CALI III Fellows
COSTA RICA
Fabian Segura
Currently living in Dallas, Texas, with my wife Mariela and three children, Catalina, Fabian and Julian. I am a strong believer in the possibilities that the promotion of Innovation and Entrepreneurship can bring to society. From the professional side I am leading the ITS Infocom expansion in the US market. I am a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network at its regional chapter, CALI -The Central American Leadership Initiative. As a social entrepreneur, I am currently the Chairman of BioInnovar, an Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center for BioBusiness within InBio, the Costa Rican Biodiversity Institute; and an Honorary Member of the Omar Dengo Foundation for the Education in Digital Technologies in Costa Rica. I am a member of the Malta Order Association in Dallas, TX. As a long distance runner, I have completed the Chicago, New York, Berlin and Washington D.C International Marathons. Fabián has a Law Degree from the Universidad de Costa Rica Law School, a MBA from INCAE Business School, where he did a semester abroad in Frankfurt, Germany. Afther that he studied Product Development and Innovation in MIT and Financial Instrument and Market at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Pablo Jenkins
Director of the International Expansion of Endeavor Global. Obtain a bachelor in Arts in Public and International Relations and a Certificate in Systems Engineering from Princeton University In New Jersey; and a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard Business School, where he was honored the title of Leadership Fellow. Worked in diverse companies around the world: Infosys Techonology Ltd., Bangalore, India; Andromeda, Shangai y Hong Kong; Intel Corporation & Intel Capital, San Jose, Costa Rica: The Boston Counsulting Group, New York; and Anidea.com, New York. He has also been consultant to the Science and Technology Minister of Costa Rica; Tutor Coordinator for Junior Achivement; Consultant to the Latin American Programo f Princeton; and participates and supports Amigos del Aprendizaje.
Alekcey Murillo
Executive Director of Project Emmanuel, a community development project serving the Cabécar people of Costa Rica under the non-profit organization Indigenous Community Development International (ICDI). The goal of Project Emanuel is to improve the quality of life of the Cabécar people and that of the surrounding communities through the enhancement of healthcare delivery, the promotion of educational opportunities, and the support of efforts for community advancement. He also serves as the Assistant Medical Director of Hospital Clinica Biblica in San Jose, Costa Rica. Alekcey is a physician whose career has focused on the underserved indigenous populations of North and Central America, including former employment by the U.S. Indian Health Services at medical clinics in Arizona and New Mexico. He received his medical doctorate from the Universidad Internacional de las Américas in San José, Costa Rica, and completed his specialty in Family Medicine at the Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education in Rochester, Minnesota. Alekcey lives in Chirripó, Turrialba and San José with his wife, Judith, who is also a family physician.
Eric Poncon
Holds a BS in Agricultural Economics and Finance from Cornell University and comes from a family tradition of farming both in Central America and in Southern France, with ownership interests in sustainable coffee, forestry and tourism SME’s.
Currently runs the office of strategy management (OSM) for the Coffee Division of Ecom Agroindustrial Corporation – a private company established in 1849 – dedicated to the origination, processing and merchandising of agricultural commodities worldwide. Joined the company in 1995 and has held several trading and management positions in New York, Nicaragua, Mexico and Costa Rica.
Amongst other tasks, has been responsible for the development of several public-private partnerships that have played a catalytic role in bringing large numbers of small farmers and large global buyers together, enabling more sustainable and transparent linkage-based business models between farmers and final consumers.
Married to Carolina, a psychologist and has three sons, a New Yorker, a Costa Rican, and a Mexican.
