Latin America, the United States, and Spain in the Global Economy Forum

Pedro Sanchez

Pedro Sánchez has been President of the Government of Spain since June 2018. He holds a Doctorate in Economics and is General Secretary of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Spanish acronym: PSOE), which he joined in 1993. He was also General Secretary of the PSOE, Leader of the Opposition and candidate to the Presidency of the Government between 2014 and 2016. Previously, he was a Member of the Lower House of Parliament for the constituency of Madrid and a City Councilor for Madrid.

Yamandú Orsi

Yamandú Orsi was born on June 13, 1967, in Canelones, Uruguay. He holds a degree in History Education from the Artigas Teachers' Training Institute (IPA) and worked as a history teacher for more than a decade before entering public office. A longtime member of the Broad Front (Frente Amplio), Orsi served as Secretary General of the Canelones Departmental Government from 2005 to 2015 under Intendant Marcos Carámbula. He was elected Intendant of Canelones in 2015 and re-elected in 2020 with more than 60% of the vote. His administration focused on supporting small producers, promoting social inclusion, environmental sustainability, and sports development. In 2024, Orsi won the Broad Front's presidential primary and ran alongside Carolina Cosse as the coalition's vice-presidential candidate. After leading the first round of the election, he won the November 2024 runoff and was elected President of Uruguay. He officially took office alongside Vice President Carolina Cosse following the Electoral Court's certification of the results.

Jose Manuel Albares

José Manuel Albares Bueno is the Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of the Kingdom of Spain. His appointment, formalized on 10 July 2021, was subsequently ratified on 21 November 2023. He was elected deputy for Madrid in the Congress of Deputies on 17 August 2023.

Nacho Abia

Mr. Jose Ignacio (Nacho) Abia Buenache serves as board member of Grifols, S.A. since 26 February 2024, and he is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Previously, and for over 10 years, he has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of Olympus Corporation of the Americas based in Pennsylvania. Concurrently he has also served as Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at Olympus Corporation, a publicly traded company in the Tokyo stock exchange. Mr. Nacho Abia has accumulated more than two decades of experience in Medical technology and Life Sciences industries, with half of that time spent in the United States and the other half in Europe. At Olympus he also dedicated a significant amount of time to developing the business in the Asia-Pacific region. Prior to joining Olympus, he held several positions in the IT and Consumer Electronics industries working for a variety of technology companies, including Sony and Techdata. In the academic field, Nacho holds a Bachelor's Degree in Telecommunications and Electronics Engineering from the Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya (UPC), he holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the business school (EAE) of Barcelona, and has completed the Senior Management Program (PADE) at IESE (University of Navarra). Mr. Nacho Abia also serves in the Board of Directors of the US-Spain Chamber of Commerce and is also member of the Board of Trustees of the Lehigh Valley Health Network, a hospital system composed of 13 hospitals and multiple care centres in Pennsylvania. In the past, he was member of the Board of Directors of Evident Corporation, a company in the field of life sciences and industrial solutions.

Marco Antonio Achon

Marco A. Achon is the Global Head of Corporate Banking for Santander. He has held various senior leadership positions within the Corporate and Investment Bank of Santander and holds a double degree in Law and Business Administration from Universidad Pontificia Comillas in Madrid and an MBA from Columbia University in New York. In addition, he has served as the President of the Spain-U.S. Chamber of Commerce since 2019.

Luis Briz

Luis Briz is President, Professional Health at Nestlé Health Science U.S. In his role, he oversees the Pharma and Nutrition organization and leads a dedicated team of commercial and medical professionals who deliver pharmaceutical and nutritional technologies with a human-centered focus. Most recently, Luis was the Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance. He brings over two decades of Nestlé business expertise, unparalleled passion — especially for the “why” behind our HCP-driven businesses — and strong people leadership into his current role. Before his tenure at NHSc, Luis held finance-focused positions at diverse Nestlé subsidiaries across different countries around the world. Having traversed the globe with Nestlé, the various cultures he encountered and experiences he gained profoundly influence both his work and leadership style, placing a strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion. Luis earned several business degrees from prestigious institutions including Universidad de Oviedo, University of Sunderland, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, and The National University of Distance Education (UNED). Balancing his responsibilities as a father to five children, he still carves out time for personal activities and interests, including staying active and catching a Real Madrid match.

