Council of the Americas CFO Forums

By-invitation only forums

• March 8: Regional
• April 7: Women
• May 19: Brazil
• June 30: Industry
• August 23: Argentina (virtual)
• September 22: Mexico (in-person in Mexico City)
• December 8: Regional (in-person in Miami)

2021 CFO Forums

• CFO Regional Forum, December 2. The discussion held featured two sessions, Session I focused on the regional economic outlook for 2022, while Session II focused on the ESG perspectives for Latin America. The Forum was moderated by Cecilia Tornaghi, Managing Editor, Americas Quarterly. Session I of the forum was led by Claudio Irigoyen, Managing Director, Research Group Head, Bank of America. Session II was led by Gabriel Hasson, Vice President, Head of Latin America Investment Stewardship Group, BlackRock. The forum concluded with a commentary from Jason Fitzgerald, leader of the ESG Working Group at One Stream.
• CFO Women in Finance Forum, October 28. The discussion held among the panelists focused on the importance of diversity in the workplace, the rise of women in CFO positions, and the empowering of women to reach high ranking positions within companies. The Forum was moderated by Liba Saiovici, Global Receivables Product Executive, Bank of America, the panelists featured in this conversation were Jenny Kim Park, Head of Human Resources, Global Transaction Services, Bank of America; Mariana Moraes, Head of Finance, Latin America, Facebook; Marina Rosemberg, Head of Relationship Management, Latin America, Moody’s Investors Service.
• CFO Argentina Forum, September 2. The forum was divided into two sessions, Session I focused on the economic outlook of Argentina, while Session II focused on the challenges, opportunities and lessons learned for CFOs in the current context. The forum was moderated by Martín Fernández Romero, Managing Director and Regional Head, Latin America, and featured Claudio Irigoyen, Managing Director, Research Group Head at Bank of America; Sebastian Rondeau, Director, Senior Research Bank of America, who opened up the first session. The first session was followed by panelists, Juan Urthiage, CFO, Globant; Pablo Vera Pinto, CFO, Vista Oil & Gas.
• CFO Virtual Forum, August 18. This forum focused on the consumer and retail sectors. The forum begins with a conversation between the moderator, Jay Norris, Managing Director, Treasury Sales Manager, Global Transaction Services at Bank of America, and Sean Harapko, EY Americas Supply Chain Transformation and Global Supply Chain RPA Leader on the supply-chain disruptions and the evolving role of the CFO. For the second portion of the forum, Eduardo Rolim, Senior Vice President and Information Security Executive for Global Information Security Latam at Bank of America, shared his analysis on the cybersecurity disruptions and the implications for CFOs, followed by commentary from, Enrique Güijosa, CFO at Liverpool and Guillermo Mazarrasa, Deputy CFO at Vima Foods.
• CFO Forum Brazil, June 22. This forum focused on the impact of digital transformation to the evolving role of the CFO and their teams. The first session of the forum focused on Brazil’s economic outlook and was led by Marcelo Guaranys, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economy, Brazil. The second session of the forum focused on digital transformation and the evolving role of the CFO by guest panelists Tiago Azevedo, Finance Director, Brazil, Mercado Livre, and Diego Barreto, CFO & Chief Strategy Officer, iFood. The moderator for this forum was Annali Duarte, Head of GTS Brazil & Head of Digital Transformation Latam, Bank of America.
• CFO Mexico Forum, May 20. This forum focused on the monetary policy and outlook for Mexico and the acceleration of digital transformations and its impact for CFOs. The opening session focused on the economic and monetary outlook led by Irene Espinosa Cantellano, Subgobernadora, Banco de México. A panel followed, focusing on digital transformation, with guest panelists Mauricio Dutra, CFO, SAP Mexico, Fernando Reiter, Director Corporativo de Finanzas, CEMEX, and Constantino Spas, CFO, Coca-Cola FEMSA. The moderator for this forum was Martín Barrios, Managing Director, Global Transaction Services Country Head, Bank of America, México.
• CFO Virtual Forum, April 22. The forum centered around the energy and power sectors. To begin the forum, Francisco Monaldi, Director, Latin America Energy Program & Fellow in Latin American Energy Policy, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University, shared his perspective on the challenges and opportunities for Latin America as the industry transitions towards renewable energy. For the second portion of the forum, David Chavez, CFO, Latin America, Marathon Petroleum; Andre Luiz Machado, Vice President Finance, Siemens Energy Brasil Ltda; and Michael Shea, Head of Structured Finance, Atlas Renewable Energy engaged in a dialogue to delve into this transition and its impact on their role and practice. The moderator for this forum was Chris Starling, GTS Large Corp Sales N.A. Industry Lead, Energy & Power, Bank of America.
• CFO Regional Forum, March 11. This forum focused on what can be expected for leaders and companies in a post crisis scenario and how ESG standards are being used to develop company ratings. To begin the forum, Haim Israel, Head of Thematic Investment, Global Research, Bank of America discussed the mega trends for a post-Covid world. For the second portion of the forum, Gabriel Torres, Vice President, Senior Credit Officer, Sovereign and Sub-Sovereign, Moody's Investors Service shared his perspectives surrounding ESG standards for credit ratings. The moderator for this discussion was Moises Vidal, Multinational & Corporate Head of Global Transactional Services at Bank of America.

