The WFE's Women Leaders 2023 - Olga Cantillo, Executive President and CEO, Latinex

By: Olga Cantillo, Executive President and CEO, Latinex Mar 2023

Name: Olga Cantillo

Organisation: Latinex

Job Title: Executive President and CEO


1. Brief description of nominee’s role and job:

As the executive president of Latinex, Olga Cantillo is responsible for supervising and coordinating all the activities of the Latinex Group and its subsidiaries, both in terms of administration and operations. In addition, Olga is responsible to the board for the results obtained in operations; she represents the Latinex Group in everything designated to her by the board. She also maintains a close relationship with national authorities, as the regulator (Superintendency of Securities Market) and with stock brokers, in order to promote decisions and actions favourable to the operation and growth of Latinex Group and the Panamanian capital market. Olga participates as a representative in the different meetings of international organisations and partnerships that Latinex Group is involved with.

2. Short bio (career highlights, education, interests/hobbies):

Olga Cantillo is the executive president and CEO of Latinex. She studied banking and finance and has over 30 years of professional experience in the financial-services industry.

Olga is chairwoman of the Ibero-American Federation of Stock Exchanges (FIAB), a member of the Executive Committee of the Central Securities Depository Association of the Americas (ACSDA), secretary of the Association of Capital Markets of the Americas (AMERCA), a member of the Independent Advisory Committee of the UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative (SSE), an independent board member of BI-Bank Panama, and a board member of Fundación Calicanto.

Her interests focus on women's empowerment and gender equality as well as incorporating sustainability in organisations. Her hobbies include arts and crafts and walking outdoors.

3. What were your professional highlights and challenges in 2022?

Some of Olga's professional highlights were officially launching the sustainability strategy and the first sustainability report of Latinex Group, developed applying international reporting standards as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) for Security & Commodity Exchanges. Another highlight was having been ranked the top stock exchange in the analysis of gender equality on Latin American corporate boards to measure the progress of gender equality in Latin American markets, conducted by the UN SSE in collaboration with IFC, the Ibero-American Federation of Exchanges and UN Women.

Challenges have included maintaining the capital market development strategy during times of market volatility and economic instability.

4. What and who inspires, and has inspired, you to achieve your professional success?

“My motto is that whoever wants something can achieve it if they set their minds to it (#PqPuedes) and I definitely got that from my grandfather. Someone I admired since I was a child for his tenacity and discipline to achieve the goals he set for himself; always looking out for the welfare of all”.

5. What advice do you have for other women who aspire to be in leadership positions?

“My advice is to always be prepared for when opportunities present themselves, always keep up to date with new trends, keep learning because you are never done learning and it's never too late to learn something new, don't be afraid of challenges, don't be afraid to be the only woman in the room and don't be afraid to voice your opinion. Also, remember that women support women, so always be on the lookout to see who you can support”.



Disclaimer:

The views, thoughts and opinions contained in this Focus article belong solely to the author and do not necessarily reflect the WFE’s policy position on the issue, or the WFE’s views or opinions.