Francisco J. Cerezo

Francisco serves as Chair of DLA Piper's US-Latin America Practice, leads the firm's Iberian Americas initiative, and is a member of the firm's Global Policy Committee. He focuses his practice on corporate and international matters, advising US and foreign companies, private equity funds, family groups and sovereigns doing business globally and with a focus in the Americas and the Caribbean. He has extensive experience in corporate and financial services, cross-border transactions, strategic corporate counseling, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), private equity, and public-private partnerships. He regularly counsels global companies and private equity funds doing business in the Americas on matters ranging from complex transactions and market entry issues to compliance and general corporate strategic counsel. Francisco also serves as principal outside counsel to several significant family groups on matters ranging from corporate governance and succession planning to representing their underlying portfolio companies in billions of dollars of transactions, ranging from banking and energy to telecom and retail. Chambers Global recognized him for Corporate/M&A work and cited for "his impressive client list including leading Latin American companies in industries as diverse as financial services, telecoms and tourism, and he has enjoyed notable highlights." The Legal 500 United States recognized him in the area of mergers and acquisitions and referred to him as "an excellent lawyer and strategic thinker. His roots and experience in the region and his capacity to foster relations set him apart from his peers." Hispanic Business Magazine recognized him as one of the "50 Influentials," which profiles 50 of the most influential Hispanics in the United States across industries. Latinvex recognized him as one of Latin America's Top 100 lawyers, and he was further recognized by the Global M&A Network as one of the Top 50 of Americas M&A Dealmakers in the South America and Latin America Dealmakers categories.

Margaret Crotty

Ms. Crotty was elected chair of Northwell Health Board of Trustees in 2023 and is the first is the first woman to serve as Chair. She has served as a Northwell trustee since 2019. She is president and CEO of JSI, a global non-profit public health organization that manages large-scale public health, education, supply chain, and health system strengthening projects in 40 countries; and consults on health equity issues for federal, state and local governments in the US. She previously served as CEO of Partnership with Children, a New York City-based provider of community and school-based behavioral health. Before that, Ms. Crotty launched and led Save the Children’s flagship initiative to reduce global child and maternal mortality. Ms. Crotty graduated from Princeton University with a BA in History and African-American Studies, and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Masters in Public Health from Columbia University. She serves on several health and education boards, including those of the Open Medical Institute, the CUNY School of Public Health, the United Hospital Fund, and ACCESS Health International. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on several government task forces and higher education advisory boards.

Fernando Fernández

Fernando Fernández is the Chief Executive Officer of EM&E Group. Fernández brings over 20 years of experience in the defense sector, having held senior management positions in several engineering companies. His career has been marked by a focus on R&D, product innovation, and international expansion, aligning with EM&E Group’s strategy of vertical integration and global competitiveness

