Eric Farnsworth has led the Washington office of the Council of the Americas and the Americas Society since 2003. He has played an important thought leadership and advocacy role across the broad range of issues affecting US relations with the Western Hemisphere, including economic development, trade, and energy; Asia-Latin American relations and broader BRICS and global governance issues; security; and democracy.
He began his career in the US Department of State after obtaining an MPA in International Relations from Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School and was senior advisor to the White House Special Envoy for the Americas. In between his government and non-profit experiences, Mr. Farnsworth was managing director of ManattJones Global Strategies, he worked in the global public policy division of Bristol-Myers Squibb, and in the US Senate and the US House of Representatives. He also worked briefly at the US Consulate in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Eric Farnsworth is a Truman Scholar, an alumnus of the Leadership America, Young Leaders of the (NATO) Alliance, and the US-Spain Young Leaders programs, and has participated on programs with the Atlantic Council, the Bertelsmann Foundation, the Carter Center, and the German Marshall Fund, among others. Previously he served as president of the Western Hemisphere Committee of the Greater Washington Board of Trade, a member of the Secretary of State’s Advisory Committee on International Economic Policy, and a board member of Princeton in Latin America (PiLA). In 2016 he was decorated by the King and Ambassador of Spain for his work to promote bilateral and regional relations.
Speakers
PANEL I | ECONOMY: THE ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE IN TIMES OF POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY
Dany Bahar is a fellow at the Brookings Institution's Global Economy and Development program and he is an associate at the Harvard Center for International Development. He is focused on the role of international knowledge transmission and diffusion on innovation and productivity sectorial dynamics in topics relevant for economic growth and development.
He has worked as a consultant for multilateral development organizations, such as the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. Bahar holds a B.A. in systems engineering from Universidad Metropolitana (Caracas, Venezuela), a M.A. in economics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a M.P.A. in international development from Harvard Kennedy School and a Ph.D. in public policy from Harvard University.
Marcos Casarin is head of Latin America Macro and Investor Services. He is responsible for developing the view on the region, as well as producing the macroeconomic forecast for Brazil. He oversees the production of regional research pieces on the real economy, public finances, monetary policy and asset process. He also presents the outlook to clients and liaises with the media. Marcos Casarin joined Oxford Economics in 2012 after completing his MSc in Economics at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, part of the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics, and is specialised in macro-modelling and scenario analysis aimed at quantifying the effects of exogenous shocks or unexpected changes in fiscal and monetary policies. Prior to this, he was the economist for Brazil at FocusEconomics, a Barcelona-based Consensus Forecast provider. In 2007-09 he worked as a research assistant at the Brazilian Development Bank in Rio de Janeiro, working on the elaboration of the Bank’s macroeconomic forecasting model. He is fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
LATIN AMERICA FACING THE NEW GLOBAL POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ORDER
Since August 24, 2009 he is Director of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Previously, he was General Secretary of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
In his country, Guatemala, Mr. Beteta was Minister of Finance and National Secretary of Planning and Programming. He was also Dean of the School of Economics of the Rafael Landívar University.
Mr. Beteta studied Development Economics in the doctoral program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, (MIT). He holds a Master's Degree in Engineering and a Master´s Degree in Regional Planning at the University of Michigan In Ann Arbor.
In 2007 he was recognized by the World Bank as one of the Top Ten Reformers of the Year, and in 2008 he was presented with the Isabel la Católica Order of Spain. Hugo Beteta was also awarded scholarships from of the Fullbright Commission and the Aga Kahn, MIT-Voorhees and MacArthur Foundations.
PANEL II | CHINA AND LATIN AMERICA: FROM THE OVERCAPACITY TO THE NEW CHALLENGES
Lance Noble is PhD in Political Sciences with a focus on Chinese politics from The George Washington University. He has a M.A. in political science from The University of British Columbia. As part of his doctoral research, he spent a year as a visiting scholar at The School of International Studies at People’s University of China in Beijing. In addition to his research on Chinese government policy, China’s economy, foreign policy and business environment for European business stakeholders, he also manages the Chamber’s media strategy. He is a regular speaker at both European Chamber and external events and conferences. He was previously a China-focused analyst and advisor for the government of British Columbia, Canada. He has also produced due diligence, policy analysis and business intelligence reports on numerous Chinese industries for multiple consultancies and private companies.
