Shaping the future economy through AI and innovation
December 3-4, 2026
Sheraton Buenos Aires Hotel & Convention CenterBuenos Aires, Argentina
Select your Registration Type
1) General Attendee
Access to plenary sessions, seminars, as well as networking opportunities on both days of the Forum. Does not include participation in 1:1 business matchmaking meetings.
Participate in curated 1:1 business matchmaking meetings with companies, public sector partners, and the IDB Group, as well as access to plenary sessions, seminars and networking opportunities on both days of the Forum.
Join us for the 2026 Korea-LAC Trade and Innovation Forum, a high-level forum connecting private and public sector leaders from Korea and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) to explore new opportunities for trade, investment, and innovation.
This year marks the tenth edition of the Korea-LAC series. Since its launch in 2007, the series has brought together over 5,000 public- and private-sector representatives across nine previous editions—seven in Korea and two in Latin America (Mexico City in 2023 and Rio de Janeiro in 2024).
What to Expect
High-level panel discussions with public and private sector leaders
Strategic business meetings, and curated matchmaking sessions
Networking opportunities with key stakeholders from both regions
Opportunities to build long-term partnerships between Korean and LAC stakeholders
Agenda Highlights
Day 1 - Thursday 3
Plenary Sessions
Day 1 of the Forum will feature plenary sessions with government leaders and business executives exploring key areas of collaboration between Korea and LAC, including:
Artificial Intelligence & Digital Transformation
Critical Minerals & Resilient Supply Chains
IDB Procurement Seminar
Gain an in-depth understanding of the IDB’s procurement policies and procedures, learn how to navigate the bidding process, and explore upcoming IDB-financed business opportunities in Latin America and the Caribbean.
AI & Innovation Tech Showcase
A dynamic, interactive platform for innovative enterprises and startups from both Korea and LAC to showcase and pitch cutting-edge AI solutions, products, and services, connect with potential partners and investors, and explore opportunities for cross-border collaboration.
Day 2 - Friday 4
Plenary Sessions
Day 2 of the Forum will feature plenary sessions with government leaders and business executives exploring key areas of collaboration between Korea and LAC, including:
Investment and Financing for Private Sector Growth
Transformation for Future-Ready Industries
Culture, Tourism, and the Experience Economy
1:1 Business Matchmaking
Participants are encouraged to register for 1:1 Business Matchmaking Sessions designed to connect companies and investors from Korea and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), as well as Trade and Investment Promotion Agencies, to explore potential business, trade, and investment opportunities.
Do you represent a Korean or LAC company interested in exploring business opportunities across the two regions? Contact: josecabrera@iadb.org
AI & Innovation Tech Showcase
A dynamic, interactive platform for innovative enterprises and startups from both Korea and LAC to present and pitch their cutting-edge artificial intelligence solutions, products, and innovative services.
The Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) is the leading source of financing and knowledge for improving lives in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The IDB works with the region's public sector to design and enable impactful, innovative solutions for sustainable and inclusive development. Leveraging financing, technical expertise, and knowledge.
IDB Invest is committed to promoting economic development through the private sector. IDB Invest finances sustainable companies and projects to achieve financial results and maximize economic, social, and environmental development in the region.
IDB Lab, as the innovation and venture arm of the IDB Group, is focused on entrepreneurship and technology to cocreate solutions for development challenges and spark new industries for growth in the region. IDB Lab supports high-impact startups and the innovation ecosystems they need to thrive through flexible financing, practical knowledge, and global connections.
For more information about the Forum, please contact us at Korea-LAC@iadb.org
Sheraton Buenos Aires Hotel & Convention Center
San Martín 1225, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Photos Previous Edition
Speakers
Ana María Ibáñez is a Colombian economist and has served as Vice President for Sectors and Knowledge at the Inter-American Development Bank since June 2023. She joined the IDB in 2019 as Principal Economic Advisor to that Vice Presidency, coordinating and overseeing the knowledge agenda with the operational departments. Previously, she was a professor, Dean of the School of Economics, and Director of the Center for Economic Development Studies at Universidad de los Andes. Her academic work has focused on migration, rural development, and the consequences of armed conflict. She has also been a visiting professor and senior researcher at universities including Princeton and Yale. She holds a degree in Economics from Universidad de los Andes and master's and doctoral degrees in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Juan Pablo Bonilla is Manager of the IDB's Climate Change and Sustainable Development Sector. Previously, he served as Chief of Staff to the IDB Executive Vice President and led the Sustainable Energy and Climate Change Initiative, helping establish these areas as strategic priorities for the Bank. He has more than 20 years of experience in environmental sustainability, climate change, and energy. Before joining the IDB, he worked as a senior specialist at the World Bank and served on the Executive Board of the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism. In Colombia, he held senior roles in Fundesarrollo, the National Business Association, the Vice Presidency, and the Ministry of Environment. He is a civil engineer from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and holds master's and doctoral degrees from George Washington University.