Ilan Goldfajn

Ilan Goldfajn was elected IDB president on November 20, 2022. Goldfajn served as Director of the Western Hemisphere Department at the International Monetary Fund in 2022, where he helped countries implement IMF-supported programs to address an unprecedented array of challenges. He also contributed to the region’s policy dialogue on climate change with the IMF and oversaw the first Resilience and Sustainability Facility of the institution. Earlier in his career, he worked as an economist at the IMF (1996-1999). Goldfajn previously served as governor of the Banco Central do Brasil (2016-2019) and deputy governor (2000-2003). He led the BCB in a period of unprecedented decline in inflation and interest rates in Brazil. He championed the structural “BC+“ agenda and oversaw changes that opened the door to new players in the financial services industry, spurred innovation and digitalization, and started developing the widespread fast-payment system, all of which bolstered efficiency and more inclusion in Brazil’s financial sector. In 2017, he was elected Central Banker of the Year by The Banker magazine. The year after, Global Finance magazine named him Best Central Banker. Goldfajn’s private-sector experience includes key positions at Brazil’s financial institutions: chief economist and partner of Itaú Unibanco, founding partner of Ciano Investimentos, partner and economist at Gávea Investimentos and chairman of Credit Suisse Brazil’s Advisory Board. He has also had several roles as a consultant at top public-sector institutions, including the World Bank, the United Nations and the IMF. He has an extensive academic career. He taught graduate and undergraduate economics at universities in Brazil and the United States, has worked as an editor of various publications, and has written and published numerous articles and books. Goldfajn holds a doctorate in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and master’s degree in economics from the Pontificia Universidade Católica and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Universidade Federal, both in Rio de Janeiro. He is fluent in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and Hebrew. He took office at the IDB on December 19, 2022.

Mauro Guillen

Mauro F. Guillén is the Wurster Professor of Multinational Management and Sociology at the Wharton School. He received a PhD in sociology from Yale University and a Doctorate in Political Economy and Business Management from the University of Oviedo in his native Spain. He is the former Dean of Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge, and Professorial Fellow of Queens’ College, Cambridge. He is a trustee of the Royal Foundation of Spain, known as the Fundación Princesa de Asturias, a member of the advisory board of the Escuela de Finanzas Aplicadas (Grupo Analistas), a board of trustee member of CUNEF Universidad He has won the Aspen Institute’s Faculty Pioneer Award. He is an Elected Fellow of the Sociological Research Association and of the Macro Organizational Behavior Society, a former Guggenheim and Fulbright Fellow and a Member in the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. In 2005 he won the IV Fundación Banco Herrero Prize, awarded annually to the best Spanish social scientist under the age of 40. He has delivered the Clarendon Lectures at Oxford University, the Otto Krause Memorial Lecture at the University of Johannesburg, and the Laurent Picard Distinguished Lecture at McGill University. King Felipe VI of Spain has appointed him as a Knight of the Royal Order of Civil Merit. He is the bestselling author of 2030: How Today’s Biggest Trends Will Collide and Reshape the Future of Everything. His latest book, The Perennials: The Megatrends Creating a Postgenerational Society was published in August 2023. He teaches global trends, and their implications for business. He is also doing research on the consequences of AI for global trends. He was a member of the University of Oviedo team that won the Spain National Basketball University Championship in 1987.

Daniel Ilundain

Mr. Ilundain joined Palladium in 2005 and serves as President and Co-Head of Funds. Previously, he was an Investment Manager in the private equity division of BBVA. He began his career as an investment professional in the venture capital division of BBVA. Mr. Ilundain currently serves on the Board of Directors of Palladium portfolio companies Accupac, Health Connect America, Quirch Foods, Source Logistics, and Superior Environmental Solutions. He has previously served on the Board of Directors of Palladium portfolio companies Aconcagua, Capital Contractors, Castro Cheese, Del Real Foods, Envoy Global, GoodWest, Jordan Health Services, Paragon, Taco Bueno, Teasdale, Trachte and TransForce. Mr. Ilundain also serves on the Board of Directors of the Spain-U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Investment Companies (NAIC). He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and earned a B.S. in Industrial and Mechanical Engineering from Universidad Pública de Navarra (Spain), a B.S. in Engineering from Staffordshire University (UK), a Leadership Development diploma from Harvard Business School, a Management Development Program (PDD) diploma from IESE Business School (Spain) and a Master in Finance from BBVA Escuela de Finanzas (Spain).

