DOSSIER

ANIMATION AND DUBBING IN

SPECIAL REPORT
MEXICO’S CYBERSECURITY
INTERVIEW
THE PACIFIC ALLIANCE:
CARL VOIGT
SPECIAL
SPECIAL
MEXICO STRATEGY
A CORNERSTONE
ACADEMIC DIRECTOR FOR
IN THE MODERN
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
FEATURE
FEATURE
ECONOMIC
EDUCATION ERA
AND RESEARCH INFORMATION
DIVERSIFICATION
ATBY
USC MARSHALLGUAJARDO V.
ILDEFONSO TECHNOLOGIES

Creative Industries

MEXICO
AMAZES
THE PACIFIC ALLIANCE
TheTHE
Power WORLD
9 772007 179003
ISSN 2007-1795

of Integration
November | December 2018 1
CONTENTS
08 Reflections on the Creative Industries in Mexico:
Possibilities and Challenges in the Era of Global Media
Convergence
By Luis E. Archundia
12 The Soft Power of Creative Industries:
the Potential of Being More than an Industry
By Tania Ilian Rosales Reyes and Julene Landáburu Ibarra
14 Mexico Video Games Industry
By Yukio Olivera Oceguera
16 Uses and Applications of Virtual and Augmented
Reality
By Renata Piña Huesca
18 OTT, Broadening Mexico’s Creative Horizons
By Carlos Raúl Barrón Cruz
20 Animation and Dubbing in Mexico
By María Cristina Rosas
cover feature
CREATIVE
INDUSTRIES
Mexico Amazes
the World
Mexican Dubbing: A Success story in the Shadows? 23
Interview with Humberto Velez
New Art Lab: World Quality Dubbing 26
Interview with Magdalena Questa
TENA: Teaching Dubbing, Voice-Overs and 28
the Performing Arts in Mexico, a Success Story
Interview with Gustavo Gutiérrez
Wonder Woman Talks about an Art Form 30
with a Loud Voice
Interview with Jessica Ortiz
Ánima Estudios and Animation in Mexico 32
Interview with José Carlos García de Letona
Huevocartoon: Animation a la Mexicana 36
Interview wth Gabriel Riva Palacio, Ignacio Martínez
Caseres, and David Salinas Garfias
 Negocios ProMéxico es una publicación editada por ProMéxico:
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de la Secretaría de Gobernación.
ISSN: 2007-1795.

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July | August 2018 3
Mexico’s Partner

Ciudad Creativa Digital: an Opportunity for 40 Baby Ballet: A Mexican Franchise Pirouetting 50
International Collaboration its Way Across Latin America

Mexico, Up There with the World’s Best 42 Fintech for Retirement 68

Interactive Developers
Artificial Intelligence and Big Data 70
Sietecolores: Breaking Design Paradigms Applied to Foreign Trade
in Education 44
Egypt, A Long-Term Project for Cemex 72
Past the Pitch: Mexican Architects Qualify for 46
2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar Tornel to Flex its Export Muscle 86

Tanya Moss: A Jewelry Maker with Mettle 48 Agua Inmaculada: Out to Conquer the World 88

Special Feature: Information Technologies

Shoring Up Mexico’s Participation in the 54

Global Digital Economy
By Omar Martínez González

Mexico, Fintech Nation 56

By J. Santiago Rodríguez Suárez

Blockchain: A Trust-Inspiring Technology 58

By Carlos Raúl Barrón Cruz

Personal Data Security, Markets and Opportunities 60

By Carlos Raúl Barrón Cruz

E-Commerce: Growth Opens Door to 62

New Business Opportunities
By Renata Piña Huesca

Why is Mexico Suited to m-Commerce? 64

By Carlos Raúl Barrón Cruz

Roadmap for the IT Sector in the State of Jalisco 66

By José Manuel Cortés Ríos

Special Report: Cybersecurity Guest Opinion

Mexico’s National Cybersecurity Strategy 74

Geographical Indications: Valuing Origin 52
By José Miguel Mena,
By Juan Carlos Reyes Oropeza

Cybersecurity: priority in Mexico’s 80

The Freight Forwarder, a Key Logistics Player 94
digital transformation By Francisco Javier Méndez A., COMCE Consultant
By J. Santiago Rodríguez Suárez
Interview
Cybersecurity: Brief Considerations on 82
Mexico’s Legal Framework Productivity of Mexico’s Small Enterprises: 90
By Dr. Anahiby Becerril Gil Key to Growth
Interview with Carl Voigt, Academic Director for International
Industry 4.0 Platform 84 Business Education and Research & Professor of Clinical
By Dr. Raúl E. Rendón Montemayor Management and Organization at USC Marshalll

Toward the Diversification of Pacific Alliance 92

Investments
Interview with Ángel Villalobos Rodríguez, General Director
of Foreign Investment at the Ministry of Economy
July | August 2018 5
 The Lifestyle

100
114 MEXICO
ACCORDING TO...
Anaïs Pareto

INTERVIEW
102
Ariel Rojo MEXICO
“There’s art in science ACCORDING TO...

and science in art” Carlos Palacios

104
photo courtesy of ariel rojo

MEXICO
ACCORDING TO...
Takeya Matsumoto

110
DESTINATION

Bacalar
A Paradise to Be Explored
photo courtesy of luciana kaplan

106
112
INTERVIEW
DESTINATION
Luciana Kaplan
A Narrator of Stories; Chepe Express
a Provoker of Thought Life-changing Journeys

118
98 VEN A COMER

Cynthia Martínez
WORTH MORE
THAN IT COSTS Hands that
Never Stop
The Clay from Capula,
photo paola valencia

A Tradition of
the Earth

Negocios ProMéxico
 B:21.5 cm
T:21 cm
S:20 cm

La oportunidad no puede golpear a tu puerta

si no sabe dónde vives.
COMPARTAMOS ES UNA EMPRESA CON LA MEJOR GESTIÓN. En América Latina, millones de personas
aún no tienen una cuenta bancaria. Compartamos usa las soluciones móviles de SAP® para ayudar
a brindar oportunidades y productos financieros a quienes antes tenían acceso limitado a servicios
bancarios. Para que puedan usar su talento en la mejora de sus comunidades, su país y su mundo.
LAS EMPRESAS MEJOR GESTIONADAS HACEN QUE EL MUNDO FUNCIONE MEJOR.
Más información en sap.com/latinamerica

Source: The World Bank. © 2018 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved.
COVER FEATURE
REFLECTIONS ON THE CREATIVE
INDUSTRIES IN MEXICO:
POSSIBILITIES AND CHALLENGES
IN THE ERA OF GLOBAL
MEDIA CONVERGENCE
Mexico’s creative industries have a wealth of talent and a tradition of
cinematic storytelling that is contributing to consolidate the country as a
leader in the production and export of audiovisual content to international
markets.
BY LUIS E. ARCHUNDIA
Since its foundation, ProMéxico has focused its
attention on the creative platform, once consid-
ered only as “the culture sector”, without acknol-
wledging its important role as an industry. In
2010, based on prospective analysis conducted
by the agency and consultation sessions held with
the various sectors of the creative community
around the design of an industrial strategy for
the sector, the Ministry of Economy recognized
the creative industries as one of the priority pro-
ductive sectors of the national economy due to its
rapid growth, its increasingly significant impact
on GDP and its potential, since Mexico is the lead-
ing world generator of digital content in Spanish.
We live in an era of digital media conver-
gence, in which the production and consump-
tion of contents has acquired great social and
economic significance. Consequently, during
ProMéxico’s consultations with the creative
community, special emphasis was placed on
the audiovisual subsector, including film and
television, animation, video games, digital
VFX, virtual and augmented reality, in all of
its applications, ranging from entertainment
and culture to training and education.
The continuous dialogue held with the sec-
tor’s main actors has resulted in significant
8
progress achieved in integrating the various
links in an industry increasingly focused on
the production of intellectual property and
export of creative goods and services to target
markets in line with a strategy based on suc-
cess metrics and international business goals.
Key to this process was the publication
of two versions of the Creative Industries
Roadmap, which paved the way for strategic
projects like creative hubs or the conceptual-
ization of creative cities as part of the trend
toward incorporating creativity centers in
digital urban reconversion projects, otherwise
known as smart cities.
Consultations with film and televi-
sion producers in particular gave rise to the
ProAudiovisual Fund (ProAV), an incentive
prototype designed to attract high-impact for-
eign productions, as a result of which pictures
like France’s Colombiana, produced by Luc
Besson, Sony Pictures’ Elysium, starring Matt
Damon, and the History Channel series Texas
Rising were all filmed in Mexico.
This initial model evolved into a more com-
plete, competitive one known as the Incentive
Mechanism for Foreign Audiovisual Projects,
whose extensive catalogue runs the whole
Negocios ProMéxico

