Regional leaders convene at Council of the Americas Symposium to discuss Latin America’s transformational moment

The event also celebrates 30 years of the BRAVO Business Awards, honoring outstanding leadership in business and policy in Latin America.

MIAMI, FL, UNITED STATES, September 24, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- On Oct. 16, the Council of the Americas will host the 2025 COA Symposium and 30th BRAVO Business Awards at the Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove in Miami, Florida. Celebrating three decades of impact, this landmark event will gather top executives, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and regional business figures from across industries to explore the key issues and breakthrough opportunities shaping Latin America and the global economy, including innovation, AI, sustainable growth, regional economic integration, and the future of finance and technology in Latin America.

Over 500 leaders from multinational corporations, multilatinas, venture capital firms, academia, multilateral institutions, government, and the media from across the Americas are expected to attend, making it one of the region’s most influential business forums.

“The Symposium has long been a place for dialogue, inspiring solutions and innovation that builds on the progress Latin America has made,” said Maria Lourdes Teran, Vice President of AS/COA Miami and Chair of the BRAVO Business Awards. “In today’s uncertain geopolitical and economic climate, the region’s role on the global stage is more critical than ever. This year, we’re not only celebrating the companies that are elevating Latin American business globally — we’re also spotlighting the next generation of leadership that will define its future.”

Centered on the theme of “Driving Latin America’s Future: Innovation, Competitiveness, and Global Integration,” the day-long Symposium will explore the most critical issues shaping the region’s present and future through a series of panels, keynote presentations, fireside chats, and afternoon roundtable sessions. The Symposium will bring together a unique group of business leaders and visionaries from across industries and geographies who are driving Latin America’s business agenda forward. Distinguished topics and speakers include:

Latin America’s Opportunity in Today’s Evolving Geopolitical Context
- Luiz R. Vasconcelos, SVP & President of FedEx Latin America & Caribbean.
- Blanca Treviño, President & CEO of Softtek.
- Andres Velasco, Dean of the School of Public Policy, London School of Economics & Political Science, and former Minister of Finance of Chile.
- Shu Nyatta, Founder & Managing Partner, Bicycle Capital.
- Moderated by Andres Gluski, President & CEO of The AES Corporation.

Legacy and Leadership – A Century of Latin American Excellence
- Roberto Lara, CEO of Castillo Hermanos.
- João Schmidt, CEO of Votorantim.
- Francisco Ruiz-Tagle, CEO of CMPC.
- Percy Moreira, CEO Itaú USA & Head of International Private Bank, Itaú
- Moderated by Tracy Francis, Senior Partner & Managing Partner Latin America at McKinsey & Company.

Vision, Values, and Growth – Inside the CMI Multilatina Journey
- Felipe Bosch, Chairman of CMI Capital.
- Juan José Gutiérrez, Chairman of CMI Foods.
- Moderated by Jorge Becerra, Emeritus Senior Partner & Senior Advisor at BCG.

Embraer – Re-defining the Future of Air Mobility
- Francisco Gomes Neto, President & CEO of Embraer.
- Moderated by Brian Winter, Editor-in-Chief at Americas Quarterly.

Artificial Intelligence – A Once-in-a-Generation Economic Opportunity
- Jaime Vallés, Vice President, Asia Pacific & Japan, of Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Shaping the Future of Finance through Innovation
- Cristina Junqueira, Co-Founder & Chief Growth Officer of Nubank.
- Moderated by Luis Alberto Moreno, Managing Director of Allen & Co and former President of the Inter-American Development Bank.

Beyond Latin America’s Fintech Frontier
- Annali Duarte, Head of Latin America, Global Payments Solutions at Bank of America.
- Antonio Silveira, VP for the Private Sector of CAF - Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean.
- Juan Ignacio de Lorenzo, SVP & Head of Distribution for Consumer Lines of CHUBB Latin America.
- Moderated by Alejandro Anderlic, Head of Government & External Affairs for Latin America at Salesforce.

