Council Of The Americas Inc

TO PROMOTE ON BEHALF OF ITS MEMBERS WHO SHARE A COMMON COMMITMENT IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, OPEN MARKETS, FREE TRADE, THE RULE OF LAW AND DEMOCRACY.

DURING 2021, COUNCIL OF THE AMERICAS CONTINUED ITS DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION SPARKED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, HOSTING VIRTUAL HIGH-LEVEL PROGRAMS WITH AUDIENCES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND LATIN AMERICA TO FOSTER DIALOGUE ON REGIONAL ISSUES. IN THE SECOND HALF OF 2021, COA RESTARTED HOSTING SMALL, IN-PERSON PROGRAMS, CEMENTING THE ORGANIZATION'S HYBRID NATURE.THE COUNCIL CONTINUED TO FULFILL ITS MISSION BY EXPLAINING THE MAJOR SHIFTS THE PANDEMIC BROUGHT IN SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC POLICY IN THE REGION AND STRENGTHENING HEMISPHERIC TIES THROUGH BOTH PUBLIC FORUMS AND PRIVATE MEETINGS, BUT ALSO THROUGH ITS ONLINE CONTENT SUCH AS ITS TIMELINE ON LATIN AMERICA'S ROAD TO VACCINATION AND THE GUIDE TO 2021 LATIN AMERICAN ELECTIONS.IN 2021, COA'S PROGRAMMING COVERED A WIDE RANGE OF THEMES, INCLUDING THE WAYS IN WHICH THE PANDEMIC CONTINUED AFFECTING THE REGION, ANTI-CORRUPTION EFFORTS, BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES, ELECTIONS IN THE REGION, TRADE, AND ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL PROSPECTS IN THE REGION. WEBCASTING MANY OF THE PROGRAMS BROADENED COA'S REACH GLOBALLY, WITH 3.9 MILLION LIVE VIEWS. THROUGH ITS SIGNATURE LATIN AMERICAN CITIES CONFERENCES, COA COHOSTED AND CONTINUED TO OFFER AN UNPARALLELED PLATFORM FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EXCHANGES WHERE TOP GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, BUSINESS LEADERS, AND INVESTORS DISCUSSED SOME OF THE MOST PRESSING ISSUES FACING THE REGION. HELD MOSTLY VIRTUALLY IN 2021, THE CONFERENCES FOCUSED ON ARGENTINA, BRAZIL, COLOMBIA, MEXICO, PERU, AND URUGUAY. THEY FEATURED KEYNOTE REMARKS AND PANEL DISCUSSIONS ON TOPICS SUCH AS EXAMINING POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC OUTLOOKS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION, AND BOOSTING ECONOMIC RECOVERY THROUGH FOREIGN INVESTMENT. PROMINENT SPEAKERS AT THE CONFERENCES INCLUDED MINISTERS, GOVERNORS, AMBASSADORS, SENIOR REPRESENTATIVES FROM MULTILATERAL ORGANIZATIONS, CEOS, AND LEADING ENTREPRENEURS AND INNOVATORS. AMONG THE TOP OFFICIALS FEATURED AT THE 2021 LATIN AMERICAN CITIES CONFERENCES WERE ARGENTINA'S CHIEF OF THE CABINET OF MINISTERS SANTIAGO CAFIERO; ARGENTINA'S MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS FELIPE SOLA; ARGENTINA'S MINISTER OF THE ECONOMY MARTIN GUZMAN; ARGENTINA'S MINISTER OF HEALTH CARLA VIZZOTTI; BRAZIL'S VICE PRESIDENT HAMILTON MOURAO; BRAZIL'S MINISTER OF THE ECONOMY PAULO GUEDES; COLOMBIA'S MINISTER OF FINANCE JOSE MANUEL RESTREPO; MEXICO'S MINISTER OF FINANCE AND PUBLIC CREDIT ARTURO HERRERA GUTIERREZ; MEXICO'S MINISTER OF THE ECONOMY TATIANA CLOUTHIER; PERU'S PRESIDENT PEDRO CASTILLO, PERU'S MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OSCAR MAURTUA DE ROMANA; PERU'S MINISTER OF ECONOMY AND FINANCE PEDRO FRANCKE; URUGUAY'S MINISTER OF ECONOMY AND FINANCE AZUCENA ARBELECHE; AND URUGUAY'S MINISTER OF INDUSTRY, ENERGY, AND MINING OMAR PAGANINI.IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PUBLIC LATIN AMERICAN CITIES CONFERENCES, THE COUNCIL ORGANIZED AND COHOSTED SEVERAL INVITATION-ONLY