Emmanuel Lagarrigue

Emmanuel Lagarrigue (New York) joined KKR in 2022 and is a Partner. He is the Global Co-Head of KKR’s Climate Transition Strategy and Head of Sustainability, leading KKR's global investments in value added decarbonization. Mr. Lagarrigue also serves as the firm’s Head of Sustainability, working with business leaders across the firm to align sustainability with capital protection and value creation for our investors and shareholders. He has considerable experience in sustainability, the energy transition, and the transformation of large businesses. Before joining KKR, he was a founding partner of BeyondNetZero, a General Atlantic fund focusing on growth equity opportunities in decarbonization technologies. Before that, Mr. Lagarrigue held various leadership positions at Schneider Electric for over 20 years, including chief strategy, chief sustainability, and chief innovation officer, as well as P&L and general management roles in Europe, South America, Asia, and the United States. Additionally, he serves as the Chairman of the board of trustees of Menorca Preservation, an NGO dedicated to environmental causes in the Balearic Islands.

Gonzalo Mateo-Guerrero

Gonzalo Mateo-Guerrero Alcázar has developed a solid professional career spanning more than two decades in the industrial and defense sectors, with a strong focus on operations, commercial development and international business. He has led multidisciplinary teams and complex projects, delivering results and creating value in both domestic and international environments. He began his professional career at Bridgestone-Firestone and joined Navantia in 2000, where he has held several senior management positions. Over the years, he has played a key role in leading major programs and driving business growth, both in Spain and abroad. He moved to Australia in 2006 to manage Navantia Operations, becoming Managing Director of Navantia Australia Pty Ltd. He returned to Spain in 2012, as Chief Commercial Officer, becoming a member of Navantias’s Corporate Executive Board and later, in 2017, he was appointed Global Chief Operating Officer. From these roles, he contributed to strengthening Navantia’s operational performance and commercial positioning. In 2021, he moved to Saudi Arabia to join SAMI as Chief Operating Officer, where he supported the development of industrial capabilities and international cooperation initiatives in the defense sector. He returned to Navantia in 2023 as Executive advisor to the Chairman, leading commercial activities, and in 2024 he became Global Chief Operating Officer, position that he holds today. Gonzalo is Msc Naval Architect and Marine Engineer by the Polytechnic University of Madrid, holds a master’s degree in integrated Logistics from Comillas Pontifical University, has completed the Senior Management Program (PADE) at IESE Business School and was awarded with the Order of Civil Merit by his Majesty the King of Spain.

Jacinto Monge

Jose Jacinto Monge is Chairman & CEO of Indra Group USA, where he leads the company’s business and operations across the United States. He is responsible for driving growth in defense, air traffic management, and mobility technologies, and oversees strategy, customer engagement, and institutional relations. Jacinto has more than 25 years of global leadership experience in the aerospace and defense industry. Before joining Indra, he served in executive roles at Bell Textron, including Managing Director for Europe and Managing Director for Asia Pacific, where he led the commercial aircraft business across China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. Earlier in his career, he was President Director of Airbus Group in Indonesia and CEO of Airbus Defense and Space in the country, leading corporate strategy, government engagement, and industrial partnerships. He also held regional leadership roles in Airbus Military supporting the company’s growth in Asia-Pacific. He holds a Master’s in Aerospace Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, an MBA from the Collège des Ingénieurs in Paris, and completed executive education at IESE Business School, as well as the CFA program.

Nathan Sheets

Nathan Sheets, Ph.D., is Global Chief Economist at Citi Research. In this role, Nathan leads Citi’s surveillance and forecasting of the global economy and directs the analysis of the firm’s economics team. He interacts closely with Citi’s major institutional clients and internal risk takers and publishes research on cross-cutting themes shaping the global economy and financial markets. Most recently, Nathan was Chief Economist and a member of the senior investment team at PGIM Fixed Income. He also has served as Under Secretary of the U.S. Treasury for International Affairs, representing the U.S. government on international economic issues. Previously, he held positions with Citigroup, as Global Head of International Economics, and with the Federal Reserve Board, as Director of the Division of International Finance and FOMC Economist. In addition, Nathan was a senior advisor to the U.S. Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund and a visiting fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. He joined Citi in October 2021.