25 Years of Innovation, Inclusion, and Impact with Mercado Libre
- Introduction by Julio Figueroa, Head of Latin America at Citi.
- Ariel Szarfsztejn, President of Commerce and incoming CEO of Mercado Libre.
- Moderated by Susan Segal, President & CEO of AS/COA.

From Intelligence to Infrastructure: Building the AI-Ready Economy in Latin America
- Carlos Barrera, CEO of Atlas Renewable Energy.
- Shannon Kellogg, VP of Public Policy at Amazon.
- John Medina, Senior Vice President, Global Project & Infrastructure Finance Group at Moody's Ratings.
- Moderated by Antonio Silveira, VP for the Private Sector of CAF - Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Opportunities for Regional Economic Integration in Central America
- Maria Luisa Hayem, Minister of Economy for El Salvador.
- Manuel Tovar, Minister of Foreign Trade for Costa Rica.
- Hector Marroquín, Deputy Minister of Integration and Foreign Trade of Guatemala.

Following the Symposium, the Council of the Americas will honor a select group of companies and individuals who embody the visionary leadership and transformative impact that define progress in the Americas, at the 30th BRAVO Business Awards. This year’s distinguished honorees will be recognized with the following awards:

- Mercado Libre will be honored with the BRAVO Company of a Generation Award. This recognizes the 25 years of breakthrough innovation, impactful leadership, and long-term value creation that have made Mercado Libre a symbol of Latin American entrepreneurship and the region’s most valuable company. The award will be accepted by Ariel Szarfsztejn, President of Commerce and incoming CEO.
- Francisco Gomes Neto, President & CEO of Embraer, will be honored with the BRAVO Transformational Leader of the Year Award for his exceptional leadership in guiding Embraer through a period of profound transformation and global expansion. He has successfully positioned the Brazilian aerospace company at the forefront of sustainable aviation and advanced mobility technologies.
- Luiz R. Vasconcelos, President of FedEx Latin America & Caribbean, will be honored with the BRAVO Dynamic Leader of the Year Award for his role in driving innovation, improving regional connectivity, and strengthening the impact FedEx has on trade, logistics, and economic development across the Americas.
- Corporación Multi Inversiones (CMI) will receive the BRAVO Corporate Legacy Award, accepted by Juan José Gutiérrez Mayorga, Chairman of CMI Foods, and Felipe Bosch Gutiérrez, Chairman of CMI Capital. The award recognizes the multigenerational enterprise for expanding across 15 countries while advancing its food business, clean energy projects, and sustainable development throughout Latin America and the United States.

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In partnership with: CAF - Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean
Sponsors: Amazon, CHUBB Latin America, LLYC, Atlas Renewable Energy, Bank of America, Castillo Hermanos, Moody’s, Salesforce, The AES Corporation, BlackRock, FedEx, and Grupo Mariposa
Knowledge Partner: McKinsey & Company
Media Partners: Americas Quarterly, Bloomberg Línea, CNN en Español, El País, Estrategia & Negocios, and Exame
For more information, visit http://www.as-coa.org/bravo2025.

Press Contacts:
Patricia Martínez de Aragón | pmartinezdearagon@llyc.global
Luciana Sabillon | lsabillon@as-coa.org
AS/COA Media Relations | mediarelations@as-coa.org

About Council of the Americas
Council of the Americas is the premier international business organization whose members share a common commitment to economic and social development, open markets, the rule of law, and democracy throughout the Western Hemisphere. The Council's membership consists of leading international companies representing a broad spectrum of sectors, including banking and finance, consulting services, consumer products, energy and mining, manufacturing, media, technology, and transportation.

About BRAVO Business Awards
For three decades, the BRAVO Business Awards have recognized leadership and excellence in business and policy in the Western Hemisphere. The award ceremony also seeks to disseminate and inspire other relevant actors in the hemisphere to become agents of change and enable others to continue building success in the Americas. The awards gala is preceded by an annual Council of the Americas Symposium, which brings together key players from business and government institutions to discuss the most important business issues and trends affecting the region.

Patricia Martínez De Aragón
LLYC
+1 (857) 472-3474
email us here

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