EL SALVADOR
Marisol Argueta de Barrillas
Vicepresident of Newlink Group. Ex-Salvadorean Secretary of State. She is a Salvadorean Lawyer and a Career Diplomat with a Post- Graduate Degree in Diplomatic Studies from the University of Oxford, England. She has also studied International Humanitarian Law at NYU and has specialized studies in international affairs, human rights, negotiations, conflict resolution, peacekeeping and development, having taken different courses at the International Peace Academy and at the University of Harvard, Cambridge, MA, among others. She was assistant professor of Constitutional Law and Political Law (Theory of the State) at a private University in El Salvador. She worked as Alternate Representative of El Salvador to the United Nations in New York from 1990 to 1997 and as Minister Counselor at the Embassy of El Salvador in Washington D.C. from 1997 to 1999. She returned to El Salvador to become General Director of Foreign Policy at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs until 2004 and later held the position of Senior Adviser to the Foreign Minister. She was elected Vice-President of the Organization of American States´ National Authorities Meeting for the Development of Women and headed different Salvadoran Official Delegations in various international meetings. She represented her country in the Presidential Commission for the revision of the Central American Integration System and was responsible for the coordination of the celebrations of the 15th Anniversary of the signing of the Peace Agreements of El Salvador. She was also the national coordinator of El Salvador’s participation in all International Presidential Summits such as the Summit of the Americas, the Rio Group, the G-11, the Iberoamerican Conference, the European Union-Latin America and the Caribbean Summit, among others. She has lead an international initiative on financing for development to enhance international cooperation for the development of middle-income countries. She has written articles on international affairs and regional integration. She is a member of the Board of Directors of two private businesses and has been a member of the Boards of three non-profit organizations: Hogares CREA-El Salvador, the Salvadoran Foundation for the Elderly and the International Institute for Women. She is an active member of the Oxford Union Society. She speaks fluent Spanish and English, intermediate French and basic Arabic. She is happily married to Carlos R. Barillas and has three daughters: Alexia, Florence and Gabriela.
Julio Rank Wright
Julio Rank Wright actively promotes democracy in the region as the program officer responsible for democratic consolidation programs Mexico and Central America at the National Endowment for Democracy in Washington, DC. Prior to joining the National Endowment for Democracy Julio served as Regional Director for Central America for RTI International, the second largest independent development contractor in the United States, working in democratic governance, municipal finance, and public service provision. Julio was also RTI's Deputy Director for the Technical Assistance Provision Program for the 262 municipalities of El Salvador. Served as Head of the Research and Policy Division of the Social Investment Fund for Local Development (FISDL) where he coordinated local development projects with funding from World Bank, USAID and IADB. Participated in the elaboration of government platforms for two candidates for mayor of San Salvador and a Presidential candidate and ran for City Council in 2003 as the youngest candidate in recent history. Julio was chosen as a “Voice from the New Generation” by the Council of the Americas/Americas Society in New York City and actively contributes to their blog. Founding member of Fundacion Juntos por la Ciudad and founding member of the Salvadoran Foundation for Economic and Social Development (FUSADES). He's served as Committee Member for FUSADES' Social Strengthening Program, FORTAS. Vice-President of the National Council of the Scouts Association and on the Board of SalvaNATURA. Holds a BSc in Economics with a minor in religious studies from Santa Clara University; Masters in Community and Rural Development from Cornell University and a Msc. in Business & Enterprise from Oxford Brookes University in England. Julio has also participated in political party leadership at the local and national level in El Salvador.
Lilian Zelaya
Partner. Specialization in Corporate, Commercial and Banking Law in the Central American region. Active in Mergers & Acquisitions and International Transactions. Lilian has assisted many of the largest local and international companies in transactions dealing with mergers and acquisitions, privatizations, project finance and tax planning. These transactions totaled excess of US $2 billion. She is a very active and able young lawyer discreetly involved in many actions of community service. Lilian was listed in the “Forty under Forty” at the Latin Lawyer.com Magazine (forty outstanding female lawyers under forty year of age). Founding member and Executive President of LIDERA Foundation, the first pro-ethics foundation of the private sector with 80 members, including Universities, companies and top law firms. She is also Director of the Board of Young Presidents Organization (El Salvador Chapter).
Hector Dada
International consultant and entrepreneur. Director of PAIRCA (Program for the Support of Central America’s Regional Integration), a project financed by the European Cooperation aimed at strengthening institutional capabilities and the participation of business, academic and social sectors in the Central American Integration process. He is part of the Board of Directors of BMI (Multisectorial Investment Bank) and FESA (Fundación Educando a un Salvadoreño), a not-for-profit private organization that provides academic and educational opportunities to talented kids with economic needs. He is founder and President of Asoscia, a firm dedicated to provide consultancy services and the development of real estate projects. He was Viceminister of Foreign Affairs of El Salvador between 1999 and 2003. In 2001 he led the works for launching the Puebla Panama Plan, as Presidential Commissioner in charge of the Mesoamerican Initiative for the Integration of Telecommunications Services. He has also been part of the Board of Directors of PROESA (National Commission for Investment Promotion) and CORSATUR (Salvadorean Tourism Corporation). Previously he was Advisor to the Mexican petroleum company PEMEX, for the negotiation of the Energy Chapter of NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement). He has a Master’s degree in Economics for Development (M.Sc.) from the University of Oxford, U.K., which he obtained after graduating in Economics from ITAM (Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México). He is married to Maricarmen Rico, Mexican, and is father of 4.