2020 CFO Forums

• CFO Regional Forum, December 3. The 2020 regional Forum was composed of two sessions. Session I of the forum covered the topic of the global economic outlook, the most relevant forces that are shaping today’s economic outlook while Session II focused on managing the new normal and what opportunities and challenges lied ahead. The discussion was moderated by Maria L. Gallo, Vice President, AS/COA Miami. Leading the first session was Juan Licari, Chief International Economist, Moody’s Analytics. The panelists engaged in the second session led by Margarita Carrillo, Director, GTS Advisory, Global Transaction Services, Bank of America (Host and Moderator), with Bruno Campos, Finance Manager, Aspen Pharma Indústria Farmacêutica Ltda (Brazil), Roberto Manjarrez, Senior Finance Director, Conagra (Mexico), Jerónimo Soffia Errazuriz, Corporate Finance, Molymet (Chile), Monllivelli Bruno De la Torre Gónzalez, Corporate Treasurer, ECOM (Mexico).
• CFO Regional Forum, October 8. This forum focused on some of the economic perspectives for the region and lessons learned from managing finance teams remotely. The first session of the forum concerning the regional economic outlook was led by Mauro Leos, Associate Managing Director for the Americas at Moody’s Investor Services. Following this presentation Eduardo Seput, Director of Finance, Latam, Cisco and Patricia Prospero, People and Communities Director for Latam and Canada at Cisco provided some perspectives and shared lessons learned from managing financial teams remotely. The moderator for this discussion was Martín Barrios, GTS Country Head, Mexico, Bank of America.
• CFO Forum Argentina, August 26. The forum focused on the many challenges that financial teams faced in these critical moments in Argentina. The session was centered around the economic outlook for Argentina. The moderator for this Forum was Federico Muxi, Partner and Managing Director of Boston Consulting Group for the Southern Cone. The session was led by Claudio Irigoyen, Head of Economy and Strategy for Fixed and Variable Income for Latin America at BofA Global Research, BofA Securities.
• CFO Mexico, June 25. This CFO forum gathered top finance executives with business or interests in Mexico. A high-level economist provided the country’s economic outlook, followed by a panel of CFOs who discussed the challenges, opportunities and lessons learned in their financial operations during the Covid-19 pandemic. Leading the first session on the economic outlook of Mexico was Carlos Capistran, Managing Director and Head of Canada and Mexico Economics, BofA Securities. The second session was led by panelists Mayela Rincón de Velasco, CFO, Bio Pappel, Enrique Güijosa H., CFO, Liverpool, and Sonia Lopez, CFO NOLAD, Arcos Dorados. The forum was moderated by Vidal Garza Cantú, Director of Public Affairs and Strategic Relationships, FEMSA.
• CFO Regional Forum, June 4. The CFO Forum hosted two top-level economists from FitchRatings who provided both a global and regional perspective on the economy, as well as shared insights on rating trends, fiscal issues and government responses in the region during the Covid-19 pandemic. The presentations was followed by a conversation on the various and innovative perspectives to supply chain financing. The first discussion was led by Brian Coulton, Chief Economist, Sovereign Group, Fitch Ratings, who focused on the Global Recession Bottoming Out, But Slow Return to Normality and was followed by speaker Shelly Shetty, Managing Director, Sovereigns, Fitch Ratings, who covered Rising Rating Pressures Amid a Challenging Macro Environment. Following the first session, Fernando de Allende, General Director, Latam, TRADESHIFT and Lionel Asensio, Regional Treasurer, cbc, The Central America Bottling Corporation discussed supply chain financing. Moderating the Forum was Maria Lourdes Gallo, Vice President, AS/COA Miami.
• CFO Brazil Forum, May 14. This forum provided key insights on the economic and financial impact of the Covid-19 virus in Brazil, what companies can do to overcome some of the current issues, and key insights for CFOs as they navigate the crisis and aim to keep their companies afloat. The keynote address was delivered by Mansueto Almeida, Secretary, National Treasury, Brazil, followed by David Beker, Managing Director, Chief Brazil Economist & Fixed Income Strategist and LatAm Equity Strategist, BofA Securities. The forum was moderated by Cecilia Tornaghi, Managing Editor, Americas Quarterly.
• Regional CFO Forum, April 30. The forum focused on the role of CFOs amid the Covid-19 Pandemic: challenges, responses and planning ahead. Leading the discussion was Claudio Irigoyen, Managing Director and Head of Latin America Economics, Equities and Fixed Income & FX Strategy, BofA Global Research and Margarita Carrillo, Director for Global Transaction Services at Bank of America. Moderating this forum was Joaquín Valle del Olmo, Managing Director and Partner, Peru, BCG.
• CFO Mexico City, March 20. This forum focused on the implementations of new payment systems, cybersecurity, and growth amid unexpected change. Gerardo Esquivel, Deputy Governor, Banco de México, joined the forum to provide the Keynote Address. Session I of the forum focused on new payment systems and the potential that they have in the region, which was led by Miguel Angel Diaz Diaz, General Director of Payment Systems and Market Infrastructures, Banco de México. Among the guest speakers for the first session were: Martin Barrios, Managing Director, Global Transaction Services Country Head, Bank of America Mexico; Gonzalo Gallegos, Vice President Finance and IT, Liverpool, and CFO Suburbia; Fernando de Allende, General Manager, Latin America, Tradeshift. Session II focused on how to protect assets from cyber threats which featured speakers, Pablo Corona Fraga, Vice President for Cybersecurity, Mexican Internet Association and Carmina Mogollon Gonzalez, Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig. Session III focused on driving growth in uncertain climates with speakers: Francisco de Padua Flores, Global Corporate Treasurer, Cinepolis, and Jose Castro Godard, Corporate Treasurer, Coca-Cola FEMSA, Mexico. The forum also hosted Charles Seville, Senior Director, Co-head Americas Sovereign Ratings, who presented on the credit outlook for Latin America. The CFO Forum was moderated by Jude Webber, Mexico and Central America Correspondent, Financial Times.

