CAF President García chosen as Financier of the Year by LatinTrade

(Caracas, October 30, 2009).- CAF President & CEO Enrique García has been recognized as "Financier of the Year" by the Bravo Business Awards organized by LatinTrade magazine, because of his contribution to the development and progress of Latin America.

Maria Lourdes Gallo and Rosemary Winters, executive directors, and Jane Bussey, editorial director of LatinTrade magazine, said recognition of President García was due to "tremendous support for the development and progress of Latin America. CAF has done exemplary work in financing major infrastructure and other types of projects In the region and its contribution has been important."

This year the magazine selected nine Latin American personalities who have promoted effective initiatives to address a range of problems in the region:

Leader of the Year: Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, President of Mexico

Most Innovative Leader: Andrés Velasco, Finance Minister of Chile

Financier of the Year: Enrique García, CAF President & CEO

CEO of the Year: Daniel Servitje, CEO of Grupo Bimbo, Mexico

Social Responsibility CEO of the Year: Lorenzo Mendoza, CEO of Empresas Polar, Venezuela

Pioneering CEO of the Year: Federico Restrepo Posada, CEO of Empresas Públicas de Medellín, Colombia

Technology CEO of the Year: Láercio Cosentino, CEO of TOTVS, Brazil

Environmental Leader: Douglas Tompkins, president, Foundation for Deep Ecology, USA/Chile

Humanitarian Leader: Rebeca Villalobos, founder of ASEMBIS, Costa Rica

Over 300 leaders from around the region will meet today to honor the winners of the Bravo Business Awards in the LatinTrade Symposium organized jointly with the Inter-American Development Bank and the Americas Society /Council of the Americas .

The award is one of the most prestigious in the financial area of the region and has been previously given to personalities such as Henrique de Campos Meirelles of Banco Central do Brasil; Susan Segal of Chase Manhattan Bank; and Emilio Botin of Grupo Santander, among others.

Bravo Business Awards, known as the Oscars of Latin American business, have been promoting financial excellence in Latin America and the Caribbean for 15 years. LatinTrade readers and the Bravo Council nominate business, political and social leaders for their outstanding contributions to the progress of the region. In consultation with international experts the editorial team selects the winners in each category.