gamut of audiovisual activities, including in-
teractive digital projects that have gotten com-
panies like Netflix and Amazon interested in
establishing Mexico as one of their top produc-
tion destinations in Latin America.
Eleven years of joint efforts and open lines
of communication between government, indus-
try and the academic community have made it
possible for countless Mexican companies to
take their operations abroad, enter into strate-
gic partnerships as a result of business missions
and gain access to leading international markets
like MIPCOM, MIPCancún, Kidscreen, Annecy
International Animation Festival, Berlinale,
Marché du film de Cannes, Gamescom, Games
Connection, Cannes Lions, Banff World Media
Festival, and global creativity and innovation
events like South By Southwest (SXSW).
This triple helix approach has produced some
very promising results. Today, the country’s cre-
ative companies have matured to the extent that
they can now compete internationally, while
Mexico has consolidated its position as a top des-
tination for investment in the production and de-
velopment of audiovisual content and as a leader
in the production of film and television content
for Spanish-speaking markets.
November | December 2018
COVER FEATURE
PHOTO ARCHIVE
The future is looking bright and Eleven years of joint
ProMéxico’s strategy has borne fruit, but
it’s time to sit back and reflect on where it is efforts and open lines of
headed. The “creative economy” is expand-
ing globally. In a world dominated by images, communication between
symbols and ideas, the creative industries act
as an interface between culture, the economy
government, industry and
and technology, creating new jobs, new busi- the academic community
ness models and a new culture. Based on this
line of reasoning, the agency has identified have made it possible
the following strategic lines of action to pro-
mote Mexico’s “new oil” and ensure we don’t for countless Mexican
let opportunities in the creative industries slip
through our fingers. companies to take their
Countries with highly developed creative
industries have successfully built on three operations abroad,
main pillars: culture-industry, creativity-
innovation and intellectual property-global enter into strategic
industry.
partnerships as a result
Culture–Industry of business missions and
Move past debate as to the line between culture
and industry and form a common creative front gain access to leading
to support the development of the creative in-
dustries via a combination of interdisciplinary international markets.
and multi-sectorial synergies, thereby contrib-
uting to the sector’s global competitiveness.
9
 COVER FEATURE
Today, the country’s It’s a debate countries with strong creative
industries have not been able to sidestep and
creative companies have only those that have given priority to industry
and global competitiveness have been able to
matured to the extent that reconcile these concepts with institutions and
groups that represent the creative industries
they can now compete and bring them together in a single commu-
nity focused on creating a self-sustaining in-
internationally, while dustry equipped to take advantage of global
opportunities.
Mexico has consolidated
Creativity–Innovation
its position as a top Find ways of introducing creative intelligence to
other industries and promote innovation as one
destination for investment of Mexico’s competitive advantages.
The scope of action of the creative econ-
in the production omy is constantly expanding. Public policy-
makers, researchers and academics need to
and development of explore the relationship between the creative
industries and the economy in greater depth.
audiovisual content. The creative industries have come to play
an increasingly important role in innovation
and the growth of other sectors. Rather than
viewing them as cultural expressions, it is time
we acknowledged them as a catalyst for inno-
vation that permeates every sector of the econ-
omy and boosts their competitive advantages.
PHOTO ARCHIVE
10
Creativity is a disruptive process that re-
quires “thinking outside the box”. It leads to in-
novation, which, in turn, leads to change. The
creative industries generate more innovation
than other sectors.
Intellectual Property-
Global Industry
Design a national strategy for the creation
and protection of intellectual property, in the
understanding that this is the ingredient that
turns creativity into industry.
The economic clout of culture and enter-
tainment is now comparable to that of the
manufacturing industry or the energy sec-
tor. Countries that boast competitive creative
industries with a global impact have gone
to great lengths to protect their intellectual
property—countries like Japan, for instance,
which has set itself the goal of becoming a na-
tion based on its intellectual property, and
the United States, which has transformed
Hollywood from a film factory into a producer
of intellectual property.
Intellectual property is the ingredient that
transforms creativity into industry, because it
enables the authors of new works and processes
Negocios ProMéxico
 COVER FEATURE

to profit from their endeavors. In this context, a private-sector financing mechanisms to pro- A national strategy
national strategy for the creation and promo- mote market-specific creative projects with
tion of intellectual property would provide a established business models. Mexico would for the creation and
framework within which creative businesses need to follow this example and urge its de-
and individuals can work with legal certainty velopment banks to set up areas specializ- promotion of intellectual
and export their creative content. ing in financing models for creative projects.
Likewise, commercial banks will have to
property would provide a
Challenges develop instruments geared specifically to- framework within which
The creative industries are different to other ward companies that produce intangible cre-
industries in that they fuse economic value and ative goods. Providing the creative industries creative businesses and
cultural value. As such, they face specific chal- with solid financial backing like this will spur
lenges that need to be addressed individually. growth and enable them to reach a broader individuals can work with
Due to technological progress, methods market in a shorter period of time.
of production and consumption, the business Mexico’s creative industries need to evolve legal certainty and export
models of the creative industries are chang- toward more profitable mechanisms in a con-
ing increasingly rapidly and unpredictably. text of high global demand. The greatest chal- their creative content.
In the case of Mexico, this means we need to lenge facing the companies that make up the
constantly monitor new trends and the devel- country’s extensive creative ecosystem will be
opment of the global industry and adapt—with to gradually make the transition from state
the aid of a federal government think-tank patronage to a system of incentives and assis-
centered on the creative economy—our strate- tance that fosters self-sustainability. This will
gies and the way we support the industry by require a common plan of action with specific
drawing up public policies designed to boost initiatives to encourage the various creative
their competitiveness, leaning on their in- disciplines that are currently traveling paral-
stalled capacity in terms of talent and infra- lel lanes to finally come together so they can
structure as their main strength. journey forward together down one interdis-
The world’s most competitive creative ciplinary, plural path.
industries incorporate different disciplines
transversally in projects that bring together
all kinds of talents. This is why the creative
industries tend to form clusters, especially in
the audiovisual subsector. In a country like
Mexico, which has traditionally operated in
the form of unconnected creative silos, the
main challenge will be to create an agency for
the creative industries —similar to the Media
Development Corporation model— that repre-
sents the interests and coordinates the strate-
gies of the industry as a whole.
Mexico has an abundance of artistic talent,
but lacks sufficient information as to the type
of talent available, its real capacity and level
of professionalization. This could be rectified
with the drawing up of a national talent map
to identify capacities and training and educa-
tion gaps, thereby ensuring the creative indus-
tries continue to grow and consolidate their
competitiveness on the global arena. A na-
tional education strategy designed to prepare
and certify talent that meets the needs of the
creative industries would necessarily include
short technical courses with a guaranteed job
PHOTO ARCHIVE

at the end.
Countries that have acknowledged the
economic value of creativity have placed em-
phasis on the development of public- and

November | December 2018 11

COVER FEATURE
THE SOFT POWER OF
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES:
THE POTENTIAL OF BEING
MORE THAN AN INDUSTRY
Mexico has positioned itself as creative hub. It is the main exporter of
creative goods in Latin America and creative industries represent 3.3%
of the country’s GDP.
BY TANIA ILIAN ROSALES REYES AND JULENE L ANDÁBURU IBARRA
One of the most dynamic sectors in the 21st-
century economy is creative industries. It has
been claimed that, in some countries, the av-
erage growth rate of the industry has even
doubled that of their GDP. Similarly, accord-
ing to UNESCO and EY, cultural and creative
industries generate 2.25 trillion usd of rev-
enues –a figure that even surpasses India’s
GDP– and are responsible for 29.5 million jobs
worldwide.
Moreover, –as a result of globalization–
creative industries go beyond being just an in-
dustry in itself. Their value relies not just on
their monetary capability, but on their spill-
over effect and on the soft power they yield.
Their potential for generating empathy and
creating influence is a feature that makes
them powerful across the industrial universe.
Creative industries have become funda-
mental in boosting a country’s image and
reputation. When we think of design, fashion,
architecture, and arts, iconic cities like Paris,
New York, London, Tokyo, and Milan remain
top of mind. However, there are also other
non-traditional locations that have recently
gained ground in this arena. Such is the case of
the rise of K-pop in South Korea or reggaeton
12
in Latin America. In all these examples, cre-
ative industries have built a solid basis for re-
inforcing a country or a region’s international
position while creating engagement through
the intercultural dialogue they promote. But,
where is Mexico located in this realm?
Mexico’s talent and rich cultural heritage
are a source of pride in every corner of the
country. From music and art to gastronomy
and literature, from north to south, since pre-
Hispanic times, traditions have been at the cen-
ter of the country’s seal. They have even been
an inspiration for works of art of every kind in
different parts of the world, for instance, films
like James Bond’s Spectre opening scene or
Disney-Pixar’s recent international box-office
success: Coco.
Over the years, Mexico has positioned it-
self as an international and –particularly– as
a regional creative hub. While being the main
Latin American exporter of creative goods,
Mexico has known how to stand out. The in-
dustry has become the 5th most important
sector in the country and it represents 3.3%
of our GDP. At the same time, six Mexican cit-
ies have already been included in UNESCO’s
Creative Cities Network.
Negocios ProMéxico

