Latin Trade Announces the 2012 BRAVO Leader of the Year Award to Sebastian Pinera

MIAMI, Oct. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Latin Trade, the leading business source in Latin America and the Caribbean, announced today that the President of Chile, Sebastian Pinera, will be recognized at its 18th annual BRAVO Business Awards, with the Leader of the Year Award. The event will be held on October 26 in Miami.

President Pinera led his nation through difficult times to face challenges set forth by natural disasters and, in one of the most internationally integrated economies of the hemisphere, to affront successfully a severe global recession. Results are there to back this view. Unemployment has been kept at record low rates; fight against crime has shown its first outcomes in falling victimization indexes; public debt has been kept at very low levels and government budget in surplus; actions have been taken to improve the health and educational systems and to reduce poverty. With these initiatives among others, Chile has remained the most competitive economy in Latin America despite the most demanding international conditions.

Energetic, entrepreneurial Sebastian Pinera has placed the personal traits that made him a staggeringly successful business person, at the service of his country. He led an audacious rescue of 33 trapped miners, and now his Administration has completed 80 percent of a reconstruction plan, three years after the earthquake which devastated parts of Chile, while other countries like Japan set 10-year programs to deal with similar problems.

"Year after year, the BRAVO Business Awards has recognized remarkable international business and government leaders, and we're honored to announce the 2012 Leader of the Year Award to Sebastian Pinera, a person that has had a profound impact in the progress of the region," said Latin Trade Executive Director, Rosemary Winters.

The Latin Trade BRAVO Business Awards will celebrate 18 years honoring the accomplishments of government, business and social leaders. Recipients are selected by a group of judges from a pool of candidates nominated by Latin Trade magazine readers and third parties. The magazine's editorial team consults with leading international experts and select BRAVO Council Ambassadors to select honorees who will be recognized in a black-tie gala at the Four Seasons Hotel in Miami.

Preceding the BRAVO Business Awards, the Latin Trade Symposium, the preeminent forum for discussion and innovation exclusive to business and government decision makers, will focus on showcasing the leaders and the companies that have been key to building a more prosperous Latin America. The event is organized in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank and the Americas Society/Council of the Americas.

Latin Trade announced recently the group of recipients who will be honored at this year's 18th BRAVO Business Awards.

CEO of the Year - Raul Calfat - Votorantim 
CEO Lifetime Achievement - Juan Benavides – Falabella
Distinguished Service of the Year - Julio Velarde – The Central Bank of Peru
Financier of the Year - David Bojanini – Grupo Sura
International CEO of the Year- Andres Gluski – AES Corporation
Entrepreneurial CEO of the Year - Alejandro Ramirez Magana – CEO of Cinepolis
Social Sustainability Leader of the Year- Douglas Orane – GraceKennedy Limited
Investor of the Year - Carlos Slim Domit

For more information, please visit www.bravo.latintrade.com.

Latin Trade Symposium and BRAVO Business Awards Sponsors: HSBC, InterContinental Hotels Group, Copa Airlines, Marriott Resorts and Hotels, Zenith, CAF Development Bank of Latin America, AES, Charles Schwab and Kroll.
Partner: Ashoka
Media Partners: CNN en Espanol, Financial Times, PR Newswire.
Communications: Republica.

Latin Trade Group develops and publishes award-winning content in Spanish and English for distribution throughout Latin America, the Caribbean and the United States through print and online media sources, while providing access and information through events marketing.

Media Contact:
Jose Cano
Republica
[email protected]
786-347-4721

SOURCE Latin Trade