ELITE EVENTS TO CONVENE THE LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL CORPORATE MEMBERS, BOARD, COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND GUESTS WITH SENIOR HEMISPHERIC OFFICIALS AND BUSINESS LEADERS FOR INTIMATE, OFF-THE-RECORD PROGRAMS. THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE AN IDEAL SETTING FOR COA'S MEMBERS AND CONSTITUENTS TO ENGAGE WITH INVITED GUESTS ON INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND CRITICAL HEMISPHERIC ISSUES. AS PART OF THE PRESIDENTS OF THE AMERICAS SERIES, COA COHOSTED VIRTUAL PROGRAMS FOR LATIN AMERICAN HEADS OF STATE FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIALOGUE ON THEIR COUNTRIES' INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND CURRENT ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL ENVIRONMENTS. IN 2021, COA HOSTED PRIVATE IN-PERSON PROGRAMS WITH COSTA RICA'S PRESIDENT CARLOS ALVARADO, THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC'S PRESIDENT LUIS ABINADER, AND ECUADOR'S PRESIDENT GUILLERMO LASSO.FOR OVER 50 YEARS, THE COUNCIL OF THE AMERICAS' ANNUAL WASHINGTON CONFERENCE ON THE AMERICAS HAS BEEN THE PREMIER EVENT ON THE REGION, BRINGING TOGETHER PRESIDENTS, SECRETARIES AND MINISTERS, AND THE MOST SENIOR LEADERS OF THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS. IN 2021, THE 51ST WASHINGTON CONFERENCE ON THE AMERICAS WAS HELD VIRTUALLY AND FOCUSED ON THE NEW BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION, PROVIDING A COMPREHENSIVE POLICY PERSPECTIVE ON RELATIONS WITH THE AMERICAS. FEATURED SPEAKERS INCLUDED THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES KAMALA D. HARRIS, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF COMMERCE GINA RAIMONDO, U.S. SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS, U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE KATHERINE TAI, AND THE SPECIAL PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY FOR CLIMATE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE JOHN KERRY. THE CONFERENCE RECEIVED MORE THAN 715,000 VIEWS, EITHER DIRECTLY OR VIA NEWS OUTLETS THAT RAN THE COUNCIL'S STREAM, AND WITHIN 24 HOURS, THE CONFERENCE WAS CITED IN OVER 700 ARTICLES THROUGHOUT THE REGION. ON DECEMBER 7, 2021, COUNCIL OF THE AMERICAS HELD A SECOND PART OF THE CONFERENCE AT A PRIVATE LUNCHEON AT THE MEXICAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE, WHERE THE U.S. SENATOR BILL CASSIDY OF LOUISIANA RECEIVED THE CHAIRMAN'S AWARD FOR LEADERSHIP IN THE AMERICAS, FOLLOWED BY KEYNOTE REMARKS FROM THE PRESIDENT OF GUATEMALA ALEJANDRO GIAMMATTEI.IN 2021, COA CONTINUED THE COA SYMPOSIUM AND BRAVO VIRTUAL SERIES: LEADERSHIP AND TRANSFORMATION IN TIMES OF CRISIS. THE SERIES ADDRESSES THE UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES BROUGHT GLOBALLY AND REGIONALLY BY THE PANDEMIC, AS WELL AS THE VARIOUS RESPONSES ACROSS SECTORS AND STAKEHOLDERS TO RESHAPE THE COVID-19 WORLD. THE SERIES CONVERSATIONS AND PANELS REFLECTED THE MOST RELEVANT AND NEWSWORTHY MATTERS IMPACTING BUSINESS IN THE REGION AND THE WORLD AND CENTERED ON TOPICS SUCH AS HOW FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGIES ARE AIDING INCLUSION AND RECOVERY EFFORTS IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN; HOW ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND GOVERNANCE STANDARDS ARE INFLUENCING LONG-TERM BUSINESS STRATEGIES; THE ROLE OF BUSINESS IN CROSS-REGIONAL