Rodrigo leads the Manufacturing Team at IDB Invest, which he joined in 2016. He is responsible for developing business strategies and plans, and for managing clients and structuring transactions in the manufacturing sector in Latin America and the Caribbean. He has more than 15 years of experience in the IDB Group, where he has led multiple operations in most of the countries in the region and in various economic sectors. Before joining the IDB Group, Rodrigo developed a professional career in international finance for more than 20 years in financial institutions in the local, regional and global banking sector. His experience includes the development of loan and capital market operations. Rodrigo earned a master’s degree in business administration (MBA) and an undergraduate degree in business administration, with a minor in finance, from Universidad FUNDEPOS de Costa Rica.
Contributing 15.7% to the regional GDP, the manufacturing sector is a fundamental driver for the economies of Latin America and the Caribbean countries. New technologies are radically changing the way of production and becoming critical factors for the sector's competitiveness and resilience in the current market context.
The digital transformation of the manufacturing sector in Latin America and the Caribbean is key to more sustainable economic development and higher productivity and inclusion in the global economy. A study conducted by IDB Invest with 35 local companies helps us understand where we are and where we want to go.
The circular economy is tailor-made to tackle climate change and to shepherd the limited natural resources we depend on. In past years, we have seen a tremendous uptake of this agenda in the region, both in terms of policies and public initiatives as well as private sector action.
Currently, the top priority in Latin America and the Caribbean is the massive vaccination campaigns. However, we cannot ignore the fact that we need to increase our support to the pharmaceutical sector, which ultimately is the one showing us the light at the end of the tunnel.
In times of economic crisis, we must emphasize short-term loan solutions and credit guarantees that mitigate the risks for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and the countries in the region most impacted by the lack of financing and liquidity.
In discussions about innovation, the focus should be on creating better processes and technologies that allow for increased productivity and value creation. There's no need to reinvent the wheel or the iPhone, but simply to make use of creativity in the region to fast-forward its exit from the crisis.