2019 CFO Forums

• CFO Lima Forum, July 2, more than 40 CFOs and senior finance executives from multilatinas, multinationals, and major Peruvian companies shared best practices and discussed the forces transforming the traditional role of finance leaders. The exchange took place at the annual Council of the Americas CFO Lima Forum held at the Country Club Lima Hotel. Key topics included managing international growth in a volatile environment and building finance teams for the digital age. This forum featured a keynote address by Julio Velarde, Governor of the Central Bank of Peru, on monetary policy and perspectives on the country’s economy. Alexander Müller, Head of Andean Region, Central America & Caribbean Economics, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, gave an opening presentation on Peru’s market and economic outlook. Brian Coulton, Chief Economist, Fitch Ratings, participated in a fireside chat with the forum’s moderator, Joaquín Valle del Olmo, Partner and Managing Director, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), focusing on the global macro outlook and implications for Latin America and Peru. The roundtable discussion was led by distinguished speakers including: Víctor Cabanillas, Corporate Finance Manager, Ransa; Ursula Calle, Finance & Controls Manager, Hunt LNG; Marco Cardenas, Vice President of Treasury & Controlling, Inkia Energy; and Cecilia Puga, Head of Treasury, Compañía de Minas Buenaventura.
• CFO São Paulo Forum, May 15, more than 60 chief financial officers and senior finance executives from multilatinas, multinationals, and major Brazilian companies shared best practices and discussed the forces transforming the traditional role of finance leaders. The exchange took place at the annual Council of Americas CFO São Paulo Forum held at the Hotel Tivoli. Key topics on the seismic shift of the finance function included managing international growth, building finance teams for the digital age, and mitigating cyber security risks. This forum featured an opening presentation on Brazil’s economic outlook by David Beker, Head of Brazil Economics & Strategy, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and was moderated by Cecilia Tornaghi, Managing Editor, Americas Quarterly, AS/COA. During the roundtable, an insightful conversation on the 2019 Latin America and Brazil outlook was held with Shelly Shetty, Head of Sovereigns Latin America, Fitch Ratings. The roundtable discussion was led by distinguished speakers including: Oberdan Costa, Controller for Brazil and Argentina, Timken do Brasil; Holger Spiegel, CFO, BMW Group Financial Services Brazil; Luciana Braga, Country Head of Finance & Controlling, Brazil, Panalpina Ltda; Rodolfo Dana, CFO, Grupo Trigo; Mauricio Fernandes, Vice President, Finance Business Partner, Mastercard; Gabriel Catropa, CTO LA IBM Security. The forum concluded with a keynote address by Luis Felipe Monteiro, Secretary of Digital Government, Ministry of the Economy.
• CFO Mexico City Forum, April 4, more than 50 chief financial officers and senior finance executives from multilatinas, multinationals, and major Mexican companies shared best practices and discussed the forces transforming the traditional role of finance leaders. The exchange took place at the annual Council of the Americas Mexico City CFO Forum held at the St. Regis Hotel. Key topics on the massive shift of the finance function included managing international growth, building finance teams for the digital age, and mitigating cyber security risks. This forum featured an opening presentation on Mexico’s economic outlook by Jonathan Heath, Deputy Governor of Banco de México, and was moderated by Miguel Siliceo Valdespino, CFO of Bancomext. The roundtable conversation was led by distinguished speakers including: Mariana Moraes, CFO, Microsoft Mexico; Mayela Rincón de Velasco, CFO, Bio Pappel; Igor Rivera, Master’s in Finance Director at EGADE Business School, Tecnológico de Monterrey; Francisco Villegas Landin, Partner, Regional Head Cyber Security & CISO, Axity; Pedro Gómez, Finance & Treasury Corporate Director, Softtek; Juan Zapiain, CFO, Pepsico Mexico Foods; and a closing keynote by Charles Seville, Senior Director, Co-head Americas Sovereign Ratings of Fitch Ratings.

