SPEAKERS
Federico Ramos Napoli
(ARG)
+ info
Federico Ramos Napoli
Studied law at the University of Buenos Aires and holds a Master's degree in Law and Economics from Torcuato Di Tella University. He specializes in administrative and corporate law and its economic aspects. He currently serves as General Manager of Dioxitek.
Maximiliano Fariña
(ARG)
+ info
Maximiliano Fariña
Serves as Secretary of State Transformation and Public Service and holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Economics from Universidad de San Andrés (UdeSA). As an economist specializing in international trade, public policy design, and impact evaluation, he teaches at Universidad de San Andrés and Universidad de Buenos Aires. Fariña has worked as a consultant for both the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Stephen Ezell
(USA)
+ info
Stephen Ezell
Is vice president for global innovation policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) and director of ITIF’s Center for Life Sciences Innovation. He also leads the Global Trade and Innovation Policy Alliance. His areas of expertise include science and technology policy, international competitiveness, trade, and manufacturing. Ezell is the coauthor of Innovating in a Service-Driven Economy: Insights, Application, and Practice (Palgrave Macmillan, 2015) and Innovation Economics: The Race for Global Advantage (Yale, 2012).
Federico N. Fernández
(ARG)
+ info
Federico N. Fernández
Is a visionary leader dedicated to driving innovation and change. As the CEO of We Are Innovation, a global network of 45+ think tanks and NGOs, Federico champions innovative solutions worldwide. His expertise and passion for innovation have earned him recognition from prestigious publications such as The Economist, El País, Folha de São Paulo, and Newsweek. Federico has also delivered inspiring speeches and lectures across three continents, authored numerous scholarly articles, and co-edited several books on economics.
Natalia González
(CHI)
+ info
Natalia González
Is a lawyer from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile with a Master's in Law from the University of Chicago, where she was a Fulbright, CONICYT and University of Chicago Scholar. She worked as an associate lawyer at Carey y Cía Ltda from 2002 to 2006, served as legislative advisor in Chile's Ministries of Finance, Planning and Energy, and later became Constitutional and Legal Director of Libertad y Desarrollo. In 2023, she was designated by the Chilean Chamber of Representatives as an expert commissioner to prepare a draft of Chile's new Constitution. Currently an academic at Faro UDD at Universidad del Desarrollo and member of Libertad y Desarrollo's public policy council, she has served as councilor of the Chilean Transparency Council since 2020 and became its President in April 2025. She has been recognized four times among Chile's 100 women leaders.
Hubertus Bardt
(GER)
+ info
Hubertus Bardt
Is Managing Director at the Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft, Köln (German Economic Institute) and has served as honorary professor at Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf since 2022. He studied economics and business administration in Marburg and Hagen, earning his doctorate in economics from Philipps University Marburg. Bardt joined the German Economic Institute in 2000 and led the Research Unit Environment, Energy, Resources from 2005 to 2014.
Marianela S. Mendoza
(ARG)
+ info
Marianela S. Mendoza
Is the Innovation-Oriented Tax Analyst at We Are Innovation. She is also a Senior Research Fellow at Fundación Internacional Bases. Marianela studied law at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA). While still a student, she joined the Judiciary of the Province of Buenos Aires by competition until 2017, which was when she started her own Law Firm specialized in tax and corporate matters. Likewise, she taught classes on Law of Obligations and in 2021 he had his own television space in the cultural program “Estilos y Tendencias”. She is currently living in the City of Córdoba where she also practices law, teaches university support and works as a paralegal for the firm AbsolutLaw PLLC based in Dallas, Texas, USA.
Luis E. Loría
(CRI)
+ info
Luis E. Loría
Is President and Founder of IDEAS Labs. He completed doctoral studies at Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration as a Fulbright Scholar, collaborating on leadership projects at Harvard Kennedy School and knowledge-management initiatives at MIT. Since 2001, he has served as President of Strategic Advantage Consulting Group, advising leaders across the public and private sectors in over a dozen Latin American countries. In 2025, he joined the FREE GALAPAGOS Initiative as Chief Innovation Officer. His expertise spans public policy, applied economics, investment promotion, and innovation, and he has lectured throughout Latin America. Luis has authored case studies, articles, and book chapters on these topics and actively participates in public forums on fiscal and monetary policies, entrepreneurship, innovation, and competitiveness.