GUATEMALA
Jeronimo Lancerio
Minister of Culture and Sports of Guatemala since 2008. Vice President of Latin American Indigenous Found (FILC) 2008 – 2010. Former General Manager for CORSA GROUP / PBL Tropical Plant, S.A. in Guatemala. Corsa Group is an agro export company of ornamental plants (specially Beaucarneas and Bromeliads). Today, Corsa Group has 70 people working in its production farm, where almost 60% of them are women.
The plant material is obtained from Indigenious plantations strategically located where, as part of the community development projects, they contribute with job opportunities to people that are affected by extreme poverty. In the year 2002 they obtained the prize "Jose Carlos Castillo" as the best export company of the year, granted by the ASOCIACION GREMIAL DE PRODUCTOS NO TRADICIONALES -AGEXPORT- (i.e. Non Traditional Products Association). In 2005, Jeronimo was mentioned in Guatemala's well known magazine "Estrategia y Negocios" as one of the 120 most innovating business men of the region, because of the development and worlwide commercialization of "air plants".Currently, he is involved in several indigenious poblations as an international advisor from the "Movimiento de Poblaciones Desarraigadas de la region Norte del Departamento del Quiché" which is a movement that helps recuperate and develop families that experienced the internal conflict in Guatemala, and as Joint Secretary for the "Convergencia Maya para la Gobernabilidad", a political and social group with activities in all indigenious poblations in the country. Also he is the current National Secretary of the current government political party UNIDAD NACIONAL DE LA ESPERANZA -UNE- for Mayan, Garifuna and Xinka Populations. He has a major in Business Administration from the Atlantic International University de Miami, FL. Also, speaks mayan language K´iche, english, italian and german.
Yara Argueta
President of Lapco – Grupo Solid, S.A. since May 2005, paint company leading the market with operations from Guatemala to Panama, managing the Corona brand with more than 4,500 distributors, paint stores named Paleta with 68 points of sale and the Sytec brand with 658 key accounts. Previously Regional Director of the Paleta stores (2001-2005). MBA Graduate from INCAE (2005) with High Distinction Honor and undergraduate as Industrial Engineering from Universidad Rafael Landivar (URL) with Summa Cum Laude Honor (1999). Industrial Engineering Director in URL (2004-2005), where she also was Professor of Business Administration and Marketing (2002-2003). Students Representative at the University Board Committee of URL (1999). Electoral Coordinator appointed by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal for the 2007 presidential elections, and Delegate for the 1999 and 2004 presidential elections.
Jose Andres Botran Briz
President of Grupo Edifica S.A. (a real estate development company), and Board member of Financiera Guatemalteca Sociedad Anonima (FIGSA) and Ingenio Santa Ana y Industrias Licoreras de Guatemala. Under his direction a National Public Policy of Food Security and Nutrition was developed as well as the creation of a new government office, the Secretariat of Food Security and Nutrition of the Presidency (SESAN). He played a key role in the launching of the United Nation’s “Latin America without Hunger 2025” to develop a new generation of political will and leadership in the effort against hunger in the region. He was nominated in 2007 for the World Food Prize, an award that recognizes the best initiatives that work towards strengthening food and nutrition at a worldwide level. He has been a spokesperson in conferences all around the world to address the issue of world hunger and malnutrition, and has provided consulting and supported several Latin American governments in the topic. He obtained a degree in Manufacturing Engineering from Boston University. He is also a graduate from Centro Nacional de Estudios Estratégicos (ESTNA) in Guatemala City. He is married and has 2 children.