PHOTO ARCHIVE
Nowadays, an increasing number of
Mexican names are stepping onto the creative
scene. Through their talent, they show the world
our country’s true essence: Isaac Hernández,
Alondra de la Parra, Gabriel Orozco, Guillermo
del Toro, and –most recently– Ahmed Bautista,
who launched his controversial jackets to spread
Mexican pride worldwide at a time of political
tension, when Mexico was severely criticized.
The list could go on quite a bit longer. Their
stories –without a doubt– inspire us and make
us feel proud. Nevertheless, it is not just about
having outstanding Mexican men and women
under the spotlight. A national integrated strate-
gy must be put forward in order to take Mexico’s
creative industries to the next level.
Guadalajara’s Creative Digital City initia-
tive well exemplifies the main area through
which Mexico has made its way into the cre-
ative sphere: audiovisual media, which accord-
ing to the National Institute of Statistics and
Geography (INEGI), represents 37.7% of the na-
tion’s cultural GDP. Our country’s effort in put-
ting a bet on this domain is a remarkable move
since technologies will be an essential ally to
boost future growth in almost every sector. Still,
Mexico should not leave aside the potential that
November | December 2018
COVER FEATURE
lies in investing precisely in what makes creative The country produces
industries unique, the feature that for centuries
has astonished the world about Mexico: the cul- culture in a natural
ture-centered element.
Now, it is time to support less-known forms of manner: at museums, in
artistic expressions. Through their advancement,
Mexico can aim to fully seize its soft power poten-
universities, inside art
tial, one that will grant us the chance of gaining in- galleries, and even in the
fluence through cultural promotion and that will
endow us with a voice on the international scene. streets. These small and
The country produces culture in a natural
manner: at museums, in universities, inside art isolated creations have the
galleries, and even in the streets. These small
and isolated creations have the potential of turn- potential of turning into
ing into a soft power catalyzer. The moment has
come to delight the world with our traditions, a soft power catalyzer.
our music, our paintings, our dances, our mov-
ies; with Mexico.
Our forecast predicts only a win-win sce-
nario. The results –besides being reflected in
economic terms– will allow Mexican elements
grow into the new worldwide gold standard.
Remember that the greatest power of creative
industries does not lie in the entertainment they
provide, but in the possibility of keeping our
roots alive. Today –more than ever– we must
proudly speak out: we are Hecho en México.
13
COVER FEATURE
MEXICO VIDEO GAMES INDUSTRY
Mexico is well positioned to exploit opportunities in the global video game
industry.
BY YUKIO OLIVERA OCEGUERA
Since video games first emerged in the 1950’s
this industry has revolutionized the world and
become one of the most profitable and com-
mercially attractive business models. In 2017,
the global video games industry was valued at
over 100 billion usd, a record growth of over
50% in the last five years. Video games for mo-
bile devices such as tablets and smartphones
lead the market share (42%), followed by con-
sole (31%) and PC (27%), which includes boxed,
downloaded and web browser-based games.
Video game companies around the world
have built alliances with other industries on
the development of comprehensive entertain-
ment systems to monetize the interest of tra-
ditional audiences and attract new consumer
segments.
In addition, their profit-making capacity
is no longer limited to the purchase of video
games and the devices used to play them, but
extends to subscriptions to entertainment net-
works, special events, conventions and tourna-
ments (thus, creating the eSports ecosystem),
complementary items, downloadable content,
integrated purchases and advertising.
14
The users interactions with video games
make a completely new experience able to
contend, visualize, communicate, learn and
create by using virtual platforms. With con-
sumers spending more and more time on their
consoles, entertainment companies have seen
their profits soar.
In Mexico, the video game market re-
ported revenues of over 1 billion usd in 2017,
positioning it 12th on the global ranking and
number one in Latin America – 90 million usd
ahead of Brazil.
The industry has created strong relation-
ships with other sectors such as telecommu-
nications, sports and education, giving rise to
new partnerships, mergers and acquisitions
worldwide. Disruptive technologies like ar-
tificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR),
augmented reality (AR) and the Internet of
Things (IoT) are now driving innovation and
the evolution of video games. Therefore, these
innovations foster the creation of new busi-
ness models like Edutainment and eSports,
the latest is a highly popular entertainment
and media segment that has registered annual
Negocios ProMéxico

growth of approximately 22% and whose mar-
ket value will to surpass 1 billion usd by 2020.
Opportunities abound, both in the develop-
ment of software and the creation of hardware,
clears the path to new businesses’ lines that
range from the conceptualization of creative
ideas to the production of video games and new
devices designed to improve the user’s experi-
ence right through to advertising content.
The market value estimations of the video
game industry are 110 billion usd by the end of
2018 and rising to 120 billion usd by 2019.
The women’s sector of the US market is a
huge opportunity for México, given that, ac-
cording to a Google study, over 65% of women
aged between 10 and 65 are active players,
yet no clear strategy has been mapped out for
these users, meaning there is a large market
share that could be garnered.
But that’s not where the game ends. Mexico
has the capacity along with the creative and
technological talent to make its mark in any
of the video game lines of business. There are
PHOTO ARCHIVE
November | December 2018
COVER FEATURE
Mexican companies specialized in the develop- Mexico not only has the
ment of storyboards, advertising, production, de-
sign and graphic art, and video games who have capacity, but the creative
proven their experience. Hubs for these activi-
ties have sprung up in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and technological talent
Querétaro, Monterrey, Chihuahua, Mexicali and
Guanajuato. Today, Mexico is the sixth-largest
to make its mark in any
exporter of creative goods in the world and the of the industry’s lines of
leading one in Latin America.
And while Mexico’s video game industry is business, as Mexican
not yet fully consolidated, its growth has paved
the way for fresh opportunities and revealed companies specializing
untapped niches, while cooperation between
the public and private sectors has made it eas- in the development of
ier to gain access to financing for projects with
global impact. storyboards, advertising,
There are currently over 50 public and
private sector organizations in Mexico pro- production, design and
moting the video game industry. One of these
is ProMéxico, which provides support and as-
graphic art, and video
sistance for production activities with a view games have proven.
to ensuring Mexican companies are equipped
to compete on international markets.
15
COVER FEATURE
USES AND APPLICATIONS
OF VIRTUAL AND
AUGMENTED REALITY
The evolution of immersive technologies like virtual and augmented reality,
and their ever-broader range of applications in other industries, bode well
for the IT industry in Mexico.
BY RENATA PIÑA HUESCA
Virtual and augmented reality belong to the
immersive family of technologies—a term that
refers to digital technologies that submerge
the user in fictional environments on varying
levels with the aid of electronic devices —hel-
mets, glasses, gloves, earphones, omnidirec-
tional treadmills, among others— which have
emerged from advances in electronics and in-
formation technologies. To them we can add
mixed reality, which combines virtual and
augmented reality. This technology is still at
the experimental phase and consists of pro-
jecting digital environments onto real ones
using electronic devices.
Immersive technologies date back to the
late 19th and early 20th century. They devel-
oped slowly until the 1960s in the case of vir-
tual reality and up until the 1990s in the case
of augmented reality, but are now progressing
in leaps and bounds and are being employed
by a much broader range of industries.
All three technologies require the use of
electronic devices and imply contact with the
digital world, reason why it’s often not easy to
differentiate among them. Virtual reality en-
tails complete immersion, i.e. the user inter-
acts with a simulated fictional environment,
while augmented reality adds digital informa-
tion to a real environment. Finally, mixed real-
ity is a combination of the previous two.
16
Immersive technologies have applications
in a wide range of disciplines, from architec-
ture, sports, medicine, the arts, tourism and
manufacturing to entertainment (primarily
films and video games), education and mili-
tary training. The reason they are so popular
—aside from the fact users find them appeal-
ing— is that they enable companies to reduce
costs and risks by simulating specific environ-
ments. For example, an architect can visualize
a building before it is finished, making it easier
to sell to the client, and med students can per-
form virtual operations without putting pa-
tients’ lives at risk.
Worldwide, we are seeing more and newer
trends around immersive technologies. For
example, it is estimated that by 2025, we will
have incorporated artificial intelligence into
the human brain for medical purposes, to
treat diseases like Alzheimer and epilepsy. We
will also be seeing them used in wearables, in
devices to help locate people performing dan-
gerous tasks and to help us adapt to collective
interactive environments.
There are already several companies in
Mexico developing these technologies in dif-
ferent fields, from devices and components,
operating systems and software engineering
to algorithms and contents. Thematic simu-
lations, housing projects, museum tours, VR
Negocios ProMéxico
 COVER FEATURE

movie theaters, continuous training in all kinds
of industries, production planning, mainte-
nance, marketing, human resources training,
scientific projects and high school and univer-
sity teaching are just some of the areas in which
they have already been implemented.
Mexico’s technological sector has under-
gone positive change —climbing from 95th po-
sition on the International Telecommunication
Union’s IT Development Index (IDI) in 2015 to
87th place in 2017— and is deemed an attrac-
tive market due to its development potential.
Immersive technologies are gaining ground
worldwide and their applications are increas-
ingly diverse, not to mention the advantages
PHOTO ARCHIVE
they stand to bring us in the future. All this Immersive technologies
translates into business opportunities, foster-
ing the creation of new applications that can be are gaining ground
monetized for related sectors, like the creative
industries, where Mexico’s potential to export worldwide and their
both products and talent is extremely high.
Given the opportunities these technolo-
applications are
gies hold for both for the companies that de- increasingly diverse,
velop them directly and those who benefit
from them indirectly, ProMéxico has taken not to mention the
measures to help developers showcase their
products, services and prototypes at home and advantages they stand
abroad, and has drawn up intelligence docu-
ments to enable them to identify viable mar- to bring us in the future.
kets with the highest profitability indexes.
All this translates into
business opportunities,
fostering the creation of
new applications that
can be monetized for
related sectors, like the
creative industries, where
Mexico’s potential to
export both products and
talent is extremely high.