2018 CFO Forums

• CFO Miami Forum, December 7, was moderated by Jane Bussey, managing director-forensics & litigation at FTI Consulting and featured Kathryn Rooney Vera, head of research & strategy at Bulltick Capital, who opened the Forum with a presentation on Latin America’s market and economic outlook for 2019. Leading the roundtable conversations were distinguished speakers Moises Vidal, managing director of treasury sales, Bank of America Merrill Lynch; Camilo Figueredo-Davis, director of finance and CFO, Emerson Commercial & Residential Solutions Latin America; Noemie Heuland, regional CFO Latin America, SAP; Giulio RIndi, CFO LAC, Mastercard; Antonio Gandara, finance director, Revlon; Alejandro Ubeira, VP Corporate Accounting and Reporting – Americas Region, Deutsche Post, DHL Group, Yuda Saydun, Founder & President, CyVent; Christian Nieves, special agent-cyber crimes, FBI Miami Division.
• CFO Bogotá Forum, August 22, featured a keynote address by Ana Fernanda Maiguashca, co-director of Banco de la República and was moderated by Santiago Gutierrez, executive editor, Latin Trade Group. The roundtable conversation was led by distinguished speakers including: Ursula Haaker Ramirez, director, Global Transaction Services Andean & CA Region, Bank of America Merrill Lynch; Ricardo Avila, editor-in-chief, Portafolio; Andrés Cadena, senior partner, McKinsey & Company; Rosemery Carrillo, cirector of strategy and finance, Oleoducto Central SA; Carlos Eduardo Botero, managing director, Shared Services Center Finance, Grupo Alquería; Claudia Carolina Perdomo, treasurer, The AES Corporation; Juan Carlos Sampedro Tobon, director, Capital Markets, Empresas Públicas de Medellín; Marcelo Fernandes, director, Latin America Marketing, SAP Ariba; Alexia Javier Blanco Riveira, CFO, Empresas de Acueducto de Bogotá.
• CFO Lima Forum, July 19, was moderated by Joaquín Valle del Olmo, partner & managing director, The Boston Consulting Group. The roundtable conversation was led by distinguished speakers including: Jose Carlos Saavedra, partner, Apoyo Consultoria; Kelly Santiago, SFO Peru, Ecuador & Central America, Equixfax Inc.; Luigi Debernardi, Peru finance director/ CFO, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries; Alejandro Yanes Cruz, treasurer, PetroPerú; Carlos Perales Reyes, director of capital markets and financial planning, Telefónica del Peru; Catalina Manrique, president LAC, SAP Ariba; Juan Carlos Rodriguez, vice president finance and administration, Yanbal.
• CFO São Paulo Forum, May 24, was moderated by Ricardo Tiezzi from The Boston Consulting Group. The roundtable conversation was led by distinguished speakers including: Annali Duane, managing director, Bank of America Merrill Lynch; David Beker, chief Brazil economist & fixed income strategist, Bank of America Merrill Lynch; Valeria Roane, CFO, Dow Latin America; Daniel Levy, corporate vice president, CFO and IRO, Arezzo & Co; Felipe Rugani, CFO corporate segment, Brazil region, Sodexo; Marcelo Fernandes, director Latin America marketing, SAP Ariba; Ricardo Sennes, managing director, Prospectiva.
• CFO Mexico City Forum, April 26, featured a keynote address by Javier Eduardo Guzmán Calafell, deputy governor of Banco De Mexico, and was moderated by Miguel Siliceo Valdespino, CFO of Bancomext. The roundtable conversation was led by distinguished speakers including: Martin Barrios, managing director, Bank of America Merrill Lynch; Javier Mancera, director and founding partner, De la Calle, Madrazo, Mancera, SC; Luis Eduardo Diaz Loera, treasury & financing manager, Grupo Kuo; Pablo Garcia Aguilar, CFO Empresas ICA; Marcelo Fernandes, director Latin America marketing, SAP Ariba; Luis Dario Rodríguez Ochoa, sustainability manager, Coca-Cola FEMSA; Peter Wiegandt, chief commercial and digital transformation officer, Grupo Lala.