Salvador Biguria
As Head of New Businesses for Pantaleon Sugar Holdings, he responsible for all strategic and growth investments including mergers, acquisitions, JV's, and all international expansion projects for the sugar cane processing and production business. He is also responsible for the renewable energy and the biofuels businesses of the group. He has been appointed President of the Electoral Board for the State of Guatemala by the Supreme Electoral Court (Tribunal Supremo Electoral) during the country's 2007 general elections, and has held several other positions on the Electoral Board during 6 previous electoral processes. He was a pro-bono Advisor to the Guatemalan Minister of Education during the 2003-2007 government period, working to promote projects and policies for the use of technology in public education. He is a co-founder and current Vice-President of Fundación Proyecto de Vida, a non-profit organization promoting the GuateAmala citizen movement, and is also a board member of Empresarios por la Educación, which is the private sector entity overseeing matters related to the education system policymaking and development. Recently he has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Grupo Educativo del Valle which operates several universities and private schools around the country, and also to the Board of Trustees of FUNDESA, the main Guatemalan private sector Development Association. He received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT - 1997) and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the Harvard Business School (HBS - 2002).
HONDURAS
Ely Melendez
Honduran, afro descending of the Garifuna town, unmarried, economist with studies specialized in Social Inclusion and Sort. At the moment and from 2002 he has worked for the Inter-American Development Bank (I.A.D.B.), like consultant whose task is to incorporate the perspective of social inclusion and economic in operations that the I.A.D.B. makes to support to indigenous and black population in Honduras, it has participated important projects of investigation: "Conditions of life of the cultural nuclei of the indigenous and black women" within the framework of the Program of Support to indigenous and black populations (PAPIN), also in the design of the operation "Integral Indigenous Population Development" (DIPA), recently approved by the Bank, also in the different processes from consultation and national agreement and regional base for the elaboration of the "Operative Policy and Strategy of the I.A.D.B. To work with Indigenous Population", I comprise of different equipment to design the program "Tourist Emprendimientos Etno" impelled recently by Multilateral Bottom of Investments FOMIN/BID, Microfinanzas Project, Human rights for Black women coexisting with VIH/Sida in the Fabric Bay, Honduras, initiative coordinated from it yields of the I.A.D.B. in Washington by the Program of Social Empresariado and the Unit of Sort in the Development, at the present time this finalizing the process of formulation of the "Strategy of Integral Development of Native Towns" in addition from a study at national level to identify mechanisms to incorporate the approach of fairness of sort in the institutions micro financiers. At different moments from its professional life she has been educational college student in the areas of Sort, local Governability and Microeconomía. It belongs to the popular movement of women of Honduras and politically supports technique and to the organization Connection of Black Women of Honduras (ENMUNEH).
Juan Orlando Hernandez
Is currently a Congressman to the National Congress of Honduras for Lempira's Department, in addition is the General Secretary of the National Party of Honduras. It is member of the Legislative Committees for Competitiveness, Telecommunications, Budget and Follow-up of the Reform of the UNAH(Universidad Autónoma de Honduras). In the period of Government 2002-2006 served as the First Secretary of the National Congress. He is also a member of the office Legal Consulting and Notarial Advisers since 1995 and associate of several companies dedicated to Tourism, Radio and Television. He has been a professor of the Law School. Having a Law degree from the UNAH (Universidad Autónoma de Honduras) and Master in Public Administration emphatically in Legislative Administration of the State University of New York at Albany. He is, in addition, a Notary authorized by the Supreme Court of Justice of Honduras from the year 1999. He is married and has 4 children.
Regina Wong de Eyl
Finance Executive. Director of Televisión Educativa Canal 10, involved with the “startup” of the first educational and cultural program in Honduran television. General Director of Editorial Hablemos Claro, where she initiated and developed the magazine Revista Cromos, a monthly publication dedicated to documenting the more optimistic and positive side of Honduras society, and invented the quarterly travel publication Come to Honduras that promotes tourism and investment to Honduras. Member of several Board of Directos: Televisión Educativa Nacional Canal 10, Fundación Profuturo (Chiminike), Fundación María, Telenoticiero Abriendo Brecha and Asociación de Propietarios Lomas del Molino (APLM), YPO Spouse Forum Coordinator and Founder of the United Way Honduras affiliate. Obtained a Bachelor’s in Business Administrations of Companies and Industries from the Universidad Tecnológica Centroamericana (UNITEC) in Honduras; and a Masters in Business Administrations from Loyola University in New Orleans. She is happily married to Rudi Eyl and has three children.