November | December 2018 17

COVER FEATURE
OTT, BROADENING MEXICO’S
CREATIVE HORIZONS
As one of the top creative industries players in Latina America and a global
leader in the production of Spanish-language contents, OTT services have
significantly broadened Mexico’s business horizons.
BY CARLOS RAÚL BARRÓN CRUZ
Over-the-Top (OTT) services provide contents
over the Internet, bypassing traditional media
like radio stations and television networks
that used to depend on physical broadcasting
channels (cable, satellite or radio frequency)
and that were controlled by a handful of tele-
communications operators.
A pioneer in these types of platforms is
YouTube, which remains as popular today as
when it was first launched on the Internet in
2005 as a video storage service. Since then,
the options of platforms have grown in both
quantity and variety. This new industry is now
dominated by companies like Netflix, Amazon
Prime Video, Spotify, WhatsApp, Skype and
Apple Music.
It used to be that broadcasting channels
required specialized infrastructure that was
in the hands of a few select players, but today
virtually anyone can produce and upload con-
tents using OTT services and applications,
depending on the business model of the plat-
form in question. As a result, OTT has become
a regulator in an industry where competition
barely existed until recently.
Mexico has managed to keep pace with
this trend and while the best examples of OTT
services are those offered by traditional play-
ers like Grupo Televisa (Blim), América Móvil
(Claro Video) and Cinépolis (Cinépolis Klic)
in reaction to the innovations of foreign com-
panies, these now boast a broad, competitive
selection of contents. One segment that has
18
shown a marked preference for OTT servic-
es is sports, where platforms like ChivasTV,
Claro Sports and many like them broadcast
special events and tournaments.
In 2017, OTT services in Mexico were val-
ued at 272 million usd and had almost 7 mil-
lion subscribers. The model is already the
third-most-popular means of accessing video
contents after public broadcast channels and
pay TV, while growth in subscribers is twice
that of pay TV (39.6% and 15%, respectively).
That said, the value and relevance of these
platforms go beyond subscription revenues—
drivers of the creatives industries, they offer
producers of films, music, documentaries and
other such contents an alternative means of
getting their work seen by a specific and ever-
growing audience (subscribers).
One company to exploit opportunities in
this area is Netflix, which has invested in pro-
ductions like La Casa de las Flores, El Chapo
and the Luis Miguel biographical series.
These productions are tailored exclusively to
Mexican viewers and have high ratings. As
one of the top creative industries players in
Latin America, Mexico is well positioned to
take the lead in the production of contents for
Spanish-language OTT platforms with a va-
riety of contents and make these available to
Spanish-speaking subscribers the world over.
There are many ways in which Mexican
companies can exploit the features of the OTT
model —ubiquity, greater competition, lower
Negocios ProMéxico

production and content distribution costs— to
find markets of opportunity:
• Media companies can use this new chan-
nel to deliver their contents to audiences
anywhere in the world—and will have to
if they don’t want to be pushed out of the
market.
• Producers can access new formats of dif-
ferent styles and lengths and create all
kinds of contents with lower budgets and
that target a broader audience.
• Amateur producers can access less de-
manding distribution platforms (YouTube,
Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and
WhatsApp) and garner the interest of
other channels that may be willing to pay
for their contents.
In this new media order, regulatory con-
cerns necessarily arise, but not in Mexico or
anywhere else in the world have laws been
passed to provide greater certainty for actors
interested in participating in these innovative
business models.
November | December 2018
COVER FEATURE
In 2017, OTT services in Mexico were valued at 272
million usd and had almost 7 million subscribers.
The model is already the third-most-popular means
of accessing video contents after public broadcast
channels and pay TV, while growth in subscribers is
twice that of pay TV (39.6% and 15%, respectively).
ProMéxico, which has traditionally support-
ed Mexico’s creative industries—via, for instance,
initiatives like the Roadmap to Puebla, Capital
of Innovation and Design, as much as the col-
laboration with the Film Friendly Mexico web-
site—recommends exploring OTT opportunities
in greater depth, bearing in mind that contents
should target the appropriate audiences, that
cost structures need to be adapted to the expec-
tations of subscribers and productions duly pro-
tected under intellectual property law.
PHOTO ARCHIVE
19
COVER FEATURE

ANIMATION AND
DUBBING IN MEXICO

Interest in and study of the creative industries in Mexico is relatively recent,

despite the fact that they represent 7.4% of the country’s gross domestic
product (GDP), are responsible for millions of direct and indirect jobs, and
register a surplus in the balance of trade. What this means is that the country
sells more to the rest of the world than it buys, thus garnering a valuable
surplus in foreign exchange and income for the national economy.

BY MARÍA CRISTINA ROSAS*

Worldwide, cultural and creative industries gen-
erate 2.25 trillion usd in income —more than the
gross domestic product (GDP) of countries like
India— and 29.5 million jobs. The biggest income
producers are television (477 billion usd), the vi-
sual arts (391 billion) and newspapers and maga-
zines (354 billion). Those that generate the most
jobs are the visual arts (6.73 billion), books (3.67
billion) and music (3.98 billion).
These are multipolar industries. Asia is the
most dynamic continent in this regard —with 33%
of sales and 43% of jobs for the sector worldwide—,
while Europe and North America take second
and third place, respectively. Latin America and
Africa/Middle East are in fourth and fifth place.
The cultural and creative industries are con-
sidered key to the so-called fourth industrial revo-
lution, in which creativity takes a central role in
confronting global changes in the modes of pro-
duction and employment.
The creative industry is a conceptual exten-
sion of the cultural industry. It is the result of
technological development and changes in the
processes of generating and distributing cultural
products, all of which undoubtedly go hand in
hand with globalization.
The creative industries today form an ex-
tremely important sector. They contribute to
competitiveness, employment, innovation and
productive development while they also encour-
age consensus and promote the circulation of
knowledge and information. Countries commit-
ted to the development and strengthening of the
cultural industries have reaped numerous bene-
fits as they engage in exerting “soft power,” which
in turn enables them to promote their interests
and image in the world.
The creative industries of Mexico take vari-
ous forms and differ in their degree of visibility.
Generally speaking, the creative industries in-
clude the production of literary works; music,
with or without lyrics; plays; dance performances;
pictures and drawings; sculpture and artworks;
cartoons and comic strips; architectural works;
cinema and other audiovisual works; radio and
TV programs; computer programs; photography;
and works of applied art, including graphic design
and textiles. It also includes collected works such
as encyclopedias, anthologies and those com-
prised of other elements like databases.
Our focus here is on films and audiovi-
sual works, with an emphasis on dubbing and
animation.
Both dubbing and animation go back a long way
in Mexico, which is apparent in their widespread
recognition by the international community.
Cartoons and comic books are the founding
fathers of animation in Mexico. The proximity of
the United States and the influx of comic books
and animation from that country aroused the
interest of both consumers and filmmakers. It
was in 1956, when the animators branch of the
Film Industry Workers Union was founded,
that animation projects were first undertaken
in Mexico, highlighted by the work of Gamma
Productions, the creator of Las fábulas de Esopo

Negocios ProMéxico
20
 COVER FEATURE

(Aesop’s Fables) and Rocky y sus amigos (Rocky

and His Friends).
When Gamma Productions folded, the staff
that had worked there founded the Cooperativa
Producciones Animadas, which in 1972 produced
shorts such as Los Supermachos by Rius, and
Memín Pingüin by Yolanda Vargas Dulché.
In 1976, Fernando Ruíz, who had worked for
Disney, developed Latin America’s first animated
feature, together with Adolfo Torres Portillo: Los
tres reyes magos (The Three Wise Men), based on
a story by Rosario Castellanos.
In the 1980s, various creative talents in-
terested in animation received training at
the Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica
(CCC) and the Centro Universitario de Estudios
Cinematográficos (CUEC).
In 1994, Carlos Carrera, a graduate of the
CCC, made his first short, El héroe (The Hero),
winner of the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film
Festival. Carrera’s work, which includes nine ani-
mated shorts and such hit films as the live-action
El Crimen del Padre Amaro, earned him interna-
tional recognition, and his success has stirred in-
terest in a new generation of Mexican animators.
It was also in the 1980s —specifically 1983—
that the Mexican Institute for Cinematography
(IMCINE) was born, with a mandate to consoli-
date and expand national cinematic production
and promote the audiovisual industries, as well
as to promote the production, distribution and

