Bloomberg Linea presents the 2022 edition of Latin America’s 500 Most Influential, a list of personalities that move business, the economy, and finances in the region, as well as those creating important initiatives in a variety of areas.
View the complete list of Latin America’s 500 Most Influential here
After a complicated end to 2021, and two years of suffering the effects of the pandemic, the start of 2022 looked promising for many observers.
Although it had shown some moderation in its growth forecasts, the IMF estimates the region’s GDP to grow between 2.5% to 3% YoY (as of September). However, the global economic conditions have deteriorated, and the possibility of a recession this year or next has increased in many countries worldwide. The impact on the economic scenario has translated into lower economic prospects, less available capital, and more expensive credit.
In this context, Bloomberg Linea’s editorial team analyzed the actions that business leaders and regional figures have taken to contribute from their different sectors to help deal with the regional challenges.
Following the 2021 list, Bloomberg Línea, which counts with newsroom presence in several countries across the region, presents this year’s personalities who are making it happen in more than 20 countries, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and Venezuela. As well as Latinxs representing the region in the US.
Among these on the list are Jessica Alba, CEO of The Honest Company; Enrique Lores, CEO of Hewlett-Packard, and financial executives such as Ileana Musa, from Morgan Stanley, and Carolina Jannicelli, from JPMorgan Chase.
New names, same passion
The second edition of the Bloomberg Línea’s 500 Most Influential has seen some modifications with respect to the 2021 list, as the editorial team has made updates in line with the times.
According to Bloomberg Línea’s editorial board, 200 new names are making their debut this year, reaffirming the multimedia news platform’s decision to make the list a living entity that changes over time. 175 women also feature prominently, a sign of the continued push to break through the glass ceiling.
This year’s edition includes CEOs and startup founders who achieved mythical unicorn status between 2021 and this year, amidst a challenging time for most companies globally to raise capital.
The list features, for example, Bárbara González of Bitso, Cristina Cacho of Clara, David Arana of Konfío, Marlene Garayzar of Stori, Mariana Dias of Gupy, Ricardo Amper of Incode, Sebastián Noguera and Brynne McNulty Rojas of Habi, Eduardo Della Maggiora of Betterfly, and Aron Schwarzkopf of Kushki, to name a few.
Myriad personalities
Some personalities who continue to play a leading role in the region have remained on the list. Some of them have been regional protagonists for decades, such as Carlos Slim, Daniel Servitje, Stanley Motta, Luis Carlos Sarmiento, Eduardo Logemann, and Carlos Alberto Sicupira. And they are joined by others who have been around for a shorter time but who are already consolidated as some of the most visible faces in their respective ecosystems and beyond, such as investors Marcelo Claure and Jaime Zunzunegui, and founders of tech giants such as Marcos Galperín (MercadoLibre), Martín Migoya (Globant), and Sergio Fogel (dLocal).
In this melting pot of characters, there is no lack of figures with a cultural impact that transcends the region.
Bizarrap, Anitta, Maluma and Bad Bunny, who are leading music streaming global charts, breaking through global markets and the status quo, and some of the world’s greatest soccer players, such as Lionel Messi, Guillermo Ochoa, Neymar and Vinicious Jr., are also included, and who will seek to take their countries to the top in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this year.
Mexican boxer Saúl ‘Canelo’ Álvarez, who earns millions with punches and new businesses, is not far behind after breaking records with Noche Mexicana in Las Vegas.
How the list of 500 was compiled
Bloomberg Línea’s editorial board, formed by experienced editors with diverse backgrounds in several countries across the region, made the selection of the 500 personalities through a deep analysis of the most important initiatives carried out by entrepreneurs, executives, investors, researchers, public servants, as well a public figures whose participation goes beyond their artistic or sports activities.
The selection is a consensual decision made by a team of senior editors and analysts, taking into account what is happening in the region and trends in investments, public policies and activities to improve economic conditions. Under current times the list reflects the diversity in Latin America, both people and their initiatives, according to Bloomberg Línea’s editorial team.
One year milestones
The list also marks the first anniversary of Bloomberg Línea’s launch in Latin America, which, according to Kaio Philipe, COO, it has quickly become the region’s leading destination for business and financial news content.
“We are celebrating our first anniversary and couldn’t be more excited,” said Philipe.
Regarding the business side of this initiative, Philipe added that “Our sites have surpassed more than 3 million visitors per month, and our multimedia content is reaching over 23 million people”. In terms of digital products, Philipe said the editorial team has launched, so far, “5 podcasts, including the marquee brand ‘La Estrategia del Día,’ which is now the #1 in the Business News category in the region, as per Spotify and Apple; 2 webseries (’Casa de Negócio$’ in Brazil, and ‘Que Pasa en Venezuela?’), 11 newsletters and more than 150,000 subscribers.”