Jaqueline Foglia Sandoval
Executive Director of United Way Honduras. She was Director of External Relations at Zamorano University, Honduras, a private international organization that develops leaders through a rigorous learning by doing education and contributes to the economic development of Latin America through projects and applied research. Jackie served as an officer in the Honduran Army in several positions and has served in senior management positions for the Alcon Group (Cargill Corporation). She was Sub-Secretary of State for the Tourism and owned a consulting firm that provides guidance in international business focusing on attracting foreign investment. She was a negotiator in the free trade agreement between the Central America, Dominican Republic and the U.S. (DR- CAFTA). Jackie is an active participant in many business and cultural organizations. She is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. She earned a Fulbright Scholarship to obtain a M.A. in International Relations and Economy at the School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University in Washington, D.C. In 1994 she was chosen as an outstanding young leader for the new millennium by Time magazine.
NICARAGUA
Mauricio Pierson
Currently President (CEO) and founder of the Board of Directors of CrediFactor S.A. a Financial Factoring Company. Recently CrediFactor obtained a direct support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) with the objective to promote the factoring industry in Nicaragua. CrediFactor is register in the Nicaraguan Stock Exchange through a bond issue, making it the fifth private sector entity to issue publicly traded securities in Nicaragua. Mr. Pierson is also President of the Board of Directors for ALAMO and National Car Rental of Nicaragua. Ex President of the Arbitration and Mediation Center from the Nicaraguan Chamber of Commerce; was also President of the Commission from the Private Sector in charge of promoting this Law in the Nicaraguan National Assembly. Mr. Pierson has also been Secretary of the Association of Private Bank of Nicaragua (ASOBANP), Ex Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Nicaraguan Chamber of Commerce (CACONIC) and member of the Board of Director of the Nicaraguan American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM); also, ex-member of the Presidential Consulting Commission for the Nicaraguan Social Security System. Has an Industrial and Systems Engineering title from the University of Florida, Gainesville Florida and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Notre Dame University Business School, Indiana USA, with an extension in International Business at the Notre Dame University in London, UK. He was born in Nicaragua, married and has one child.
Mercedes M. Deshon
Mercedes Deshon brings eight years experience in the financial services sector in Central America, five of which as Executive Director and General Manager of Banco Uno, S.A. (Nicaragua), leader in consumer banking and credit card issuance in the region. During her tenure with Grupo Financiero Uno until June 2008, Mercedes has also been involved in new product development, investments in the energy industry, and social responsibility programs. She began her career at the International Finance Corporation in Washington, D.C. as a financial analyst in Latin American capital markets. Mercedes is also a Director of Fabretto Children’s Foundation, a 501( c) 3 in the United States and serves on the Advisory Board of Agora Partnerships. During her one year sabbatical, Mercedes is currently devoting her time to social projects in education, entrepreneurship, as well as launching the Vital Voices chapter in Nicaragua. Mercedes earned a Bachelor in Science in Finance from Georgetown University and a Masters in Management from Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
Egda R. Velez
Current Deputy Director of the Bilateral Private Sector Development Program of the Department for International Development (DFID) of the United Kingdom. Ms. Velez’s work focuses on the participation of small urban and rural entrepreneur from non-traditional economic activities into national and international markets. Her contribution to this program has helped to improve market access for over 34 partner associations and 100,000 plus indirect participants. A strong believer in the role of business climate in entrepreneurship, Egda developed (2006) a pilot model to construct through participatory processes the construction of public and private business climate agendas at a municipal level. Moreover, this model was replicated and implemented nationwide in 2007 by the Government of Nicaragua.
Alberto Solano
Alberto Solano, Latin American Programs Director at Global Partnerships; an international NGO that foster micro and small enterprise development through financing and strategic support to more than 30 micro financial institutions in eight countries in the region. He has extensive experience in the microfinance industry and is member of the Board of Directors of Inversiones Agropecuarias S.A. (INVAGRO). Alberto is actively related to social initiatives promoted by catholic groups in Nicaragua. Previously, he developed a wide experience on small enterprise consultancy in the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Guatemala; he worked in the Sustainable Development Department at the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) in Honduras. He graduated from Zamorano as Agronomist and holds a master degree in Business Administration from INCAE. Alberto is married and has 4 children with his wife Yadira.
PANAMA
Nilson Ariel Espino
President of SUMA architects and urban planners, a private firm specialized in urban-scale projects that include public-private partnerships, and significant social and environmental components. He has held several government posts, including Executive Director of the Office of the Old City (OCA), a governmental agency administered through the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and whose mission is the renovation of the colonial neighborhood of Panama City, declared World Heritage Site in 1997.
He obtained a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the Catholic University in Panama, a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Arizona, and a Ph.D. in anthropology from Rice University. He is married and has two sons.
