Uribe, CEO's Win Bravo Awards

BY CHRONICLE STAFF

Alvaro Uribe, who as president of Colombia for eight years dramatically turned around that country, will receive a Lifetime Achievement award at this year’s Bravo Business Awards from Latin Trade magazine.

“We’re honored to recognize former Colombian head of state Alvaro Uribe with the Latin Trade Bravo Business Awards “Lifetime Achievement Award,” in recognition for his exemplary accomplishments in rebuilding security in Colombia during his tenure,” says Jane Bussey, editorial director of Latin Trade.

Uribe joins nine other Bravo winners, including CEO’s from companies in Argentina, Colombia and Mexico; Latin America’s two top development bankers; an executive of U.S.-based Intel (the world’s largest chip maker); a Costa Rican environmentalist; Brazil’s foreign minister and Peru’s first lady.

Uribe, who served as president of Colombia from 2002 until August this year, had previously won Bravo awards in 2004 and 2008. This year he is being recognized for his extensive achievements in rebuilding a safer Colombia. "By extending much-needed stability and security throughout the country, building confidence in its abilities to meet challenges, and creating an environment that welcomes investment and innovation, the former Colombian president has been instrumental in delivering an effective model of determined leadership," Latin Trade (a sister publication of Latin Business Chronicle) says in a statement. "When he stepped down as president in August of this year, Uribe handed over to his successor a nation with a vibrant economy and a renewed sense of national purpose."

The 16th annual Bravo awards ceremony will be held on the evening of October 29, 2010 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Miami. Last year's event featured winners such as Mexico's president Felipe Calderon.

The ceremony will be held in conjunction with the Latin Trade Symposium, to be held in the morning. The day symposium, organized in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank and the Americas Society/Council of the Americas, will feature panel discussions on effective business practices, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability strategies, and the companies, leaders and paradigms that continue contributing to the region’s thriving success.
 

CEO AWARDS

Woods Staton, CEO of Argentina-based Arcos Dorados has been named Dynamic CEO of the Year.  “Staton has taken the McDonald’s franchise across Latin America and boosted sales and service to make Arcos Dorados the largest McDonald’s franchise in the world, one of the largest companies in the region and a top ten employer,” the Bravo judges say. Arcos Dorados last year posted sales of $3.6 billion, an increase of 2.9 percent from 2008. That made it the ninth-largest food company in Latin America, according to the Latin 500 from Latin Business Chronicle and Latin Trade, where it ranked 106 overall. With more than 100,000 employees in the region it also ranks as Latin America’s ninth-largest employer, according to the Top 60 Employers ranking from Latin Business Chronicle.

Ricardo Gutierrez, CEO of Mexico-based Mexichem has been named CEO of the Year. “Gutierrez has overseen an expansion phase within Mexico and with major acquisitions across Latin America and the most recent purchase of Ineos Fluor creating an integrated, global producer of specialty chemicals,” the judges say. Mexichem is the owner of the world's largest fluorite mine and last year posted sales of $2.3 billion, an increase of 4.6 percent. That ranked it 158 on the Latin 500.

Ronald Pantin, CEO of Pacific Rubiales, has been named Pioneering CEO of the Year. Pacific Rubiales is listed in Canada, but operates in Colombia and is led by Pantin and other veterans from Venezuelan state oil giant PDVSA. Pacific Rubiales posted revenues of $639.2 million last year. “Pantin put down new roots in the Colombian oil sector by creating a dynamic private oil producer that is now providing 20 percent of the oil extracted in Colombia, setting an example for other private producers,” the judges say.

TECHNOLOGY LEADER

John Davies, vice president and general manager of Intel’s World Ahead Program, has been named Technology Leader of the Year.

“Davies has proven to be indefatigable in helping bridge the digital divide and create opportunities for major sectors of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean to have access to computers and the Internet through the Intel World Ahead Program,” the judges say.

LEADING DEVELOPMENT BANKERS

Luis Alberto Moreno, president of the Inter-American Development Bank, will receive an award for Distinguished Service. Moreno, a former Colombian ambassador to the United States, has led the IDB since 2005 and recently was elected for a new five-period has president. Last year, the bank disbursed $11.4 billion in loans, an increase of 60.6 percent from 2008. In July, the bank's board of governors approved a $70 billion increase of the ordinary capital - the largest expansion of resources in the IDB's history.

“Beyond reinvigorating lending for the bank, Moreno has been at the forefront of making the bank a force for change in Latin America and the Caribbean, spearheading numerous initiatives including the efforts to rebuild Haiti,” the judges say.

Luciano Coutinho, president of Brazil’s development bank BNDES has been named  Financier of the Year. BNDES last year disbursed loans worth a total of 137.4 billion reais (US$78.8 billion), an increase of 49 percent from 2008. “Under Coutinho, the BNDES has become the driving force in a Brazilian economy, which has been one of the world’s growth leaders,” the judges say.

Coutinho is widely seen as the next finance minister of Brazil if Dilma Rousseff from the ruling Worker’s Party wins the presidential elections next month, as all polls show she will.

ENVIRONMENTAL, HUMANITARIAN AWARDS

Alvaro Ugalde, CEO of Nectandra Institute in Costa Rica has been named Environmentalist of the Year. “Ugalde has maintained a lifelong commitment to preserving the environment, a sense of purpose that helped to create a successful national park system in Costa Rica and continues with work with rural communities to protect water and areas around national preserves,” the judges say.

Peruvian First Lady María del Pilar Nores de García, president of the Work and Family Institute of Peru (ITF), has been named Humanitarian of the Year. “Nores has dedicated herself to improving the lives of the poor in rural communities in Peru, helping create a program and working directly in the communities to improve health and hygiene, while fostering education and progress,” the judges say.

BRAZIL'S FOREIGN MINISTER

Meanwhile, Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim has been named Innovative Leader of the Year. “He has played a central role in Brazil's evolution from a regional player to become one of the major powers shaping global affairs,” the judges say.

In a Foreign Policy column last year, Garten Rothkopf CEO David Rothkopf named Amorim the "world's best foreign minister."

Amorim and Coutinho will speak at a Latin Trade Symposium panel on Brazil, which will also feature U.S. ambassador to Brazil, Thomas Shannon. The panel will be moderated by Rothkopf.

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