Tatiana Gallego Lizón is Chief of the Housing and Urban Development Division within the IDB's Climate Change and Sustainable Development Sector. An urban planner and engineer with more than 20 years of international development experience, she leads the Bank's agenda on housing, urban development, climate resilience, and infrastructure financing for cities in Latin America and the Caribbean. Previously, she was Director of the Urban Development and Water Division for Southeast Asia at the Asian Development Bank, where she advanced pioneering work on urban climate resilience, cross-border economic zones, and corridor development. She also has private-sector and research experience. She holds engineering and doctoral degrees in Environmental Engineering from Imperial College London and a postgraduate degree in Policy Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies.
María Camila Uribe is Principal Technical Leader in the IDB's Housing and Urban Development Division, where she also coordinates the IDB Cities Network. Previously, she was the IDB Representative in Chile, helped coordinate the IDB Group Institutional Strategy, and headed the Committee and Board Services Section of the Bank's Secretariat. She has more than 18 years of experience in Colombia's public sector, including roles as Bogotá's Secretary of Planning, Director of Cadastre and Taxation, and advisor to the Ministry of Finance and the National Planning Department. Her experience combines urban planning, institutional management, public finance, and stronger local government. She is an economist from Universidad de los Andes and holds master's degrees in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School and in Cities from the London School of Economics.
Ramiro López-Ghio is the Inter-American Development Bank Group Country Representative in Colombia. Previously, he served as the IDB Representative in Belize and as Chief of Operations for the Bank in Colombia. He has authored and coauthored institutional publications on sustainable development, fiscal policy, governance, and urban development, including studies on Colombia's central government fiscal rule, municipal interdependence in the Bogotá metropolitan region, and the challenges and opportunities for sustainable, resilient, and inclusive development in Belize.
Paula Acosta is Chief of the IDB's Institutional Capacity of the State Division. She has more than 25 years of experience designing, implementing, and evaluating public policies, institutional reforms, and multisector programs. Before joining the Bank, she held several senior positions in the Government of Colombia, including Vice Minister of Finance, Vice Minister of Social Protection, Deputy Director of the National Planning Department, and Director of the Presidential Government Delivery Unit. She has also served on boards across several sectors and taught at the School of Government of Universidad de los Andes. She is an industrial engineer from Universidad de los Andes and pursued graduate studies in Economics at Georgetown University, Public Administration at Syracuse University, and Political Science at Universidad de los Andes.
Luis Schloeter is a Senior Specialist in the IDB's Housing and Urban Development Division. An urban economist and infrastructure project manager with more than 15 years of experience, he works on urban finance, public-private investment, public asset management, land value capture, and resilience. He has contributed to programs and studies across Latin America and the Caribbean, developing tools to assess the economic benefits of investments and strengthen cities' capacity to finance and deliver urban projects. He holds an MSc in Urban Economic Development from University College London and a master's degree in Urban Planning and International Development from New York University.
Laura Feliza Vélez is an Early Childhood Development Consultant at the Inter-American Development Bank, where she advises the regional Early Childhood Development team on governance, institutional architecture, quality assurance, and early childhood mental health. She has more than 15 years of experience in social protection policy, working with government agencies, multilateral organizations, and international institutions. Previously, she was Deputy Director of Technical Management for Early Childhood Services at the Colombian Family Welfare Institute, where she led implementation of Colombia's comprehensive early childhood care policy. She is a psychologist from Universidad de los Andes and holds a Master of Social Work from New York University.
Benjamín Roseth is a Senior Modernization of the State Specialist at the IDB, based in Bogotá, Colombia. He coordinates the Bank's work in the country on public management and digital government, leads the IDB knowledge agenda on digital government, and coordinates state modernization activities. He has led research on digital transformation, administrative simplification, automation, and public-service quality, helping improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public administration. He holds a master's degree in International Affairs with a specialization in Economic Development from Columbia University.
Pedro V. Garay is a Senior Sector Advisor at the IDB, based in Washington, D.C., a position he has held since August 2021. Earlier in his career at the Bank, he served as Lead Economist, Senior Economist, Counselor, and Country Economist, building extensive experience in economic analysis and policy advice for Latin America and the Caribbean. His profile combines technical leadership, strategic advisory work, and international economic development. He is an economist and completed graduate and executive studies at Kansas State University, Harvard Kennedy School, and Columbia University, as well as a master's degree in Economics from Universidad Nacional de Tucumán.
Matías Lince is a Housing and Urban Development Specialist at the IDB. An architect and urban planner, he has experience designing and implementing housing, socio-urban integration, and neighborhood upgrading programs. He has supported operations in Southern Cone countries and contributed to studies on housing policy, public spaces, and urban transformation. Previously, he was Chief of Staff at the General Directorate for Housing Improvement in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His recent work includes research on housing improvement programs and the urban integration of Barrio Mugica in Buenos Aires. He holds a degree in Architecture from the University of Buenos Aires.