exhibition of Mexican films both inside and out-
side the country.
From 1992 onward IMCINE became instru-
mental in cultivating new Mexican cinema, and in
1998 it lent support to the graduates of the CUEC
and the CCC.
Currently support is being granted to
the sector via venture capital and loans,
through the Fund for Cinema Investment and
Incentives (FIDECINE) and the Fiscal Incentive
for Investment Projects in National Cinema
Production (EFICINE) —trusteeships to support
the production, post-production, distribution and
exhibition of animated and live-action features.
They additionally offer incentives for the com-
mercial management of Mexican films as well as
their screenings at domestic and foreign festivals.
Television has been another showcase for
the development of animation in the country. La
Familia Telerín (The Telerín Family), created by
José Luis Moro in Spain, was seen in various Latin
American countries, Mexico among them.
Moro is a key figure because, together with
Mario Moreno Cantinflas he created the animat-
ed shorts for the Cantinflas Show, broadcast from
PHOTO ARCHIVE
1972 to 1982 and produced by Televisa. These Both dubbing and
delighted audiences with educational stories in
which the celebrated Mexican comedian interact-
animation go back a
ed with such figures as Albert Einstein, Thomas
long way in Mexico,
Alva Edison, Napoleon, Leonardo Da Vinci and
Marco Polo, among others. Fifty-three of these which is apparent
episodes were produced for the Cantinflas Show,
each lasting five to seven minutes. in their widespread
More recently, between 2006 and 2014,
Televisa and Ánima Estudios developed the ani- recognition by the
mated series El Chavo. There were 135 episodes of
the show over its seven-season run, all produced international community.
by Roberto Gómez Bolaños “Chespirito.”
Certainly The Simpsons, the animated series
developed by Matt Groening for 20th Century Fox,
on air for 30 continuous years, has been a global
phenomenon in television and animation history,
and it’s demonstrated the importance of consid-
ering non-traditional segments of the market on
prime-time television beyond children’s audiences.

November | December 2018 21

 COVER FEATURE
Creativity is the lifeblood Mexico’s animation boom took off at the start
of this century. In 2001, Gabriel and Rodolfo Riva
of Mexican animation. Palacio Alatriste, along with Rodolfo Riva Palacio
Velasco and Carlos Zepeda Chehaibar, and
With personnel being
Ignacio Martínez Caseres as producer, founded
trained by the companies Huevocartoon, a company that’s created feature
films and animation products for television. They
themselves, or in alliance were the ones behind the Película de huevos films,
with their distinctly Mexican sarcasm and gags.
with public and private In 2002, Fernando de Fuentes (son of the fa-
mous filmmaker) and José Carlos García de Letona
universities, the human founded Ánima Estudios, which is today the most
important animation studio in Latin America.
capital thus generated Banking predominately on children’s audiences
—though their portfolio includes an animated fea-
has made it possible to ture for adults— they’ve produced such films as
break into the sector, Don Gato y su Pandilla and Ahí viene Cascarrabias
and been involved in the making of Ana y Bruno,
spawning value chains. by the aforementioned director Carlos Carrera,
considered the country’s all-time greatest animat-
ed film and praised by such award-winning direc-
tors as Alfonso Cuarón and Guillermo Del Toro.
With the success of films like The Book of Life
and Coco, the world has begun to look toward
Mexico. Although those are US productions, their
thematic content highlights a market niche devot-
ed to Mexican culture and traditions —in this case,
the Day of the Dead. In a sense both productions
have boosted the profile of Mexican animation
and at the same time pushed it further.
PHOTO ARCHIVE
22
Animation is expensive and the production
processes take a lot of time. To give but one ex-
ample: each episode of The Simpsons —running
about 22 minutes— takes a year to be aired, from
the time the script is written to the final product,
at a cost of five million usd. The Book of Life and
Coco ran up outlays of, in the first case 50 million
usd, and in the second between 175 and 200 mil-
lion. In contrast, Ana y Bruno, by Carlos Carrera,
cost 5.3 million usd. What this means is that pro-
duction costs in Mexico are highly competitive,
as 10% of the budget earmarked for an animated
film in the United States or other countries can
finance a high-quality animated film in Mexico.
Creativity is the lifeblood of Mexican anima-
tion. With personnel being trained by the com-
panies themselves, or in alliance with public and
private universities, the human capital thus gen-
erated has made it possible to break into the sec-
tor, spawning value chains that involve producers,
cartoonists, scriptwriters, directors, distributors,
stars and dubbing actors. Various actors of well-
known prestige in Mexico and Latin America,
among them Eugenio Derbez, Ofelia Medina,
Omar Chaparro, Carlos Espejel, Bruno Bichir,
Angélica Vale, Rafael Inclán, Manuel “Loco”
Valdés and Jesús Ochoa, as well as such top dub-
bing actors as Humberto Vélez, Rubén Moya, Blas
García, Jesse Conde, have provided the voices for
Mexican animation.
Negocios ProMéxico
 COVER FEATURE

interview with humberto vélez

dubbing actor

MEXICAN DUBBING:
A SUCCESS STORY IN THE SHADOWS?

Listening to Humberto Vélez is fascinating. His virile, gravelly, masculine

voice, with impeccable diction, never fails to surprise. This Mexican
actor has been the Spanish voice for Latin America and the Caribbean
of Homer Simpson (Dan Castellaneta) between 1990 and 2005, Tony
Soprano (James Gandolfini) between 1999 and 2007, and for over a
decade of Winnie the Pooh (Jim Cummings), including his participation
in Christopher Robin (2018), the Disney production that premiered
just a few weeks ago, once again playing the silly little bear.

BY MARÍA CRISTINA ROSAS

The name Humberto Vélez arouses admira-
tion. An actor with nearly 40 years’ experi-
ence in the world of dubbing, his work not only
has delighted and still delights Latin American
audiences, but he has become an aspirational
model for those interested in a professional ca-
reer as a dubbing actor.
The Simpsons marked a before and after
for Mexican dubbing, by heightening expecta-
tions in audiences, not only domestically but in
Latin America and the Caribbean, as well. For
spectators in the region it was nearly impera-
tive to meet the people behind the Spanish
voices of that favorite Springfield family. Some
people even claim that the success of the ani-
mated series in Latin America is due, to a
great extent, to the work of Mexican dubbing
—which, according to some fans, surpasses the
original voices.
While dubbing did not emerge in Mexico
with the most successful animated television
series of all times —currently in its 30th sea-
son—, The Simpsons definitely contributed to
bringing a job whose protagonists, dubbing
actors, were considered “miners of the art”,
to light. The term was coined because of the
way in which dubbing is done: in a dark room,
where actors and actresses wear earphones
and have the translated script in front of them,
along with the audiovisual product —film, se-
ries, documentary or other— into which they
must their voices.
Dubbing is a way to overcome the language
barrier by translating and adapting another
language for the sake of spectators. It is a high-
ly-specialized profession that requires solid act-
ing training, since dubbing actors can only use
their voice to authentically express the inten-
tions and moods of the characters they play.
Dubbing started developing in Mexico in the
1930s, responding to the needs of the entertain-
ment industries, especially in Hollywood, to reach
the greatest possible number of spectators, repo-
sitioning the dialogs of actors and actresses in the
movie mecca in the audience’s language.
In the 1940s, Mexican dubbing grew along-
side the so-called “golden age” of Mexican
cinema, with Mexican radio soaps contribut-
ing most of the human resources for the task.
The great voices in Mexican dubbing include
such actors as Germán Valdés “Tin Tan”, Jorge
Arvizu, Diana Santos, Salvador Nájar, Víctor
Alcocer, Narciso Busquets, Luis Manuel Pelayo,
José Lavat and, of course, Humberto Vélez.

November | December 2018 23

 COVER FEATURE
“I am a success story,
because Mexican dubbing
itself is a success story.
And I am not the only
one. Every day success
stories are constructed
within Mexican dubbing.”
PHOTO ARCHIVE
24
Francisco Humberto Vélez Montiel (Orizaba,
Veracruz, March 30, 1955) has a long career as
a dubbing actor. Besides Homer Simpson and
Winnie the Pooh, he has been the voice of Lord
Farquaad (Shrek), professor Hubert Farnsworth
(Futurama), Peter Griffin (Family Guy), among
others, as well as actors like Danny DeVito
(Matilda), Raúl Julia (Addams Family), Arnold
Schwarzenegger (Terminator 2), Nathan Lane
(The Birdcage), Robin Williams (Awakenings),
Al Pacino (Insomnia), and Jeff Goldblum
(Independence Day), to mention a few. Today,
besides his work as a dubbing actor, Humberto
Vélez performs various shows in Mexico and
Latin America, and shares his knowledge with
the younger generations as a dubbing instructor
within the country and abroad.
— When did you decide that you
wanted to be a dubbing actor?
I got the idea of being a dubbing actor when I was
11 and read a piece called Abismo entre voices e
imágenes (Gap between Voices and Images), in
a magazine, that described the activity of dub-
bing, when I didn’t even know that dubbing
existed. That article had a huge impact on me,
and when I found out that Jorge Arvizu dubbed
my favorite character –Fred Flintstone—, I said
“I want to be that... I want to be the voice of a
famous caricature.” And as they say, you have
to be very careful about what you wish for, be-
cause it sometimes comes true.
I looked into what was needed to be a dub-
bing actor, and I did it. FIrst, I went to the United
States to study dramatic arts, set construction and
stage directing, and then I came back to Mexico to
do it in Spanish. I started doing theater and televi-
sion, like any other actor and finally my beloved
specialty in dubbing. My great friend Jesse Conde,
who does the Spanish voice of Tigger in Winnie
the Pooh, brought me in. He introduced me to
Francisco Colmenero, who gave me my first dub-
bing calls and with whom I worked for many years.
—Yours is a success story within
the world of dubbing. How can
stories like yours be made?
I am a success story, because Mexican dubbing
itself is a success story. And I am not the only
one. Every day success stories are constructed
within Mexican dubbing. For decades, Latin
American audiences have consumed television,
film and streaming entertainment in our lan-
guage that is produced elsewhere, through dub-
bing that was and is done in Mexico. It is not an
easy job, since it requires enormous specializa-
tion: acting training, but also, command of the
technique, so that when you see characters on
the movie, TV or cellphone screen, you they’re
actually speaking in your language.
The success of Mexican dubbing is clear, al-
though it is shaded, low-profile success, given that
good dubbing is not noticed: the viewer forgets or
doesn’t even realize that, originally, the charac-
ters (s)he watches speak another language.
— Now, however, dubbing actors are
especially visible to the general public.
What do you attribute that to?
To the information that flows through the media
and social media, comics conventions, confer-
ences and other events where we are invited,
both in Mexico and abroad. Many actors prior
to my generation, of my age or younger enjoy
great success and audience recognition, for ex-
ample, René García, Gerardo Reyero, Carlos
Segundo, Mario Castañeda and Memo Aponte,
among others. Their characterizations are not
only recognized and admired: the public tries to
Negocios ProMéxico
 COVER FEATURE