Le Xia He obtained his PhD in Economics from the University of Hong Kong and has a master degree from Renmin University of China. He also serves as a research fellow in International Monetary Institute at Renmin University of China. Prior to joining BBVA Research team, he worked for the Treasury Department of Bank of China (Hong Kong). Has an extensive interest in economic research, in particular for monetary policy and banking sectors in emerging economies. He has published his works in both academic journals and the international media, including Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and China Daily.
Yuanpeng Li joined McKinsey in 2008, and has served clients mainly in steel and logistics sectors. Yuanpeng focuses on supply chain management and manufacturing: Leading Chinese private steel makers in overall transformation, purchasing optimization in steel companies, digital advanced analytics in steel companies and digital performance management transformation. Prior to join McKinsey, Yuanpeng worked at GE for 3 years as Direct Material Sourcing Manager. Previously he was a Management Trainee in GE’s Operation/Lean Manufacturing Leadership Program. Also is a GE certified 6-Sigmaand CPIM.
Yuanpeng received his Master’s Degree from Xi’an Jiaotong University in 2005, majoring in Energy & Power Engineering, and B.S. in Thermodynamics Engineering from Xi’an Jiaotong University in 2002.
PANEL III | STEEL AND THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
Richard Oppelt is a Principal Director for Accenture Strategy. He works primarily in the areas of performance improvement and strategy development for capital-intensive businesses and has more than 40 years of experience in the steel industry. In his consulting career, Richard has worked on global projects ranging from the development of growth strategies, operating models and digital innovations to the execution of large system implementations and shop floor improvements. He has also held industry positions in production planning, sales, operations, and finance and accounting.
Pinakin Chaubal es graduado del Instituto indio de la tecnología y obtuvo su PhD en ingeniería metalúrgica en la Universidad de Utah, EEUU. Se unió a la industria siderúrgica en 1988 y ha estado involucrado en varios aspectos de desarrollo, desde tecnología de proceso de materias primas hasta procesos de terminados en la cadena de producción de acero. Actualmente se desempeña como Gerente General de ArcelorMittal Global R&D siendo responsable de programas mundiales de desarrollo de tecnología de procesos. Dentro de este ámbito destaca la iniciativa Smart Manufacturing.
Alexandre de Campos Lyra is Senior Vice President of Vallourec Group in South America (includes Vallourec & Sumitomo Tubos Brasil - VSB) and Member of the Management Committee of the Vallourec Group.Is General Director (CEO) of the companies Vallourec in Brazil since 2009 and has 25 years of experience in the steel industry.
He is a Metallurgical Engineer and a Master's Degree in Materials Science at the Military Engineering Institute of Rio de Janeiro (IME-RJ) and is PhD in Metallurgy from the Technical University of Aachen, Germany.
Since June 2016, he is President of the Board of Directors of the Steel Institute Brazil.
Jun H. Goh is Managing Director of Center for Economic Research and Information Analysis at POSCO Research Institute, with special responsibility for outlook for the world economy, raw material market trend, and the steel industry. He is currently member of Economic Studies Committee of World Steel Association(worldsteel) and also served as chairman of worldsteel project on economic forecasting. He received a B.A. in economics at Seoul National University in Seoul, Korea and a Ph.D. in economics at the University of Michigan in the US. His current research falls into the areas of the world economy and market risks, the dynamics between the global steel industry and the raw material market, and future manufacturing trends & scenario planning. He has taught several undergraduate and MBA economics courses at Eastern Michigan University and the University of Michigan.
PANEL IV | WORLD AND REGIONAL STEEL MARKET IN THE NEW WORLD
Paul Butterworth Paul joined CRU in 2012 and has overall responsibility for CRU’s analysis of the steel raw materials markets, including iron ore, metallurgical coal, metallurgical coke and ferro-alloys. He is also responsible for the cost services, which currently include a comprehensive suite of cost models covering iron ore and metallurgical coal mining, steelmaking and ferro-alloys production worldwide, and CRU’s analysis of the energy markets. Paul has 26 years’ experience in the steel industry, having worked for Tata Steel, Corus, British Steel and the Worldsteel Association in a range of strategic, business development, planning and technical roles. Paul holds an MBA from Warwick Business School, a Ph.D in Theoretical Chemistry and a BSc. Honours Chemistry degree from Manchester University.