Angélica Maytín Justiniani
Mrs. Maytín is the Executive President of the Foundation for Civil Liberties Development, the Panamanian Chapter of Transparency International (TI). Her academic background includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Law and Political Science from the University of Panamá; a Diploma in Open and Participative Government from the Monterrey Technological Institute and the World Bank; two post graduate degrees and one Master’s Degree (Cum Laude) in Mediation, Negotiation and Arbitration the Latin-American Science and Technology University (ULACIT). Is is a labor affairs arbitror with the Panama Canal Authority. She is a member of UNDP’s National Human Development Report Advisor Committee (from 2003). She has served as a consultant for various international organizations such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID/Panamá), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), and the Center for Public Integrity in Washington, DC. She received numerous recognitions for accomplishments in the areas of corruption prevention and the promotion of citizen participation. These include: "2002 Panama's Junior Chamber's Young Overachiever Award; Moral Achievement Category;" selected by the Inter-American Development Bank as "Protagonist of Development" on August 2002; selected as "Distinguished Woman" by the Panamanian Chapter of Soroptimist International in 2002. Has been electoral observant since 1994 and in 2006 was selected as Member of the National Electorate Board (Junta Nacional de Escrutinio) for the Panama Canal's Expansion Referendum. In 2001 she presented de bill of the current Habeas Data Law.
Gisela Alvarez de Porras
Former member of the Cabinet of President Martin Torrijos Espino (2004-2009), as Minister of Commerce and Industry in Panama and previously as Vice Minister of Finance. She began in public service in September 2005 when appointed as Director General of the Internal Revenue Service of the Ministry of Economy and Finance with the mission to implement an import fiscal reform approved in February of the same year. Whilst in Government, she represented the Republic of Panama before the Inter-American Center of Tax Administration, the OCDE, GAFIC and has been the head negotiator of the International Treaties to Avoid Double Taxation. She is a lawyer (Sigma Lambda, National University of Panama), and practiced as such from 1987 to 2005, specializing in tax and estate planning as partner in the firm of Patton, Moreno & Asvat, and Assets Trust & Corporate Services, a corporation where she also acted as Managing Director. From 2004 to 2005 was a member of the Presidential Commission for the Prevention of Money Laundering, representing the private sector.
She studied in London School of Economics (LLM) and has a postgraduate degree from Stetson University in Real Estate, and a Master of Science from the Swiss Business School (SBS). She expects to complete her Master in Business Administration soonest. Mrs. Porras is the President of Vital Voices-Panama and is a member of the Panamanian Association of Executives, where she was a member of the Board for two consecutive periods. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Panamanian Stock Exchange and Special Olympics (Panama).
Mrs. Porras has just completed the launching of Albacrome in Panama, a project of Grupo Altamirano from El Salvador, involving the largest commercial printing company in Central America and the Caribbean.
Diego Herrera
He is a partner with the Panamanian law firm Galindo, Arias & López since 2003. He joined the firm in 1986 as a legal assistant and in 1991 became an associate. In 1991 graduated from Santa María La Antigua University in Panama as Bachelor of Law and Political Sciences. In 1993 obtained a Masters in Law (LL.M) in Tulane University Law School in New Orleans and in 1995 obtained an MBA from the Instituto Centroamericano de Administración de Empresas (INCAE), in Costa Rica. His private practice in Galindo, Arias & López has had an emphasis on providing legal counsel and representation to multinational and large national corporations in the financial and industrial sectors, but also embracing companies serving public utilities (telecommunications). He has led teams in mergers and acquisition for national and foreign banks and corporations, and has also advised national and foreign clients in the development and structuring of loan syndications and securitizations. He has also played a key role in some of the main mergers and acquisition in Panama and Latin America, and has participated in several corporate and financial restructurings. He currently leads the team that advises the Panama Canal Authority overseen all of the legal aspects of the Panama Canal Expansion Project. He has supported, pro bono, several non profit organizations, such as Fundación de Lupus de Panamá, Fundación Amador and the Central America Leadership Initiative Foundation (CALI). He collaborated in the drafting of the Panamanian Call Center legislation, is the Vice President of the Board of Directors of INCAE’s National Committee, is a member of AMCHAM, TAGLaw, Lawyers Associated Worldwide and of the Alianza Legal Lationamericana. He is married, has three children and likes to play golf.