COA to Recognize Trailblazing Business Leaders at the 25th BRAVO Business Awards

MIAMI, September 17, 2019 – Council of the Americas (COA) announces the final group of leaders that will be honored at the 25^th edition of the BRAVO Business Awards on October 25 in Miami. Cristina Junqueira, David Vélez, Edward Wible, Claudio Muruzabal, Susana Balbo and André El-Mann join Carlos Vives, Luis Alberto Moreno and João Carvalho de Miranda in the group of honorees to be recognized during this special edition of BRAVO.

Relentless dedication, remarkable resilience and passion for improvement are some of the traits that define this group of change-makers. From helping to bridge the digital divide to creating the largest digital bank outside of Asia, this group represents the progress and transformation of the Americas.

"We are proud to acknowledge one of the brightest and most diverse groups of winners for the 25th BRAVO Business Awards," said Americas Society/Council of the Americas (AS/COA) President and CEO Susan Segal. "At the Council of the Americas, we have the responsibility of highlighting stories that inspire and empower others to continue cultivating success in the hemisphere."

The following leaders will be recognized:

• Cristina Junqueira, David Vélez and Edward Wible, co-founders of Nubank, will receive the Visionary Entrepreneurs of the Year Award for revolutionizing banking in Brazil by providing financial services without fees to millions of unbanked consumers and new generations, while inspiring other regional entrepreneurs.
• Claudio Muruzabal, president of SAP Latin America and the Caribbean, will receive the Technology Leader of the Year Award in recognition of his outstanding performance in leading SAP in cloud computing towards sustained double-digit growth for four consecutive years and his commitment to closing the digital gap in the region.
• Susana Balbo, founder of Susana Balbo Wines, will be recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her perseverance and unprecedented achievements in winemaking and contributions to the worldwide success of Argentine wines, as well as for her dedication to women's economic empowerment and gender equality worldwide.
• André El-Mann, CEO of Fibra Uno (FUNO), will be honored with the Investor of the Year Award for FUNO's impressive performance under his leadership. FUNO is one of the largest Real Estate Investment Trusts (REIT) in Mexico and Latin America and has achieved an annual growth* of 11.5% since its founding in 2011. *NAV for CBFI
• Carlos Vives, multiple Grammy award-winning artist and founder of the Tras la Perla initiative, will receive the Social Impact Leadership Award in recognition of his efforts to transform and improve citizens’ quality of life in Santa Marta, Colombia.
• João Carvalho de Miranda, CEO of Votorantim S.A., will be recognized as the CEO of the Year in honor of his outstanding performance leading the company’s investments and achieving the significant transformation of Brazil’s largest diversified industrial conglomerate.
• Luis Alberto Moreno, president of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), will be honored with the 25^th Anniversary BRAVO Legacy Award in recognition of his transformational impact on the IDB during his three-term presidency.

Prior to the BRAVO Business Awards, the Council of the Americas Symposium will bring together more than 400 business, political and social leaders to discuss the major development issues of the region.

Sponsors: HSBC, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, LLYC, The AES Corporation, Boston Consulting Group, Microsoft, Baker McKenzie, FedEx Express, gA, IBM, Mastercard LAC, SAP y Softtek

Supporting organizations: Enterprise Florida

Media partners: CNN en Español and Financial Times

Symposium partner: Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID)

For more information, please visit: http://www.as-coa.org/bravobiz

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Press inquiries:
AS/COA Media Relations | mediarelations@as-coa.org | 1-212-277-8333