The second edition of the "Latam Virtual Innovation Summit 2021" will conclude this Thursday, November 18th. This event is designed to present tools that help companies implement changes in their business models within the framework of innovation.
Eugene Kwok, Regional Vice President for the Americas and Singapore of the Economic Development Board, Cindy Blanco Ochoa, MiSALUD. México, and Jonathan Bournigal, Director and Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and MSMEs (MICM), will be responsible for closing the event and will discuss the government's role in creating an innovation ecosystem and driving economic transformation.
The program, which is conducted entirely in English and includes simultaneous translation into Spanish, is aimed at C-level executives, middle managers, technical specialists, and entrepreneurs who want to learn more about the culture of the Mecca of innovation.
There, success stories will be presented from companies that have scaled their businesses during the pandemic in both Silicon Valley and Latin America, as well as digital transformation initiatives and changes to their operating and business models.
The Latam Virtual Innovation Summit is being organized to present the latest trends in digital transformation to AMCHAMDR members and the public in the context of the new normal, and to offer them the opportunity to interact and channel their concerns to participating experts.
It collaborates with 10x Innovation Lab, a company that seeks to create a global entrepreneurial ecosystem that connects markets, entrepreneurs, and business leaders through programs that generate exponentially improved results.
Additionally, the company has been a strategic partner of AMCHAMDR in conducting in-person learning missions in San Francisco, California, for the past three years.
The first two days featured Richard Hua, Innovation Evangelist at Amazon; Aaron McDanniel, CEO and co-founder of 10x Innovation Lab; Abe Smith, Head of International at Zoom Video Communications; and Joaquín Alfonso Flores, Global Vice President of Online at Kavak.com.
SPEAKERS OF THE THIRD DAY
Eugene Kwok – EDB
He is Regional Vice President for the Americas and Singapore at the Economic Development Board (EDB), where he runs the company's West Coast operations and is responsible for foreign direct investment and market discovery for the region.
According to his LinkedIn bio, Kwok leads a team of regional account managers in the San Francisco and Houston offices to discover new investment opportunities across all business sectors that may be relevant to Singapore. He studied economics and finance at the Singapore Management University.
Cindy Blanco Ochoa – MiSALUD. Mexico
She is the Chief Operating Officer of MiSalud, a Spanish-language app that seeks to make healthcare convenient, personalized, and affordable for the Hispanic community in the United States. She chairs the Socioeconomic Development Committee and serves on other committees such as Finance and Budget, Health, Education, and Culture.
Blanco Ochoa also serves on the Board of Advisors of Carabela Venture Capital Fund (IT Investments), the Investment Committee of Redwood Ventures (seed fund), and the Editorial Business Section of Mural (Grupo Reforma).
Prior to that, he was the co-founder and CEO of StartupGDL, an organization that helps fast-growing technology startups launch and operate remote IT teams in Mexico. Throughout his professional career, he has specialized in the IT industry, working with governments, nonprofits, and corporations in Mexico and the United States to contribute to the development of the Mexican startup scene.
Blanco Ochoa holds a bachelor's degree in International Relations from ITESO University and a diploma from Stanford University. She received the IVLP Delegate Award for Women in Entrepreneurship from the U.S. Department of State in 2018.
Jonathan Bournigal Read – Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs
He is the director and chief of staff of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and MSMEs (MICM). Bournigal is an experienced investor in mid-sized companies, with a proven track record of working in Latin America. He is an expert in mergers, acquisitions, and negotiations.
He studied Business Administration, Finance, and Economics at Babson College and later earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. He has served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Young Entrepreneurs (ANJE), the Alaska Business Group, Enlaces Angel Investors Network, i-SIGMA, and Padilla Impresos, among others. Bournigal also serves as President of Carabela Search & Management.
