Luis Fernando Castro

Founder of seven ventures, Luis Fernando Castro is a seasoned entrepreneur who leads with passion and discipline. He has invested in audacious companies across industries, and he is also a connector between extraordinary firms and investors. He has led game-changing transformations in the public and private sectors. He was appointed President of Bancoldex in December 2013. During his tenure, he has propelled this 20+ year institution towards a development bank focused on business growth and catalyzing the business of next, contributing with a positive impact to the economic growth of Colombia. As CEO of the Barranquilla Chamber of Commerce, he was central to the creation of the Centro de Eventos del Caribe (The Caribbean Convention Center) and the Barranquilla Harbor Area, among other important projects for the economic development of that city. He was the general manager of the Agrodex International Company, Provyser, and also planning coordinator in Dupont Colombia. He has also been a member of directive boards in important companies such as Frisby, Gazel, Aeropuertos del Caribe, and public entities such as ProBarranquilla, Fundesarrollo, and the Atlantico Regional Autonomous Corporation (CRA). He holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from Columbia University and an MBA from the University of Los Andes. He has also studied economic development, business, administration and leadership, at Harvard, Northwestern, and Pennsylvania universities. Father of five.