Robert da Silva Ashley

Robert da Silva Ashley is a trusted advisor to international and domestic financial institutions, project sponsors and developers, investment funds and multinational corporations, advising on sophisticated and market-leading complex cross-border and domestic project finance and corporate lending transactions throughout North America and Latin America. Robert has extensive experience in the renewable energy, infrastructure, hospitality and industrial sectors, guiding clients through the financing of utility-scale wind and solar projects, distributed solar generation, conventional power plants, carbon capture and sequestration facilities, midstream assets, onshore and offshore oil and gas exploration and production, chemical plants, and resorts and hotels across the Americas. Robert's clients have relied on his counsel for other fundamental corporate initiatives, including asset purchase and dispositions, recapitalizations, and workouts and restructurings. He also has significant experience representing multilateral financing institutions, state-controlled development banks and export-credit agencies. Robert serves as Head of the firm’s Energy & Natural Resources Sector for the Americas region and as Regional Co-Leader for the firm's Latin America practice, with particular focus on advancing the firm's strategic growth and excellence in Finance, Energy, Infrastructure, and P3 transactions.

Ambassador Alan D. Solomont

Alan D. Solomont is Dean Emeritus of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University, where he served as Dean from 2014 to 2021. He was the United States Ambassador to Spain and Andorra from 2009 to 2013 and has chaired the Board of Directors of the Spain-U.S. Chamber of Commerce since 2013. Earlier, he chaired the Corporation for National and Community Service, overseeing programs such as AmeriCorps and VISTA. Solomont has also held leadership roles in healthcare and philanthropy and served on numerous nonprofit and corporate boards. He holds a B.A. from Tufts University and a B.S. in nursing from the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

Peter Unanue

Experienced Executive Vice President with a successful history in the food production and distribution industry, the healthcare industry and in real estate development. Strong business process improvement, creative, analytical and negotiation skills and experience. He enjoys using his skills to drive both top line growth and bottom-line efficiencies while developing, motivating and empowering great people to do great things.

Raul Villarreal

Raul Villarreal is a co-founder of Source Logistics and has led the company as CEO since July 2024. In this role, Raul is dedicated to forging and nurturing strong relationships with customers and key stakeholders, while championing the dynamic and supportive culture that has defined Source Logistics since its inception. Raul’s distinguished career at Source Logistics began in 1999 when he helped found the company as Chief Operating Officer. Over the years, his strategic vision, operational expertise and “can-do attitude” have been pivotal in supporting its customers and driving the company’s stellar growth. With ambitious expansion plans on the horizon, Raul’s extensive experience will be critical in ensuring the company continues to advance its mission to “Be the Best Logistics Partner for You: An Employee, A Customer, and A Vendor.” In collaboration with Marcelo, Raul has played an essential role in transforming Source Logistics into the multi-million dollar enterprise it is today. His leadership has been instrumental in shaping the company’s strong culture, clear vision, and unwavering mission. Raul lives in Houston, TX with his family.

Rima Yousfan

Rima joined Auxadi in 2009, and now is Sr VP, Head of Funds & COO and a member of the Board of Directors. Before joining Auxadi, Rima worked at Discovery Communications’ UK regional office, managing the European Internal Audit Team, and was soon promoted to Director of Consolidation and Reporting in the firm’s London office. Prior to this, she worked in Public Practice in a Big Four firm. Rima holds an Economics degree from UB (2001), achieved certification as an account auditor from ICAC (2006) and an Executive MBA from CEF in 2008. She undertook postgraduate studies in Tax at IE Business School in 2010, followed by Harvard Business School’s LPSF (2010) and PLD in 2019/20.