Pablo Eguiguren
(CHI)
+ info
Pablo Eguiguren
Is Director of Public Policy at Libertad y Desarrollo, holding a degree in Business and Economics from Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and a Master's in Public Policy from the University of Chicago. From 2018 to 2022, he served as General Editor for Economics and International Affairs at La Segunda newspaper, and previously worked at La Tercera and as Executive Director of Corporation Empresa y Sociedad. Between 2010 and 2014, he worked at Chile's Ministry of Education as advisor to Ministers Joaquín Lavín and Felipe Bulnes, and as Chief of Staff to Minister Harald Beyer. He began his career at Libertad y Desarrollo as an education researcher from 2008 to 2010 before assuming his current role as Director of Public Policy in June 2022.
Mark F. Schultz
(USA)
+ info
Mark F. Schultz
Is Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Chair in Intellectual Property
Law, and Director of the Intellectual Property Program at the University of Akron School of Law.
Prior to coming to Akron in 2020, he was a professor at Southern Illinois University School of
Law for 16 years and was co-founder and a leader of the Center for Protection of Intellectual
Property (CPIP) at George Mason University in Washington, D.C., where he remains non-
resident Senior Scholar. He also serves as a Senior Fellow of the Geneva Network, a UK-based
think tank focused on international IP and health policy.
Syed Munir Khasru
(BGD)
+ info
Syed Munir Khasru
Is Chairman of the Institute for Policy, Advocacy, and Governance (IPAG) and holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. He founded and successfully built two world-class institutes in the global knowledge industry: the international think tank IPAG and the international management consulting firm e.Gen Consultants Ltd. Through his leadership of these organizations, Khasru has established himself as a prominent figure in policy advocacy and strategic consulting on the international stage.
Zoltán Cséfalvay
(HUN)
+ info
Zoltán Cséfalvay
Is head of the Center for Next Technological Futures at Mathias Corvinus Collegium, Budapest, where he gives lectures and conducts research on the economic, social and geopolitical impacts of digitalisation, robotisation and artificial intelligence in Europe. Previously, he worked as senior researcher at the Joint Research Centre of European Commission in Seville (2019-2020), he served as ambassador of Hungary to the OECD and UNESCO in Paris (2014-2018) and as Minister of State for Economic Strategy in Hungary (2010-2014). He was a professor of economic geography at Andrássy University Budapest (2002-2010) and has been a professor at Kodolányi János University in Hungary for more than two decades. As a research fellow he worked in Budapest, Vienna, Munich, Heidelberg, and Cardiff. Recently he has published his latest book - TECHtonic Shifts - on the current industrial revolution.
Horacio Arana
(ARG)
+ info
Horacio Arana
Is a Senior Research Fellow at the Fundación Internacional Bases. Horacio has a degree in Agricultural Economics (UB) and a Master's in Business Administration (IAE). Academic Secretary and Professor of Principles of Economics FCE-UAI. Researcher on the Austrian School of Economics topics, he has participated in international congresses and written articles on the specialty.
Carolina Agurto
(PER)
+ info
Carolina Agurto
Has over 17 years of experience in the design, analysis, implementation, and evaluation of public policies in Latin America, working for international organizations and in the public and private sectors. She holds a Master's degree in Public Policy from the University of Chicago, a specialization in Economics and Regulatory Policy from Stanford University, and an executive leadership certificate from the London School of Economics. Her areas of expertise include institutional strengthening, the rule of law, innovation, and trade, among others. She currently serves as Executive Director of Fundación IDEA, leading the Institutional Improvement and Strengthening of Mexico's Prosecutor's Offices program (2021-2026, INL Mexico), and participates in the implementation of the Governance in Action Activity (2024-2029, USAID Peru).