2017 CFO Forums

• CFO Miami Forum, December 8, featured discussions led by Mauro Echeverri, head of controlling and distribution planning, South East USA and Latin America, Swarovski; Carlos Mercuriali, COO, Latin America and Caribbean, SAP Ariba; Alexander Michiels, vice president, CFO, SCS & DTS, Ryder System, Inc.; Luis Pulido, CFO, Elandis; and Elias Tavarez, vice president, CFO, LALA U.S., Inc.
• CFO Lima Forum, November 16, featured discussions led by Francisco Barua, chief investment officer, UNACEM; Victor Manuel Cabanillas De la Torre, corporate finance manager, Ransa; Patricia Gastelumendi, CFO, Ferreycorp; Renato Reyes, manager of finance services and treasury, Ripley; and keynote address by Adrián Armas, chief economist, Banco Central de Reserva del Peru
• CFO Mexico City Forum, September 6, featured keynote speaker Vanessa Rubio, undersecretary of finance and public credit of Mexico; and discussions led by John Gleason, vice president, treasury, tax and investor relations, WALMEX; and Ricardo Sánchez Barker, CFO, Aeroméxico
• CFO Buenos Aires Forum, August 23, featured panelists Pedro Arnt, CFO of Mercadolibre.com; Edgardo Carlos, CFO of Tenaris; and keynote speaker Miguel A. Kiguel, executive director, Econviews
• CFO Bogotá Forum, June 8, featured keynote speaker Juan José Echavarría, governor, Banco de la República; and panelists Alejandro Porras, corporate treasury director, Ecopetrol; and Tatiana Uribe, vice president, financial planning and investor relations, Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores S.A.
• CFO São Paulo Forum, May 10, featuring regional finance executives from IBM Corporation, SAP, Expedia, the Estée Lauder Companies, Inc., the Walt Disney Company and themes of digital transformation in the finance function and the role of information technology 2016 CFO Forums

2016 CFO Forums

• CFO Lima Forum, November 16, featured finance executives from Alicorp, Belcorp, Cencosud, Cinépolis, Grupo Romero
• CFO Miami Forum, September 30, featured regional finance executives from organizations such as Bunge, Microsoft, Oracle, PepsiCo and SAP
• CFO Buenos Aires Forum, August 23, featured speakers Daniel González, CFO of YPF; Fernando Navajas, chief economist at Fundación de Investigaciones Económicas Latinoamericanas (FIEL); and Alejandro Scannapieco, CFO of Globant
• CFO Bogotá Forum, June 14, featured keynote speaker Jorge Hernán Toro Córdoba, Chief Economist at Banco de la República, Colombia
• CFO Monterrey Forum, May 19, featured keynote speaker Carlos Capistrán, Chief Mexico Economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch
• CFO Mexico City Forum, May 17, featured keynote speaker Javier Guzmán Calafell, Deputy Governor at Banco de México
• CFO Rio de Janeiro Forum, April 8, featured keynote speaker Leonardo Pereira, Chairman of Comissão de Valores Mobiliários
• CFO São Paulo Forum, April 6, featured keynote speaker Flavio Cotini, President and CEO of Walmart Brazil

“Business Continuity — Yours and Ours”

Bank of America has a reference guide that contains information and links to some of their solutions that will help businesses with remote operations and resources to mitigate fraud and cybersecurity. Also included is information on their business continuity framework.