Recent economic reforms, the availability of natural resources, and some strong domestic markets have put several Latin American countries in a unique position to seize opportunities derived from the realignment of global supply chains and the push for energy transition. However, doing business in Latin America poses distinct challenges, including market fragmentation, cultural diversity, a complex regulatory environment, and vulnerability to fluctuations in global commodity prices and policy shifts, as well as distinct political risks.
What are the key characteristics of successful firms doing business in the region? What are the biggest challenges and opportunities of investing in Latin America and the Caribbean? How does the shifting geopolitical landscape impact the future of investment decisions in the region? To discuss these and other key issues the Georgetown Americas Institute (GAI), the Latin American Business Association (LABA), and the Latin America Leadership Program (LALP) were pleased to host Christian Daes, COO of Tecnoglass; Jose Raul Gonzalez, CEO of Grupo Progreso; and Juan Carlos Mora, CEO of Bancolombia, in a conversation hosted by Juan Carlos Iragorri and Karina Charry.
This event was sponsored by Georgetown Americas Institute, Latin American Students Business Association, and the Latin America Leadership Program.
Featuring
Christian Daes is a prominent Colombian entrepreneur. He holds a degree in business information systems from the University of North Carolina and is the co-founder and chief operating officer of the Tecnoglass Group. He oversees all aspects of the group's operations, driving its constant growth and innovation. Under his leadership, Tecnoglass has become a top company for high end aluminum and vinyl windows and architectural glass for the global residential and commercial end markets, becoming the second-largest supplier in the U.S. industry. The company is currently listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: TGLS). Christian has committed to social responsibility, making Tecnoglass stand out for its contributions to vulnerable communities.
Jose Raul Gonzalez is the CEO of Progreso, the leading cement and building materials company in Latin America and the Caribbean. He holds a B.A. in business administration from Universidad Francisco Marroquin in Guatemala and an MBA in finance and economics from the University of Rochester. Gonzalez has 35 years of experience in different industries, including retail and banking. Before joining Progreso he had a 18-year career as CFO of CBC, the Pepsi Cola anchor bottler for Central America and the Caribbean, where he participated in the design and execution of the regional expansion of the company. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of Universidad Francisco Marroquin, where he lectures in economics, and is a former dean of its School of Economics and Business School. He serves as the president of the Board of Directors of FICEM, the Inter American Federation of Cement.
Juan Carlos Mora is the president of Bancolombia Group, one of the largest financial conglomerates in Latin America with 150 years of experience promoting sustainable economic development. With operations in five countries in the region (Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador, Panama, and the United States), the group has more than 30,000 employees and 31 million customers; it is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). In his more than 30 years of experience at Bancolombia, Mora has occupied key roles in corporate finance and investment banking such as vice president of Risks and vice president of Technology Management. In May 2016 he assumed the presidency of the Bancolombia Group. Under his leadership, he coordinated the group's entry into the Dow Jones sustainability index, accompanied the Bancolombia Foundation in its transformation process to make Colombia a more prosperous territory, and promoted the strategy of diversity, equity, and inclusion to facilitate the generation of opportunities equitable for all.
Juan Carlos Iragorri is the director and main host of the Georgetown Americas Institute podcast Y esto no es todo. A Colombian journalist with over 35 years of experience, Iragorri also directs Colombia’s RCN Radio’s opinion show, Voces RCN. He was in charge of El Washington Post, also known as El WaPo, the Washington Post’s Spanish-speaking podcast. He also directed Club de Prensa, a television show broadcast by newschannel NTN24 straight from the U.S. capitol, which led him to earn an Emmy award, the Premio Internacional Rey de España de Periodismo, and the Premio Nacional de Periodismo Simón Bolívar. He was managing editor at Colombia’s Semana magazine and has been a news correspondent in Madrid and Washington, DC, for over 20 years. He is author of three books and has received fellowships in Harvard University and Oxford University.