Mario Ottero Cricco
(ARG)
+ info
Mario Ottero Cricco
Is a Policy Fellow at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), where he focuses on innovation, trade, deregulation, and emerging technologies. He holds a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University and is a Fulbright-CFI scholar. Previously, he worked at Cato Institute with the Human Progress team. He is passionate about advancing economic freedom, supporting entrepreneurship, and promoting evidence-based policymaking.
Cecilia Domínguez
(ARG)
+ info
Cecilia Domínguez
Is Head of Sustainability and Environment at the Argentine Chamber of Mining Companies. She is a biologist with over 15 years of experience in sustainability, communications, and responsible business conduct. Her primary expertise is in the metalliferous mining sector, working on stakeholder relations and sustainability strategies. She previously served as Undersecretary of Mining for Chubut Province.
Martín Sarano
(ARG)
+ info
Martín Sarano
Is Senior Vice President of Architecture and Engineering at Circana, a global market research, data, and technology company, where he leads the implementation of AI and data analytics for digital transformation. Previously, he served as Director at PwC/Strategy& (formerly Booz & Co), advising leading technology, consumer, and retail companies on strategy and M&A. He holds a BA in Business Sciences from Universidad Austral, a Master's in Corporate Finance from UCEMA, and an MBA from the University of Chicago. Additionally, he is co-founder of Fundación Internacional Bases and a board member at We Are Innovation.
Sebastián D. Penelli
(ARG)
+ info
Sebastián D. Penelli
Is a graduate of the TEA School of Journalism and holds a degree in Journalism from the University of Salvador. He has worked at Ámbito Financiero for more than 16 years, but has also held various positions at Perfil, Infobae, and Critícadigital. He worked in journalism production at Canal 13 and Canal 26 in Buenos Aires. He is currently editor of Ambito.com, moderator at Ámbito Debate, and creator of energy and mining content for Energy Report.
Ivan Cachanosky
(ARG)
+ info
Ivan Cachanosky
Holds a degree in Business Administration from the Catholic University of Argentina (UCA), a Master's degree in Applied Economics from the same university, and a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in the United States. He is a PhD candidate in Economics at UCA. He works as an economic and financial analyst. He is Director of the Master's Degree in Economics and Political Science at ESEADE. Author of the book “El Camino Seguro de la Inversión” (The Safe Path to Investment). Iván engages regularly with media (TV, radio, print media, etc.).
Marcelo Elizondo
(ARG)
+ info
Marcelo Elizondo
Is an MBA graduate from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and lawyer from Universidad de Buenos Aires, with postgraduate studies at Harvard University. He currently serves as President of the Argentine Chapter of the International Society for Performance Improvement, professor of International Business at ITBA, and holds advisory positions with CARI and CIPPEC. From 2002 to 2010, he was Executive Director of Fundación ExportAr, Argentina's export promotion agency, and later founded the consulting firm DNI. An accomplished academic and author, Elizondo has taught at multiple universities, published several books including "La Argentina Estructural," and works as a columnist for major Argentine newspapers while consulting for domestic and international companies.
Vladimir Fernandes Maciel
(BRA)
+ info
Vladimir Fernandes Maciel
Is an economist with degrees from the University of São Paulo, Fundação Getulio Vargas (M.Sc. Business Economics and Ph.D. Public Administration and Government), and a doctoral fellowship at MIT. He is Professor and researcher at Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Head of the Mackenzie Center for Economic Freedom, and Partner at Urbana Consulting on Economic and Social Development.
John Paolo R. Rivera
(PHL)
+ info
John Paolo R. Rivera
Has research expertise in macroeconomics, development economics, management, and tourism. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics and has extensive experience presenting at international conferences, publishing scientific works, and teaching at undergraduate, graduate, and executive levels. He serves as a consultant for research and management projects in both private and public sectors. He was officer-in-charge executive director at the Asian Institute of Management – Dr. Andrew L. Tan Center for Tourism and is founder of Oikonomia Advisory & Research, Inc. Currently, he is senior research fellow at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, focusing on macroeconomics, tourism development, and trade, and visiting research fellow at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan. He received the 2024 Outstanding Young Scientist award in Economics.