Peter F. Marcus, managing partner of World Steel Dynamics Inc., is the founder of the World Steel Dynamics (WSD) information service. He is a steel industry economist, a consultant and a security analyst. Mr. Marcus graduated with honors in economics from Cornell University and received an M.B.A. in investments and economics from New York University. He began his career on Wall Street in 1961 as a steel analyst with L. F. Rothschild & Co. He then joined Mitchell Hutchins & Co. in 1971. World Steel Dynamics was founded in 1975 as a division of the research department at Mitchell Hutchins (which became part of PaineWebber in 1977). In early 1999, Mr. Marcus left PaineWebber after 28 years to take forward World Steel Dynamics as a separate and independent entity.
José Luis de la Cruz is Engineer in Electronics and Communications of the National Polytechnic Institute, Master's degree in Economics from El Colegio de México and PhD in economics from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM). He was Director of the Center for Research in Economics and Business and for the Department of Economics and Finance, both belonging to the Mexico's Monterrey Tec. He has conducted extensive research to the Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University and for the Lawrence Klein Institute of the Autonomous University of Madrid. He has worked in public sector as a Subdirector of Macroeconomic Analysis and Subdirector of Financial Studies in the Secretary of Finance and Public Credit. He was an adviser of the Chamber of Deputies and the Chamber of Senators in Mexico. He has published a wide range of articles in specialized media of Economy, Finance and Business. His latest book is Mexico: social crisis of an economic model.
PANEL IV | Mexican Market: Challenges in Achieving Recovery and Sustainability for the Mexican Industry
Raúl Gutiérrez Muguerza is the current CEO of Grupo Deacero, a steel company founded by ihs father Mr. César Gutiérrez in Monterrey, N.L, in 1952.
He studied Industrial Engineering at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN.
Currently, he is Vice-president of the Latin American Steel Association (Alacero) and the Mexican Iron and Steel Chamber (CANACERO). Previously, he has served as President of booth, Alacero and CANACERO, the latter twice.
Furthermore, he is Founder and Chairman of the Museo del Acero Horno3, an interactive science and technology center, located at Parque Fundidora in -Monterrey, N.L.
Fabricio Meirelles is Executive Director of Gerdau Corsa since April 2016 and is a member of the company's Board of Directors. Also is Vice-President of the Executive Committee of CANACERO.
Throughout his 20 years of career at Gerdau since 1997, he has consolidated a great trajectory mainly in the industrial area, occupying several leadership positions in Brazil. In 2009, he moved to Mexico, to assume the position of Industrial Manager at La Presa Plant, and was invited to be the leader of the Sahagún Project, achieving a successful start-up of the new plant as Industrial Executive Manager.
Fabricio holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Valle de los Sinos University, holds a master's degree in Production Engineering from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul and holds an MBA by the Institute of Education and Research (INSPER) in Brazil.
Víctor Cairo is He is a Mechanical and Electrical Engineer from the Regiomontana University. He holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the ITESM and has studies in Top Management at the IPADE. He began his professional career in 1987 in Caterpillar Mexico as Operations Manager. In 2007, he served as CEO of ArcelorMittal Tubular Products Monterrey. In 2013, Victor was appointed as CEO of ArcelorMittal Mexico. Currently Victor is part of the Executive Committee of CANACERO where he holds the position of Vice President. Under his leadership, ArcelorMittal Mexico has been positioned as one of the most important companies in the sector.
Oscar Maldonado holds a Degree in Economics from the Monterrey Institute of Technology (ITESM) with a Master in Economics & Finance from the University of Cambridge and East Anglia (England). Since 2013 is the General Director of Autlan and a member of CANACERO and CAMIMEX. He is an advisor of several banking and industrial companies such as Bancrea, Aries Enterprises, Fortacero, Lámina Desplegada and other civilian and social service agencies. He has been involved in the steel industry since 1979, having held several senior management positions in companies such as HYLSA and Grupo IMSA, where he became General Director prior to its sale to Ternium Group.
Sergio de la Maza is Electrical Mechanical Engineer. He graduated from Veracruzana University in 1980. Has an advanced Management Program at Harvard in 2003 and Stanford Executive Program in August 2004. He is currently Executive Vice President and General Director of TenarisTamsa.