GROWTH AND RECOVERY AND THE FUTURE OF WORK IN LATIN AMERICA; AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR LATIN AMERICA TO LEVERAGE DIGITAL DEVELOPMENTS IN ORDER TO TACKLE THE REGION'S MAIN CHALLENGES.NOTABLE BRAVO LEADERSHIP CONVERSATION SPEAKERS INCLUDED CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF MEDINA CAPITAL MANUEL D. MEDINA, MAYOR OF MIAMI FRANCIS X. SUARES, SOFTTEK CEO BLANCA TREVINO, SAP LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN CEO CRISTINA PALMAKA, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO OF GLOBANT MARTIN MIGOYA, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER OF SALESFORCE GAVIN PATTERSON, VICE CHAIRMAN AND PRESIDENT FOR STRATEGIC GROWTH AT MASTERCARD MIKE FROMAN, AND PRESIDENT OF THE INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK MAURICIO CLAVER-CARONE. THE COA SYMPOSIUM SERIES CENTERED ON TOPICS LIKE BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION IN AN EVENTUAL POST-COVID-19 REALITY, THE ACCELERATION OF THE FUTURE OF WORK, LATIN AMERICA'S FINTECH REVOLUTION, A SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT PRIVATE SECTOR IN THE AMERICAS, AND DIGITAL IMPERATIVES FOR THE REGION. IN 2021, THE TWENTY-SIXTH ANNIVERSARY OF COUNCIL OF THE AMERICAS SYMPOSIUM AND BRAVO BUSINESS AWARDS, HELD IN PERSON IN MIAMI, CELEBRATED EXCELLENCE AND LEADERSHIP WHILE BRINGING TOGETHER THE MOST FORWARD-THINKING LEADERS AT A TIME WHEN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS EAGER TO ENGAGE IN HIGH-IMPACT FORUMS. THE 2021 HONOREES, CHOBANI'S HAMDI ULUKAYA, MEDINA CAPITAL'S MANUEL D. MEDINA AND GRUPO BANCOLOMBIA'S JUAN CARLOS MORA, EACH REPRESENT HOW TRUE LEADERSHIP AND PASSION ARE THE DRIVERS OF CHANGE, SOCIAL IMPACT, AND BUSINESS SUCCESS, EVEN AS THE WORLD FACES UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES.IN 2021, COA'S SIGNATURE CEO ROUNDTABLES GATHERED A SELECT GROUP OF REGIONAL CEOS WHO SHARED CHALLENGES AND BEST PRACTICES, AS WELL AS BRAINSTORMED SOLUTIONS DURING THE COVID-19 ERA. COA'S CFO SERIES SHARED BEST PRACTICES AND ENGAGED WITH CFOS AND SENIOR FINANCE EXECUTIVES FROM THE TOP MULTILATINAS AND MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS WITH BUSINESS IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE. CFOS ACROSS THE REGION, EACH FORUM FOCUSING ON EITHER REGIONAL OR COUNTRY-SPECIFIC ISSUES.COUNCIL OF THE AMERICAS CONTINUES TO ADVANCE THE MISSION OF THE WOMEN'S HEMISPHERIC NETWORK (WHN), AN INITIATIVE THAT ENCOURAGES YOUNG PROFESSIONAL WOMEN TO STAY IN THE WORKFORCE AND REACH LEADERSHIP POSITIONS. THE NETWORK LAUNCHED IN OCTOBER 2012 AT A NEW YORK WORKSHOP FEATURING THEN-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF UN WOMEN MICHELLE BACHELET AND FORMER FIRST LADY OF MEXICO MARGARITA ZAVALA. IN 2021, THE WHN HELD VIRTUAL CONVERSATIONS AND CONFERENCES WITH BUSINESS LEADERS, CENTERING ON THEMES SUCH AS RESILIENCE, CONFIDENT INVESTING, AND SUPPORTING WOMEN IN STEM.2021 MARKED THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WOMEN'S HEMISPHERIC NETWORK. THE VIRTUAL MEXICO CITY WHN CONFERENCE INCLUDED A CONVERSATION ON RESILIENT LEADERSHIP AND INTERACTIVE BREAKOUT WORKSHOPS. THE 10TH ANNUAL AS/COA WHN CONFERENCE, ALSO HELD VIRTUALLY, INCLUDED A KEYNOTE INTERVIEW WITH FACEBOOK'S CHIEF PRIVACY OFFICER ERIN EGAN, AS WELL AS PANEL DISCUSSIONS ON HOW TO INCLUDE WOMEN IN TRADITIONALLY MALE SPACES AND THE NEXT TEN YEARS IN GENDER EQUALITY.