Małgorzata Bonikowska
(POL)
+ info
Małgorzata Bonikowska
Has a Ph.D. in humanities and she specializes in international relations (with particular emphasis on the European Union) and communication in public institutions. EU expert, government consultant and academic fellow, graduated from the Warsaw University (Italian studies), University of Paris-Sorbonne (history and political sciences) and the PWST (State College of Theatre) in culture history. Alumnus of two Ph.D. programs: in Poland (Polish Academy of Sciences) and abroad (SSSS, Italy), dr Bonikowska completed a specialization program at the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at the Columbia University in New York (Fulbright Scholarship). She is the author of more than 150 publications and tutor of over 100 BA, MA and post-graduated thesis.
Stefano da Empoli
(ITA)
+ info
Stefano da Empoli
Is the President and principal policy analyst at I-Com, a leading Italian think tank on digital, energy and healthcare issues, based in Rome and Brussels, which he co-founded in 2005. Stefano also teaches Economics of Digital Competition and Innovation at Roma Tre University. In 2025, he co-founded Techno Polis, an innovation hub that supports companies and institutions in leveraging the power of digital transformation and AI. He has published many essays and articles on innovation and AI issues, including two books on the economics of AI.
Sean Randolph
(USA)
+ info
Sean Randolph
Is Senior Director of the Bay Area Council Economic Institute, where he served as President & CEO from 1998-2015. He also provides executive management to the Bay Area Science and Innovation Consortium (BASIC). Dr. Randolph previously served as director of international trade for the State of California (1994–98), directing programs to stimulate exports and introduce California companies to overseas markets. Before state service, he was Managing Director of the RSR Pacific Group, an international business consulting firm specializing in Asia and Latin America. His career includes extensive U.S. Government experience on Congressional staffs (1976–1980) and White House staff (1980–1981). Dr. Randolph holds a JD from Georgetown University Law Center, a Ph.D. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and a B.S.F.S. from Georgetown's School of Foreign Service.
Álvaro Monge
(PER)
+ info
Álvaro Monge
Is Partner, Director and General Manager of Macroconsult. An economist from Universidad del Pacífico (Peru), he holds a Master's and Ph.D. in Economic Development from the University of Sussex. Dr. Monge has taught at Universidad Pacifico, Piura and Católica in Peru, and served as a teaching assistant at Sussex. He specializes in applied economic research, public policy impact evaluation and microeconometrics. At Macroconsult, he leads the economic development area and coordinates consultancy and research projects with institutions including the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, UNICEF, ILO, private firms and the Peruvian government.
Cairo Jennings
(USA)
+ info
Cairo Jennings
is the Intellectual Property Attaché for Mercosur, based in Rio de Janeiro, where he serves as the primary U.S. officer on IP protection and enforcement in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela. He collaborates with U.S. businesses and government agencies to promote IP interests, advocate for strong IP standards, and conduct related training. Before this role, Mr. Jennings was Senior Counsel for International Trade at the U.S. Department of Commerce, a Foreign Service Officer with the State Department, and an IP attorney in private practice. He holds degrees in Chemical Engineering and Law from the University of Texas at Austin.
Jorge Acosta
(ARG)
+ info
Jorge Acosta
is Head of Finance Regional at Ualá, a financial ecosystem with operations in Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia, where he leads the areas of Investor Relations, Corporate Development, FP&A, Accounting, Tax, and Procurement. In his role, he participated in closing the Series E round for USD 300 million, the largest in Latin America in recent years, while also driving regional initiatives for financial efficiency and standardization. He has over 15 years of experience in leadership positions in Finance and Strategy across Latin America and the U.S., with previous experience as CFO of Softys Brasil, focused on financial turnaround that included mergers, integrations, and optimization projects with high EBITDA impact. He is an Industrial Engineer from Universidad Austral and holds an MBA from the University of Chicago – Booth School of Business.