get close, meet us and see who we are beyond the

character or characters we play...

— Like your Homer Simpson, that

many people consider superior to
the original. Octavio Paz, himself,
said that your characterization of
the legendary head of the Simpson
family was especially enjoyable.
Yes, I’ve heard that.

—What would your life be like

without Homer Simpson?
Homer Simpson is huge. Some time back I
stopped struggling with that, despite having
gone through times when people associated
me with Homer. Jorge Arvizu managed to dis-
sociate himself from Fred Flintstone, and peo-
ple remember him as “Tata”. Fred Flintstone
may not have been as huge as Homer… I don’t
know. Many people have never seen The
Simpsons, yet they know they exist. Homer is
like Macbeth: plenty of people are not even fa-
miliar with Shakespeare’s text, but they know
it exists. That’s how big Homer’s character is.
There’s no sense in thinking about what my
life would be like without him; I have gotten a
lot of good things from Homer.

—Do you think dubbing contributes

to Mexico’s image in the world?
Yes. Mexican dubbing creates, as an industry,

PHOTO ARCHIVE
an image of the country. It is a clean, decent,
progressive, artistic, professional, reliable
image, and dubbing actors are sort of ambassa-
dors of Mexico in all those places. We are rec-
ognized, sought out and asked to participate in
conferences, shows, and dubbing courses. francisco humberto vélez montiel

— How important is dubbing as an industry,
as an economic activity for Mexico?
It is a business where our clients are gener-
ally producing countries, and our consum-
ers are Latin America, the Caribbean and
the Hispanic market in the United States.
Furthermore, though, Mexican dubbing opens
up other market niches: I’ve gotten calls to pro-
mote various products in Latin America, for
instance alfajor pastries in Uruguay.
An activity that generates major revenue
for the country, dubbing is part of Mexico’s
creative industries and soft power.
— Today Mexico is experiencing growing
competition in Latin America in the realm
of dubbing. It is no longer just Mexico
doing it, since there are such post- “ Mexican dubbing
production professionals in Venezuela,
Colombia, Chile and Argentina, to cite
creates, as an industry, an
the most well known cases. How does
image of the country [...]
Mexican dubbing respond when faced
with proposals from those countries? dubbing actors are sort of
I think that those countries are increasingly
more competitive, but Mexico enjoys tremen- ambassadors of Mexico. “
dous experience, infrastructure and talent. Our
main differentiator is experience. Despite the
competition, Mexican dubbing is still successful,
proof of which is thatw Netflix, the leading com-
pany in the generation of contents for stream-
ing, dubs all its products in Mexico, and Matt
Groening, creator of The Simpsons, married to
an Argentinian actress, had the dubbing of his
new series, Disenchantment, done in Mexico.

November | December 2018 25

COVER FEATURE

interview with magdalena questa

production manager, executive producer and
dubbing actress at new art lab

NEW ART LAB:

WORLD QUALITY DUBBING

Nearly a hundred dubbing companies, ranging in quality and

years of experience, operate in Mexico. Some are longstanding
and others have emerged, particularly in the last few years,
in response to needs for dubbing, the amount of audiovisual
products available and competition for having everything
ready as fast as possible and at, in many cases, low costs.

BY MARÍA CRISTINA ROSAS

New Art Dub was founded by Víctor Millet and
Edmundo Santos in 1962, as Grabaciones and
Doblajes. For a long time, the company was a stu-
dio that did dubbing exclusively for Disney. That
changed around 1999, when the company joined
the New Art Lab group and decided to open up
to other clients and no longer operate as an ex-
clusive studio.
Nowadays, New Art Lab has four record-
ing rooms, four mixing rooms and a Dolby THX-
certified room. The company has dubbed iconic
Disney feature films such as 101 Dalmatians, The
Jungle Book, The Aristocats, Sleeping Beauty and
The Lion King —the first digital recording ever
done in Mexico— among others. Furthermore, it
has also been responsible for translating and dub-
bing such Spanish blockbusters as Shrek, Hotel
Transylvania, Jurassic World, and hit television se-
ries like The Simpsons.
Magdalena Questa, the company’s production
manager, executive producer and a dubbing ac-
tress, discusses the achievements and challenges
facing New Art Lab.
—What is the current situation
of Mexican dubbing?
Dubbing has changed a lot, and there is growing
competition throughout the region. The compe-
tition forces those of us who do dubbing to show
our best side.
At New Art Lab, we have specialized trans-
lators who know the correct terminology used
in television series and movies. Right now, shows
about doctors are the fashion, so, for example, we
have to be make sure that correct terminology is
used when translating, dubbing and subtitling an
audiovisual product.
That is why I dare say that at New Art Lab,
we not only do dubbing, we make industry. For us,
quality is extremely important, because it is what
Mexico shows the world, and quality is the way we
compete with other countries in Latin America
and the Caribbean that now do dubbing.
—How does New Art Lab respond to the
demands of a market where dubbing materials
are more plentiful and times for having
postproduction ready are increasingly shorter?
We have excellent, highly committed dubbing
actors, directors and translators. And yes,
there is a growing need for translating and/or
dubbing and subtitling the growing number of
audiovisual products, because in addition to the
clients we have traditionally had are producers
of streaming contents, such as Amazon, Netflix
and others, who need dubbing and subtitling to
be done extremely quickly so as to satisfy the
needs of Latin American and Caribbean audi-
ences and the Hispanic community living in the
U.nited States.

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 COVER FEATURE

—How competitive is New Art Lab vis-

à-vis other dubbing companies?
We have taken very good care of our market niche
by doing dubbing surgically. And we also do reali-
ties, which is complicated, yet we dub them with
great quality. For us, dubbing is a passion and a way
of life. Our philosophy is grounded in not compet-
ing for price but rather for quality.

— Who are New Art Lab’s major clients?

Universal, Fox TV, Diamond Films, Sony,
Paramount, Dreamworks, Columbia Tri-Star,
Deluxe Digital Studios, Gussi, Universal Pictures
International, Videocine, Disney and Turner
Entertainment, among others.

—What are the most iconic series and films

that have been dubbed at New Art Lab?
The Simpsons, whose dubbing we inherited
after Audiomaster 3000 closed. What’s more,
it’s my most beloved series; it’s like my pampered
child, my prodigal son. We are also proud of
Despicable Me, Shrek, and Hotel Transylvania. I

PHOTO ARCHIVE
like sagas, because they’re challenging and have
continuity. In live-action, Fast and Furious has
been very gratifying.

— What does the future hold magdalena questa

for Mexican dubbing?