Nathalie Badoui is a Housing and Urban Development Specialist at the IDB, based in Brasília, Brazil. She has more than 10 years of urban development experience, specializing in territorial planning and governance, with a particular focus on integrating climate action into urban policies and investments. Before joining the IDB, she was Senior Manager for Integrated Climate Action at the World Resources Institute in São Paulo, where she led a pilot program to integrate climate action into local priorities and policies. She holds master's degrees in Local Economic Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science and in Urban Development from Sciences Po.
María Camila Quintero is a Housing and Urban Development Specialist at the IDB. She has more than 10 years of urban development experience leading the design, preparation, and implementation of high-value urban investment programs in Latin America and the Caribbean. She has overseen more than US$600 million in lending operations and technical cooperation programs for urban resilience, informal settlement upgrading, and local economic development. She has extensive experience engaging with federal and subnational governments, multilateral donors, and civil society across the region. She holds an Executive MSc in Cities from the London School of Economics and Political Science, a master's degree in Latin American Development from King's College London, and an MBA from Bentley University.
Sandra Buitrago is a specialist in the Inter-American Development Bank's Disaster Risk Management Unit. As a disaster risk management consultant, she works on the improvement, updating, and quality control of RiskMONITOR, an IDB platform that helps Latin American and Caribbean member countries understand disaster risks and assess risk-management performance. She has experience in risk governance. Sandra is an architect from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, holds a master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the same university, and earned an MBA specializing in Financial Management from IEP-CEU Madrid.
Marta Rubio-Codina is a Lead Economist and Early Childhood Development Specialist in the IDB's Social Protection and Labor Markets Division. She has extensive experience designing, implementing, and evaluating early childhood programs and services at scale, as well as measuring their quality and child development outcomes. She has codesigned early childhood modules for national surveys in Mexico and Ecuador. Her research has appeared in academic journals including the British Medical Journal, PLOS Medicine, Science Advances, the Journal of Development Economics, and the American Economic Review. Before joining the IDB, she was a Senior Research Economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies in London. She holds a PhD in Economics from Toulouse School of Economics.
Lamine Sow is a Lead Sector Specialist and Coordinator of the IDB's Subnational Financing Program. He has extensive experience in subnational credit-risk analysis and management, financing-operation assessment, and regional program coordination. Before joining the IDB in 2026, he served as Country Director for Colombia at the French Development Agency from 2022 to 2026, Deputy Director of its Southern Cone Regional Directorate in Brazil from 2018 to 2022, and Head of AFD's Credit Risk Assessment Division from 2012 to 2018. Earlier roles included financial communications at AFD and senior audit work at Ernst & Young in Paris. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a graduate of ESCP Business School in Paris.
Ana María Pinto is Chief of the Inter-American Development Bank's Transport Division. She has more than 20 years of experience in the transport and infrastructure industry, specializing in transport policy and planning, infrastructure development, and project management. During her career at the IDB, she has led strategic initiatives that promote regional collaboration and implement sustainable transport solutions. Previously, she worked as Infrastructure Manager at CEMEX and at Colombia's National Planning Department, expanding her experience in policymaking and its impact on urban development. She is also an internal member of the IDB Group Sanctions Committee. Ana María holds a master's degree in Development Administration and Planning from University College London.
Zoila Llempén is a Senior Specialist in the IDB's Fiscal Management Division, where she leads technical support to Latin American and Caribbean countries seeking to strengthen fiscal management systems, with an emphasis on spending quality and public investment management. She has more than 15 years of public-management experience. Before joining the Bank, she held several positions in the Government of Peru, including Director of Public Spending Quality and Director General of the Public Budget at the Ministry of Economy and Finance. She promoted reforms to improve the efficiency and quality of public spending and helped coordinate financing for the COVID-19 emergency response and economic recovery. Her work includes budget management, public-investment efficiency, and the integration of climate and resilience criteria into national investment systems. She is an economist from Universidad del Pacífico and holds a master's degree in Public Administration and International Development from Harvard Kennedy School.
Mariano Cristoforetti is a Technical Consultant in the Inter-American Development Bank's Housing and Urban Development Division. A specialist in urban planning, urban policy, and territorial-development project management, he has experience implementing social-integration and urban-development programs. He has contributed to informal-settlement upgrading and integrated urban-planning initiatives in Argentina. Previously, he served as Chief of Staff for the urbanization of Barrio Mugica in Buenos Aires, where he led social and economic integration strategies, and as Provincial Director of Strategic Communications in the Government of Buenos Aires Province. He holds a diploma in Cities and Urban Policy from Universidad Torcuato Di Tella and completed a program in Leadership and Political Analysis at Instituto Universitario CIAS.