Mónika Melo Guerrero
(DOM)
+ info
Mónika Melo Guerrero
is Vice Chancellor of Research at Instituto OMG, a Dominican Republic-based think tank, where she also serves as faculty specializing in pension funds, regulation, compliance, and ethics. With over 30 years of experience in project management and legislative development, she holds a law degree and master's in Business Law from PUCMM and has drafted numerous legislative proposals and public policies spanning social security, commercial law, securities regulation, and corporate governance for both public and private sectors. An active member of national and international business and policy committees, she conducts research on development, innovation, and the intersection of technology with regulatory frameworks, while regularly publishing scholarly work and speaking at conferences worldwide.
Jan Hagemejer
(POL)
+ info
Jan Hagemejer
Is President of CASE Center for Social and Economic Research in Warsaw, Poland and Associate Professor of the University of Warsaw. He is a trade and macroeconomist. He studied at Purdue University, London School of Economics, and University of Warsaw, where he obtained his PhD and habilitation. Before joining CASE, he worked at the National Bank of Poland and Center for Global Economic Analysis.
Guillermo Peña
(HON)
+ info
Guillermo Peña
Is a political economist focused on economic development through the private sector. He serves as Strategic Alliances Director at Universidad de la Libertad in Mexico City and President of Fundación Eléutera, a public policy think-tank focusing on social mobility, migration, education, and government reform. In the private sector, he is President of Orchid Properties, a special economic zone development company, and Managing Partner of Blackbeard Media Group. He has served on boards including the Free Zone Association of the Americas, Asociación Nacional de Industriales (Honduras), and as Vice Chair of the Honduran Electricity Market Operator.
Ventsislav Benov
(BGR)
+ info
Ventsislav Benov
Is a lawyer and business manager specializing in energy law and policy at the intersection of sustainable development. As Business Manager at the Applied Research and Communications Fund and collaborator with the Center for the Study of Democracy, he leads partnerships and projects on energy transition and decarbonization across European frameworks. Concurrently serving as Managing Partner at Benov & Vasilev Attorneys at Law, he guides clients through regulatory compliance and cross-border energy transactions. His background includes senior advisory roles with Bulgaria's Ministry of Finance, Sofia Municipality, and the World Bank on innovation funding initiatives. A Sofia University law graduate (2012) and Sofia Bar Association member since 2014, Benov is multilingual in English, German, and Russian, uniquely positioning him to advance Europe's clean energy objectives through his decade-plus experience bridging law, policy, and energy transformation.
Marcos Piccardo
(ARG)
+ info
Marcos Piccardo
Is Managing Director at dLocal for Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Paraguay, and Bolivia, leading the expansion of innovative payment solutions. Marcos is widely recognized for his deep knowledge of fintech and his human approach to leadership.
Miguel Giménez Zapiola
(ARG)
+ info
Miguel Giménez Zapiola
Is Head of Corporate Affairs at Eramine Sudamérica S.A., a lithium production company in Salta, board member and General Delegate of ERAMET in Argentina, a French company that is a global leader in metals for the energy transition. With extensive experience in corporate affairs, he previously held executive positions at Corporación América, served as President & CEO of Unitec Blue, and held executive roles at Barrick Gold Corporation Argentina, Endesa Argentina, and Hill & Knowlton. His career spans the mining, energy, oil & gas, and fintech industries, establishing him as an experienced executive in business development and institutional relations in Argentina and the region.
María de Lourdes Vazquez
(ARG)
+ info
María de Lourdes Vazquez
Currently serves as Dean of the Law School at Universidad de San Andres in Buenos Aires, where she directs the WIPO Joint Master Program in Intellectual Property and Innovation. Having completed her LLM degree at Harvard Law School and her doctoral studies at the European University Institute in Italy, she worked as a practitioner of intellectual property law in London, New York and Buenos Aires. Maria received the "Fortabat Visiting Scholarship" in David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies at Harvard University. She is part of the faculty in the Harvard Law School program “Patent Law and Global Public Health” and is on the editorial board of the WIPO - WTO Colloquium Papers.