BRAVO Symposium 2024: Unleashing Latin America's Potential on the Global Stage

Speakers:

• Paula Santilli, CEO, PepsiCo Latin America
• Roberto Alvo, CEO, LATAM Airlines
• Cristina Palmaka, President, SAP Latin America & Caribbean
• Ariane Ortiz-Bollin, Vice President - Senior Credit Officer for Latin America Credit Strategy and Research, Moody's Ratings
• Michael Stott, Latin America Editor, Financial Times (moderator)

"If you give capability, infrastructure, and access, you can also have the inclusion reflected that is so important and impactful for our region," said Cristina Palmaka of SAP during the opening panel of the 2024 Council of the Americas Symposium. Under the theme of "Unleashing Latin America's Potential on the Global Stage," the panelists highlighted the region's strengths in digital connectivity, entrepreneurship, and adaptation, and exchanged ideas about how the private sector could both leverage and help improve the region's labor capabilities and technological resources.

Paula Santilli of PepsiCo stressed the importance of ensuring a sound quality of life for Latin Americas through good education and employment opportunities that foster prosperity. Speaking to corporate leaders, she said, "Our job is to create peace in Latin America by creating better business." Continuing the conversation about the social dimension of business, LATAM Airlines' Roberto Alvo stated that the pandemic encouraged the corporate sector to think more deeply about the needs of the people it serves and to place more importance on the human aspects of business relations. Panelists also spoke about the value of attracting and retaining diverse talent in boardrooms across Latin America. They noted that there was not only a moral justification, but also a business motive, as it helps to formulate products that attract a wider range of markets.

On the future of U.S.-Latin America trade dynamics, Moody's Ariane Ortiz-Bollin outlined the region's potential as a nearshoring partner but also pointed out its strategic importance in the global economy. "We all know that Latin America is rich in minerals that are key for the green transition, and that will be a very good opportunity for the U.S. to counter China's presence, if that's what it wants," she said.

Panelists concurred that the region was well placed to take advantage of new and emerging technologies to boost economic conditions for its citizens. “The potential of the region is amazing. The human resources are endless. I think we have a great opportunity to bring ourselves to the task of what technology and its changes bring,” said Alvo.