worldwide Chauffeured Services Founder & CEO Fernando Carlison Jr. enters 2026, he is doing so with both reflection and momentum—honoring the past while preparing his company for its next phase of growth. “First and foremost, I want to make sure that we start flawlessly for 2026. We have a lot of changes to procedures and personnel. It’s very exciting to start a new year with new processes and a clearer vision,” says Carlison.
It’s a pivotal moment for Mundi—whose name means “of the world” in Latin—as the company continues to evolve into a truly global operation. What began in South Florida has expanded to include offices in Orlando, Las Vegas, and Rio de Janeiro, serving clients across multiple continents and markets.
Fernando Carlison Jr. and his father, Fernando Sr. “The operation in Brazil is 24/7, and we’re multilingual—we speak English, Spanish, and Portuguese,” says Carlison. “That allows us to support different countries and different needs. We also work with bulletproof vehicles, security teams, and tour guides. We do the full package. It’s much more detailed than traditional point-to-point transportation in the States.” Most recently, Mundi opened an office in Orlando to further serve Florida’s high-demand travel market. Looking ahead, Carlison also has his sights set on Europe. “We already have an office in Serbia, but we plan to grow further in Europe,” he says. “Italy and London are two markets I envision serving. They’re strong, international destinations where our level of service makes sense.”
Mundi Events Manager Felipe Opazo (left) and Carlison While the future looks bright, 2025 was also a deeply personal year for Carlison, marked by the loss of his father, Fernando Sr., after a long illness. “My father was best friend and my role model from a very young age,” says Carlison. “I started following him to meetings when I was 10 or 11 years old, just listening and observing. He worked in finance and international market trading and transactions, and I learned a lot simply by being around him.”
After immigrating from Brazil to South Florida, Fernando Sr. built a strong foundation for his family and later became an influential presence in Mundi’s early years.
“Especially during the first five years of Mundi, I consulted him on every major decision,” says Carlison. “He helped guide me on how to trust people and manage growth. At one point, he even supported the Brazilian operation, particularly on the financial side. Later, his role became more like a mentor or chairman—someone I leaned on for perspective.”
His father’s work ethic left a lasting impression.
Mundi Serbian operations team: (L to R) Filip Timotijevic, Peter Durkovic, Brian Zivkovic, Zoe Pavic, Milan Arsenov, and Ray Jakovljevic “He started working in Brazil when he was 7 or 8 years old and became a bank manager at just 17,” Carlison says. “He was a hustler, but always honest. He never bypassed people or cut corners. A lot of who I am today comes from him—and from my mother.” That influence is evident in Carlison’s leadership style.
“My personality came a lot from my father,” he says. “He taught me to stay positive, to smile, to help people, and to share knowledge. I’m always happy to help someone find a solution—even if it’s not related to my business. That mindset came directly from him.”
Even in difficult moments, Carlison maintains that outlook.
“When my father passed, I was devastated,” he says. “But at the same time, I tried to focus on peace, because he had been sick for a long time. Even in the worst situations, I try to ask: what can we learn, and how can we improve?”
Mundi’s Brazilian operations and sales team: (L to R) Jana Willet, Filip Timotijevic, Zoe Pavic, Carlison, Pedro Silva, Ray Jakovljevic, and Daniel Esteban While his father shaped his leadership, it was Carlison’s mother, Maria Aparecida Oliveira, who first introduced him to the luxury ground transportation industry. “When I was still studying in Brazil, my mother was in Florida and came across an advertisement in a Brazilian newspaper,” he explains. “A driver was selling his transportation business—clients, vehicle, everything. That’s where the idea started.”
After earning a degree in finance and relocating to Florida, Carlison explored several ventures.
“I worked in import and export with aircraft parts, and I even did valet parking to earn extra money,” he says. “But when we saw the opportunity to acquire the transportation company, it felt closer to hospitality—and closer to people.”
Like many operators, Carlison began as an owner-operator, spending long hours behind the wheel.
“I was driving and getting a lot of calls at the same time,” he recalls. “Eventually, I realized that if I didn’t step back and build the business properly, I would always be a chauffeur. That was the moment everything clicked.”
What followed was a deep appreciation for high-end service and client experience—across corporate, retail, and security-driven markets.
L to R: Mundi Chauffeur Ricardo Carvalho, Founder & CEO Fernando Carlison Jr., and Chauffeur Mairon Luz “We provide more than transportation,” says Carlison. “It’s about how we can make someone’s day better. From answering the phone with energy to getting them where they need to go safely and on time—we make people feel important. At the end of the day, we’re in the hospitality business.” That mindset, he believes, is what truly differentiates Mundi.
“We care about people—our employees and our clients,” he says. “If something is important to you, it’s important to us. It’s not just about following procedures; it’s about exceeding expectations.”
Company culture plays a critical role in that philosophy.
“If someone isn’t thriving in one position, we try to coach them or move them into another role,” Carlison explains. “We believe in training, second chances, and putting the right people in the right positions. That’s how you build loyalty and long-term success.”
Today, Mundi employs approximately 50 full-time office staff members worldwide, supported by more than 150 full-time chauffeurs, with an unlimited network of part-time drivers available to support large-scale events.
Mundi’s Brazilian team “When it comes to major events, there’s really no limit,” says Carlison. “If you need 300 drivers, we can do it. Five hundred? Thousands? We’ve got you. That’s what global capability means.” Looking ahead, 2026 is already shaping up to be a milestone year. Mundi will serve as a transportation partner for the U.S. Travel Association’s IPW trade show in Fort Lauderdale, as well as F1 events across the country and South America. The company is also preparing for the FIFA World Cup, which will bring global attention—and massive logistical demand—to North America.
Carlison’s parents: Fernando Carlison Sr. and Maria Aparecida Oliveira “Just like we did at the 2025 FIFA Clubs Cup, we’re proud to work with major teams, corporations, and with FIFA directly,” says Carlison. “We’re ready to support affiliates in any market—even moving entire fleets to where the biggest games are played.” As the new year begins, Carlison is focused on refining operations and strengthening the company’s foundation.
“We’re cleaning up the house,” he says. “That means optimizing the fleet, tightening processes, and bringing in people who give their best every day. Being ‘OK’ is not enough in this industry. Clients expect excellence.
“This year, Mundi is intentionally shifting from scale to refinement—prioritizing luxury execution, tighter partnerships, and elevated service standards over pure volume,” adds Carlison.
As Mundi enters 2026, Carlison continues to lead with the same principles that shaped him from the beginning—integrity, hard work, and a belief that how you treat people is the ultimate measure of success. [CD0126]
