Speakers:

• Fernando Iraola, Global co-Head of Corporates GTS Sales & GTS Head Latam, Bank of America
• Sebastian Fernandez Silva, Chief People Officer, MercadoLibre
• Linda Aiello, EVP of International Employee Success, Salesforce
• Alex Camino, Chief Marketing Officer, Softtek
• Michael Stott, Latin America Editor, Financial Times (moderator)
• Susan Segal, President and CEO, Americas Society/Council of the Americas (host)

How are companies in Latin America responding to the current need for a digital workspace? Executives from four companies shared insights on this Council of Americas Symposium panel. “What I’m really impressed about when I look at Latin America is the speed of adoption, and I see this as being much fast than other regions,” said Salesforce’s Linda Aiello about the digital transformation brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Alex Camino described Softtek’s approach of taking the opportunity to create new digital products for the businesses they serve.

Working remotely has also forced companies to engage their employees and clients in new ways. Sebastian Fernandez Silva shared examples of how MercadoLibre is prioritizing employees’ mental and physical well-being, while Fernando Iraola pointed out how Bank of America’s client engagement has tripled in recent months.

Learn more about the COA Symposium series.

Speakers: 

Speakers:

• Carlos Slim Domit, Chairman, América Móvil S.A.B.
• Claudio Muruzabal, Chairman, SAP Latin America and Caribbean; President, SAP EMEA South
• Andrés Gluski, Chairman, AES Corporation & Chairman, AS/COA (moderator)
• Susan Segal, President and CEO, AS/COA (introduction)

Carlos Slim Domit and Claudio Muruzabal discussed their vision for Latin America’s new normal after the coronavirus pandemic. They talked about the future of telecommunications in the region, including 5G, the digital divide, technological breakthroughs, as well as the importance of leadership during critical times. When sharing their perspectives on the role of technology in today’s world, Slim underscored the importance of using innovation to bridge inequalities, saying, “Poverty is no longer a social or personal conviction issue—it is an economic need for any country and society who wants to enforce development.”

Slim added that the focus should be on “what does the technology and connectivity allow you to do, rather than talk about Gs, or talk about wifi or fiber or the different technologies.” Muruzabal reinforced the idea of inclusion in that, by improving people’s access technology, their quality of life improves.

• Learn more about the 2020 COA Symposium and BRAVO Virtual Series.

Speakers:

• Luis Alberto Moreno, President, Inter-American Development Bank
• Marcelo Claure, CEO, SoftBank Group International
• Susan Segal, President and CEO, Americas Society/Council of the Americas (moderator)

One thing we know about the Latin America of tomorrow—and indeed the world—is that it will be a totally different one than the Latin America of today. “The amount of change that we’re going to see, the amount of trial and error, the capacity to adapt are going to be the critical things going forward,” said Luis Alberto Moreno, talking with Marcelo Claure in a BRAVO Leadership Conversation on the eve of the end of his 15-year tenure as head of the IDB. The two also covered what makes a successful leader (a good team), an effective COVID-19 response (discipline), and Latin American entrepreneurs who are resourceful and profitable (lack of capital).

Going forward, Claure said governments, companies, and multilateral institutions have “a responsibility to change our focus and make sure we put our energy into educating our people on what the new jobs will be” so that every citizen can be brought into the new economy. The Latin America of tomorrow also needs to be more equitable. “This is a hemisphere that requires far more gender diversity in general and that … [we] put forward an agenda that understands that gender diversity is a central part of modern society,” said Moreno.