XVIII MIT Latin American Conference: Investment trends, energy, startups and the politics of business

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 6, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- What would the Chief Economist for Latin America and the Caribbean Region at The World Bank say about "new" Latin America's "old" growth problem? How would Ecuador's former president describe "doing politics" in Latin America? What would the chairman at the board of W7BZ say about launching and growing startups across the region?

Hear what Latin American business and political leaders have to say about these topics and more on Saturday, March 7, 2015, when the MIT Sloan School of Management will host the XVIII MIT Latin American Conference. Industry experts, politicians, academics and students from across the globe are expected to attend to learn the latest developments on such issues as entrepreneurship, investing, finance, energy, and politics, among others.

Slated speakers and panelists are:

• Augusto de La Torre, Chief Economist for Latin America and the Caribbean Region at The World Bank
• Rafael Moreno Valle, Governor of Puebla, Mexico
• Jamil Mahuad, Former President of Ecuador
• José Antonio Fernández, Chairman and CEO of FEMSA
• Jordy Herrera, Former Mexican Secretary of Energy
• Antonio Ruiz Galindo, Chairman and General Director of Grupo IGS
• Jorge Nazer, Founder and CEO of ALTO Seguridad
• Daniel Bento, Chairman at the Board of W7BZ
• Fernando Moncayo Castillo, Founder of IDX Innovación Corporativa
• Pedro Haas, McKinsey Energy Expert, Former Board Member of Pemex Gas y Petroquímica Básica
• Roberto Rigobón, Professor of Applied Economics at MIT Sloan
• Francisco Monaldi, Visiting Professor of Energy Policy, Harvard Kennedy School; Researcher at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
• Dina Buchbinder, Social Entrepreneur, founder of Deportes Para Compartir
• Salvador Achondo, Social Entrepreneur, founder of AlGramo

Four panels will focus on these timely topics:

• Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Latin America: High Opportunities but Low Success
  More and more startups are emerging from Latin America but very few survive, remain in the region or expand to new frontiers. Why is this happening? What needs to change?
• Energy Opportunities: Conventional and Nonconventional Potentials in the Region
  Countries such as Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and Colombia offer a large set of opportunities in the energy sector. What's required to fully take advantage of these opportunities?
• Latin American Opportunities and Political Impact on Business
  How can Latin America attract investment and what can the region do to accelerate this trend? What have been the influences of politics in the development of business? How has the political landscape of the last decade changed the way businesses thrive and survive in the region?
• Business Innovations & Social Impact in the Region: Tools and Models that are Changing Latin American Social Reality
  What are the current efforts that businesses are using to enable social development in the region? What challenges do Latin American companies face in terms of corporate social responsibility and sustainability?

This year's conference features the third annual Latin American Startup Competition, the only top MBA startup competition focused on Latin America. Finalists will present a ten-minute pitch to top Latin America business leaders and distinguished MIT Sloan faculty on Friday, March 6, 2015.

This year's sponsors of the Latin America Conference are B2W and PayPal. PayPal is also sponsoring the 3rd Annual MIT Sloan Latin American Startup Competition. "PayPal is strongly committed to fueling the evolution of e-commerce in the Latin America," said Mario Mello, PayPal LatAm general manager. More information about PayPal can be found at www.paypal-media.com.

For more information or to register, please visit www.mitlac.com.

Follow along on Twitter @MITLAC2015 and using #MITLAC2015.

About the MIT Sloan Latin American Conference
The MIT Sloan Latin American Conference is the oldest Latin American Conference among U.S. universities. By fostering a rich discussion between recognized panelists and more than 500 attendants, the conference addresses the topics that are shaping the future of the region such as entrepreneurship, sustainability, politics, economics, and leadership.

For more information, contact:
Paul Denning
Director of Media Relations
(617) 253-0576 
[email protected]

Patricia Favreau
Associate Director of Media Relations
(617) 253-3492
[email protected]

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SOURCE MIT Sloan School of Management

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