"Don" Ricardo Esteves

“Don” Ricardo Esteves is one of the most influential opinion leaders in Latin American business, social and cultural affairs. In winning the 2005 PODER-BCG Business Award for Contribution to the Latin American Agenda they cited “his ability to unite prominent figures from all walks of life, building networks and supporting one another in common struggles”.

Mr. Esteves is the Co-Founder and Co-Chairman along with renowned Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes of the Foro Iberoamerica which is a yearly gathering of premier civil, social and business leaders from Latin America, Spain and Portugal to discuss issues and develop positions affecting the region. The Foro has 70 members including Carlos Slim, Former President Cesar Gaviria, Gustavo Cisneros, Maria Asunción Aramburuzabala, Manuel Arango, Jesús de Polanco and Joao Roberto Marinho.

He is a founding member of the Board of the Encuentro de Empresarios de America Latina (fathers & sons) together with Carlos Slim, Gustavo Cisneros, Julio Mario Santo Domingo and Joseph Safra. This is an annual gathering of the most prominent financial and industrial family groups in Latin America for both the fathers and children. Esteves is a Founding Member of CEAL (Consejo Empresario de America Latina) an organization very similar to the Business Roundtable in the United States.

He is currently a Director of IRSA Argentina’s largest and most diversified real estate company whose shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. He is a member of several public and private sector Boards and has published many articles and received countless awards and recognition.