Video meeting LATCAM – Swiss Colombian Chamber of Commerce (June 29, 2021)
The road to future cooperation
LATCAM is delighted to have had the opportunity to offer its Board members a virtual platform for a productive exchange with their peers of the Swiss Colombian Chamber of Commerce. The Zoom meeting was introduced by a powerful introductory statement from H.E. Yvonne Baumann, Ambassador of Switzerland to Colombia, who emphasized the traditionally strong economic relations between Switzerland and Colombia and summarized the social and political situation in Colombia.
During the lively discussion that followed on the welcoming remarks from both sides, we touched on a number of topics, such as the government’s handling of the enormous inflow of Venezuelan migrants, the challenge of millions of new urban poor, the necessity to enhance and broaden education to give young people a perspective, the opportunities for foreign investment in sectors like healthcare, infrastructure, etc.
Participants from the Swiss side included Manfred Ebling, Member of the Board and Treasurer (Zurich Insurance), Carlos E. Represas, Member of the Board (Bombardier), Andreas Berger, Member of the Board (Swiss Re), Sandra Righetti, Member of the Board (Mercantil Bank), Philippe G. Nell, Honorary Ambassador of LATCAM, Tatjana Gaspar, Managing Director of LATCAM, and Benjamin Werenfels (Switzerland Global Enterprise).
On the Colombian side, participants included H.E. Yvonne Baumann, Ambassador of Switzerland to Colombia, Harold Karam, President of CCCS (Farma de Colombia), Jarvey Barrantes, Member of the Board of CCCS (Firmenich), Carlos Ernesto Varela, Member of the Board of CCCS (Endress + Hauser), Carlos Manuel Rebolledo, Member of the Board of CCCS (Nutrition Link), Carlos Barragán, Member of the Board of CCCS (Nestlé), Eduardo Garduño, Member of the Board of CCCS, (Swiss Re), Alois Gitterle, Member of the Board of CCCS (Independent), Martin Kleiner, Member of the Board of CCCS, Alexander von Bila, Member of the Board of CCCS (von Bila-de la Pava & Bertoletti), and Silvia Gutiérrez, Executive Director of CCCS.