Unquestionably more competition, both do-
mestically and abroad, among companies that
provide the postproduction service of dub-
bing. What I’m not sure of is whether the Latin
American public and Hispanics living in the
United States will accept dubbing that dif-
fers from what we do in Mexico, with neutral
Spanish. Postproductions made elsewhere often
have accents that are not as “neutral”, and the
public demands redubbing in Mexico, which is
good news for the dubbing we do here.
Another challenge that I see is the trend to-
ward cheapening the work done by dubbing pro-
fessionals. At New Art Lab, we are very interested
in ensuring that those who work with us, including
scriptwriters, translators, sound engineers and
actors, develop their skills and get compensated,
keeping in mind the social recognition that their
work generates.
Doing dubbing nowadays is very different
from how it was done decades ago, when you got
the whole cast of actors together in the same room
to dub an animated movie or series. In those days,
the way we worked created a sense of community,
because all the actors recorded at the same time.
The disadvantage was that if someone made a mis-
take, you had to start all over again.
Today, dubbing is done differently: the actor
is alone in the booth and, like before, must follow
the director’s instructions in the dark, with the “For us, quality is
movie, series or audiovisual product being
dubbed screened in front of him/her. Once the
extremely important,
characterization is rehearsed, recording starts.
because it is what
The difference is that now it is a procedure that
runs the risk of distortion, either because of the Mexico shows the
cost issue or due to the volume of material requir-
ing dubbing and that, in some cases, compromis- world, and quality is
es the quality of the dubbed product. However, I
can state that at New Art Lab we are practically the way we compete
inoculated against poor dubbing. I am sure that
our huge client portfolio will expand. with other countries
Consumer markets today have more and
more information about their favorite dubbing in Latin America and
actors. They are also increasingly more influ-
ential, due to the ease of accessing information
the Caribbean that
compared to years ago. Interest in dubbing is now do dubbing.”
on the upswing, as reflected in the numerous
options for learning and training available in
Mexico and the rest of Latin America and the
Caribbean. The proliferation of dubbing studios
is further evidence of the visibility of the field.
As competition grows and ever more products
require dubbing, the pressure to lower costs will
be greater. At New Art Lab, we understand the
value of our human resources and prefer to relin-
quish a little of our revenue to ensure a good job for
dubbing actors and actresses, sound engineers and
dubbing directors committed to doing good work.

November | December 2018 27

COVER FEATURE
interview with gustavo gutiérrez
general manager of tena
TENA:
TEACHING DUBBING,
VOICE-OVERS AND
THE PERFORMING ARTS IN
MEXICO, A SUCCESS STORY
Gustavo Gutiérrez, general manager of TENA, discusses the importance
of teaching dubbing in Mexico, the current opportunities in the
sector and the place his institution holds in the national market
BY MARÍA CRISTINA ROSAS
Dubbing is the act of substituting an actor or char-
acter’s spoken dialogue with a version translated
into another language, or an alternate version in
the same language. The purpose of voice dubbing
is to change or replace the language of the audio-
visual work so that the targeted audience can un-
derstand it. The voices are recorded in sync with
the lips of the actor or character in the image, or
with a given reference, in an attempt to imitate
the original voice’s interpretation as faithfully as
possible. The dubbing actor, or voice actor, is the
actor that substitutes the original dialogue on any
given audiovisual production, whether it’s a video
game, documentary, radio series, TV series, ani-
mation (cartoon, animated short or film), TV or
radio ad or other format (such as the Internet).
Voice dubbing can serve different purposes:
to set a film or TV program in the language of the
purchasing country for distribution there; due to
an actor or character’s weak performance in the
original production; due to problems or defects in
the original soundtrack of a film, series or or other
audiovisual product, and so on.
Mexican dubbing boasts a long, prestigious tra-
dition in Latin America and the Caribbean. Mexico
handles 65% of the dubbing market in that region,
which consists of some 450 million potential con-
sumers. Although countries like Chile, Argentina,
28
Colombia and Venezuela have ventured into the
market as dubbing providers, Mexico has the ad-
vantages of a decades-long record, hard-to-emu-
late expertise and the use of a so-called “neutral
Spanish,” which enables it to be understood and
assimilated throughout the entire region.
Until not long ago, the teaching of dubbing in
Mexico was basically confined to the National
Institute of Fine Arts (INBA) and the Academia
Andrés Soler, as it was considered a specialized
form of acting. However, due to the proliferation
of audiovisual products there’s been an increased
demand for professional dubbing and a concur-
rent growth in the number of training options in
the field.
One of the most prestigious institutes for the
teaching of dubbing, voice-overs and the perfor-
mance arts is Talento Escénico Natural y Artístico
(Natural and Artistic Performance Talent, TENA),
a veritable the university of the voice. It was found-
ed in 1995 by the actress Tena Curiel, daughter of
the composer Gonzalo Curiel Barba, with the aim
of providing highly qualified personnel to perform
in the communications media.
Tena Curiel passed away in 2010, though she
had sown the seeds for the continued training of
talent, a mission that is currently being carried on
by Gustavo Gutiérrez, TENA’s general manager.
Negocios ProMéxico
 COVER FEATURE

—How did you get involved in teaching
acting, dubbing and voice-overs?
In 1988 I was certified as a voice-over professional
by the Ministry of Education, and Tena Curiel sug-
gested that I get into dubbing. She trained me as a
dubbing actor from 1994 to 1995. I enrolled in the
acting department of her school for three, almost
four years. Right after I completed my training
there, I was invited to join their staff of instructors.
In 2004 I decided to leave the ad agencies
where I was working and concentrate on artistic
endeavors. Tena suggested to those of us who were
her students that we create a school. Her name
would be an acronym for the institute: Talento
Escénico Natural y Artístico. The project took off
in 1995 and remained under Tena Curiel’s direc-
tion until her death in 2010. Afterwards, I took over
as the school’s director.
—What distinguishes TENA’s business model?
At TENA we’re interested in strengthening stu-
dents’ skills. Tena Curiel was creative, but she was
no businessperson. She liked to share her knowl-
edge. As I came out of the advertising world, I
contributed a business vision. I think there has
to be an understanding of what you want to do,
and under our business model our operations
in Mexico City, Querétaro and Ciudad Juárez
(Chihuahua) were considered important be-
cause the services we offered were sorely needed.
Querétaro is a sort of hub for the creative indus-
tries and it’s a very cultural region and we have
to be close to that; Ciudad Juárez responds to the
needs of the market in that region while also, ulti-
mately, keeping on eye on Los Angeles.
I think TENA’s plus is that it supports its
students. Our instructors track their students’
progress closely. We’ve developed a method of
personal monitoring and we’re sensitive to the
needs of our students.
TENA’s installations are designed so that stu-
dents can be trained and get practice throughout
their course of study in the areas of dubbing and
acting, as well as in the performing arts. The train-
ing we offer has even attracted the attention of stu-
dents from other countries.
should be thoroughly trained and have a solid “TENA’s installations are
enough background to perform in the industry.
designed so that students
—There’s increased competition in the
can be trained and get
market for training personnel for the
world of dubbing. What edge does TENA practice throughout
have over its competitors in the sector?
We are creators of talent and we pay attention their course of study
to our students’ interests so they can realize
their dreams. TENA rests on three founda- in the areas of dubbing
tions: human resources training, production,
and talent representation. and acting, as well as
Despite growing competition from schools and
institutes that offer training in dubbing or voice- in the performing arts.
over, we’ve positioned ourselves as the institute
where people want to be. Call it prestige.
The training we offer
has even attracted the
—Who are TENA’s customers?
Those who pursue the courses of study we offer attention of students
are our customers, naturally. So are advertisers,
production houses, TV and radio stations in need from other countries.”
of staff. We work with a large share of the country’s
advertising agencies. Also with studios requesting
voices and actors. There are plenty of direct cli-
ents but we’re realistic about accepting projects
because it’s important to do a good job, especially
when, as you say, we’re competing on quality.
TENA is a success story: after 22 years it’s well
positioned and holding steady, and all of us involved
are doing our part to keep things forging ahead.

—How many people have

graduated from TENA?
The list of graduates is approximate, as our found-
er was not particularly assiduous about saving in-
PHOTO ARCHIVE

formation. I can tell you that we have 30 graduates

per year, and if you multiply that by 22 years, you’ll
have the approximate figure. TENA offers special-
izations in acting, dubbing and voice-over. After
two-and-a-half years of study, graduating students gustavo gutiérrez

November | December 2018 29

COVER FEATURE
interview with jessica ortiz
dubbing actress
WONDER WOMAN TALKS ABOUT
AN ART FORM WITH A LOUD VOICE
It was around 1930 when Mexico established itself as a
leader in Latin America’s voice acting industry. Jessica Ortiz
is irrefutably one of its most prolific ambassadors.
BY SANDRA AGUIL AR
Mexico is world-renowned for its dubbing ser-
vices and judging from the current state of af-
fairs, its voice is going to be heard for a long, long
time to come. Thus spoke actress Jessica Ortiz,
who is something of an authority on the subject.
Jessica does voiceovers for Mexican pro-
grams and has worked as a presenter for
Disney Junior Latin America. She has also put
her voice to characters originally played by the
likes of Drew Barrymore, Jessica Alba, Michelle
Monaghan and Anna Paquin in English-
speaking productions. She played Tauriel in the
two Hobbit films; Wonder Woman for DC Films;
Neytiri, the lead female character in Avatar, and
Maud Pie in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.
Ortiz is also one of the main voices of Wreck-It
Ralph 2, which premiered in Mexico and elsewhere
in Latin America in the third week of November.
She even sings a song in the film. “They held a cast-
ing and luckily I got picked,” she says, still excited.
Jessica began doing voiceovers for commer-
cials when she was just nine. Not long after, in
the mid-1990s, her dubbing career took off when
she was still a teenager. As fate would have it, a
dubbing studio set up shop above the ad agency
where she worked. “During the vacations I’d go
see what it was all about.” Until one day the voice
acting director Gabriel Cobayassi offered her a
part. “At 14, I began doing voiceovers for Golden,
Unicable and several films.” Around the same
time, Jessica decided to study acting.
The question is inevitable. Some people
in Mexico hate dubbed films. Why is dubbing
important?
“Because it’s another option and it’s impor-
tant to have options. It’s essential for children
30
and many older people find it hard to read sub-
titles. It’s important to have options for everyone.
And some people like it. I’ve met people in Israel
who have learned to say things in Spanish from
watching films dubbed in Mexico.”
She’s right. For those of us who grew up in
Mexico, it’s hard to imagine Baloo from The
Jungle Book or Thomas O’Malley from The
Aristocats speaking with any voice other than
that of the Mexican actor Germán Valdés “Tin
Tán” (1915-1973). A more recent example is
Donkey from Shrek, who bleats with the inimi-
table voice of Eugenio Derbez. And there are
plenty more cases in point.
Mexico became a world leader in dubbing ser-
vices in Spanish in the 1930s, supposedly because
the Mexican accent is more neutral compared to
the Spanish spoken in other parts of Latin America.
In 2015, I met a 13-year-old girl in Argentina
who spoke with a perfect Mexican accent. She
even used Mexican expressions and slang. Her
mother attributed her syndrome to an over-ex-
posure to cartoons dubbed by Mexicans.
More and more countries in Latin America
are starting to offer voiceover services and their
actors have learned to “neutralize their accents”.
Nonetheless, Mexico remains the undisputed
voice of the region’s dubbing industry. “The most
acclaimed directors are here. Sometimes a ver-
sion is made for Mexico and another for the rest
of the Spanish-speaking countries on the conti-
nent,” says Ortiz.
Being a voice actor requires a background
in acting. Directors are always on the lookout
for professional actors. The rest is technique,
practice and the ability to deliver in a very
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 COVER FEATURE

