The Laredo Chamber of Commerce will kick off its Vision 2017 Speaker Series April 20 with a look at the inner working of Mexico’s energy reform. Tomás Ibarra Guerra, former head of the Institutional Internal Control Unit for Pemex, will headline the first in a series of business breakfasts that are part of the Chamber’s annual event.
Mexico’s energy reform came about as President Peña Nieto invited foreign investment into the country’s slumping economy. The reform legislation, passed three years ago by the Mexican Congress, faced strong opposition but marked success for one of Peña Nieto’s top economic priorities. The reform ended the petroleum monopoly held since 1938 by the state-owned oil giant, Pemex. The electric utility CFE, a second state-owned monopoly, also faced the impact of the reform legislation.
Ibarra Guerra, a native of Monterrey, NL, worked until recently for the oil behemoth. He is currently an independent consultant advising private sector companies and governmental entities on practices for improved internal control and strategic planning.
Prior to his employment with Pemex, where he managed a regional audit unit for Mexico’s Northern Zone, Ibarra Guerra was associated with Banobras, SNC and with Mexico’s National Lottery.
Ibarra Guerra holds Bachelor’s degree in economics from the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo Leon in Monterrey and completed advanced studies in a Master’s degree program accredited by the universities of Barcelona, Alicante, and Carlos III of Madrid.
The Vision 2017 Speaker Series will follow with a second breakfast session focusing on the economy of Texas and the border area in May.
A gala dinner featuring the former president of Mexico, Vicente Fox, will round off the series on June 29, 2017. All events will take place at the Laredo Country Club.
For information on tickets to the series or to the gala event contact the Laredo Chamber of Commerce at (956) 722-9895 or gwen@laredochamber.com .
(Starting in 1988, the Laredo Chamber initiated a series of annual conferences to provide local business owners with an outlook of the local economy and surging industries. That year the conference carried the Vision’ 88 title. Subsequent conferences used the name Vision with the respective year. Founded in 1915, the Laredo Chamber is Laredo and Webb County’s longest running business organization. It consists of 700 members that are representative of all of Laredo’s industries. The Laredo Chamber is accredited by the U.S. Chamber with four stars. Only three percent of all chambers in the United States carry the accreditation distinction.)