PHOTO ARCHIVE

short timeframe. Sometimes emotional forti- More and more countries in Latin
tude is another prerequisite. For example, in the
Homeland series, Ortiz put her voice to Carrie America are starting to offer voiceover
Mathison, a woman who suffers from bipolar
disorder. “It was a performance that demanded services and their actors have learned to
enormous physical and emotional effort. I ended
up exhausted.” There are also several dramatic “neutralize their accents”. Nonetheless,
moments in Avatar, like when Neytiri’s father
Mexico remains the undisputed voice
dies, that took their emotional toll on the actress.
Why should the large film studios choose of the region’s dubbing industry.
Mexican dubbing services over similar services
in Spanish? “Experience is a huge advantage.
Mexicans have been doing voiceovers for almost
90 years. We have the most experienced direc-
tors and continue to do excellent dubbing work.”
Jessica has one last comment to add: “And to
top it all off, it’s the best job in the world.”

November | December 2018 31

COVER FEATURE

interview with josé carlos garcía de letona

vice president of ánima estudios

ÁNIMA ESTUDIOS AND

ANIMATION IN MEXICO

Ánima Estudios is Latin America’s foremost animation studio.

Headquartered in Mexico City, it produces animated movies,
television shows, video games, Internet applications, contents
streaming, plus merchandise and product-related memorabilia.

BY MARÍA CRISTINA ROSAS

Ánima Estudios was formed early this century,
beginning as a company that created contents
for Internet and with a group of young creatives
who made animation. These young people did
very basic things, but their work caught the eye
of Fernando de Fuentes and José Carlos García
de Letona, who saw the potential of creating con-
tents and invited the novice animators to start
Ánima Estudios, founded in 2002.
Ánima’s business model clearly separates the
creative from the executive sides, which has al-
lowed the company to focus on commercial strat-
egy, while the creative talent focuses exclusively
on designing products, series, characters, among
other activities.
In the very beginning of Ánima, Fernando de
Fuentes and José Carlos García de Letona con-
centrated on producing three movies, with the
understanding that if the project worked, they
would continue on and if not, they would call it
quits. Having gathered the necessary financial
resources, they took off on the great adventure.
In 2003, Ánima created its first movie, Magos y
gigantes, followed in 2005 by Imaginum. Around
2006, the company took on the challenge of
creating for Televisa and the Roberto Gómez fa-
ther and son duo —Bolaños and Fernández— El
Chavo animado, concurrently with its third fea-
ture film, El Agente 00P2 (Agent Macaw: Shaken
& Stirred), which premiered in 2009. By then,
Ánima’s reputation made it possible to get the
Warner Brothers license to make the movie Don
Gato y su pandilla (Top Cat, The Movie) in 2011, the
same year it launched the successful series of ani-
mated feature films on Mexican legends, starting
with La leyenda de La Llorona (The Legend of La
Llorona).
Ánima revolutionized Mexican animation,
using digital technologies, despite the fact that
previous animators had thought that creating ani-
mated drawings was not feasible under those con-
ditions. That is why Ánima came up with its own
processes: coordinating all the elements to enable
the animation to make movements appropriately
requires complex work. Doing traditional anima-
tion is different from digital animation, and at the
end of the day, each one is done differently.
The effort has produced results, and box of-
fice figures reflect that. Gradually, Mexican ani-
mation has been winning over the public, even

Negocios ProMéxico
32

josé carlos garcía de letona
with competition from the United States, France,
Japan and other places.
One of the big challenges for Ánima is build-
ing up an audience for Mexican cinema. Even
though the country is fourth place worldwide for
movie theaters, it is an odd case. First places are
held by the People’s Republic of China and India,
and what audiences in those countries watch is
Chinese or Indian films. The United States is in
third place, and its moviegoers consume US pro-
ductions. The public in Brazil, which is in sixth
place worldwide, watches mostly Brazilian cin-
ema, and the case of France is similar. In Mexico,
however, people watch mostly American movies,
which is why the work of movie producers in the
country is so important and not just in terms of
the domestic market but also internationally.
José Carlos García de Letona, company
vice president, talks about the work done at
Ánima Estudios and its future plans.
— How did you and Fernando de Fuentes
think about making animation?
I studied economics. Fernando and I worked
on an Internet site where animation was done,
November | December 2018
COVER FEATURE
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ÁNIMA ESTUDIOS
PHOTO ARCHIVE
PHOTO ARCHIVE
and we noticed that a good deal of the site traf- Ánima revolutionized
fic revolved around those contents. We saw po-
tential: an appetite for animation. We decided Mexican animation,
to develop a long-term project and got funding
for three movies. As time went by, we began using digital technologies,
doing television, digital stuff. We managed to
grow. Part of that growth was opening an of- despite the fact that
fice in Spain four and a half years ago now.
previous animators had
—What is Ánima’s market strategy?
Creating attractive, original content. With thought that creating
film, we have a clear strategy: we make mov-
animated drawings
ies for the national market, like the legends
and also other more ambitious movies that are was not feasible under
more global, such as Ahí viene Cascarrabias
(Here Comes the Grump) and the animated those conditions.
TV series on Nickelodeon, Cleo & Cuquín.
We have a series with Disney and another
with Netflix, the latter with legends. To sell to
Netflix, we presented legends from several dif-
ferent countries, replicating the formula devel-
oped in Mexico for presenting Mexican legends.
In short, our strategy is to create contents.
We also have a line of toys with characters from
our series and movies.
33
COVER FEATURE
“At Ánima, we would —How difficult is it to do animation in Mexico?
With partners like Disney and Nickelodeon, we
like there to be more have been able to tap into financing, especially
for our strategy that targets the international
animation companies,
market. Nationally, there are still major chal-
even bigger ones than lenges to ensure a solid animation industry, due,
above all, to human resource needs in the sector.
ours, in the country, At Ánima, we would like there to be more
animation companies, even bigger ones than
with sustainable and ours, in the country, with sustainable and con-
tinuous operations, because that would gener-
continuous operations, ate extremely positive synergies in the field.
There are truly worthy efforts, but what’s
because that would needed is a road to go down. It is a crucial sub-
ject, because talents who want to go into ani-
generate extremely mation must be sure that it will provide the
positive synergies chance to make a living. These days, the talent
base is not as broad as we would like.
in the field.” Nonetheless, we don’t let those limita-
tions stop us and instead are working on the
human factor, mainly gathering the talent that
is essential to create quality products. That is
why we have an alliance with the renowned
animation school CalArts to train our human
34
resources. Together with Cartoon Network,
we have published open calls throughout
Latin America, seeking creators and projects.
Our office in Spain also helps us a lot, because
that country has both a talent base and a long-
standing animation tradition.
We have met with Mexican universities,
where we want to convey our needs as a com-
pany. Universities are challenged with creating
professionals that can enter the labor market.
In this sense, we are interested in hooking up
with people involved in publicity —where ani-
mation is also done. Furthermore, we offer
training to human resources so they can learn
about our labor methods and philosophy.
— Is Ánima a globalized company?
We have a commercial office in the United
States, for obvious reasons, and an office and
studio in Madrid, as well as another studio in
Las Palmas on Gran Canaria. In Asia, we have
seen more interest in our movies, and they
have premieres of ours. And with Netflix, we
go all over the world, except China.
Negocios ProMéxico

—Given your success in animation,
are you planning to try your hand at
producing live-action contents?
We haven’t ruled out doing live action, but ani-
mation gives us the advantage of being able to
sell the world over, while live action is more com-
plicated —at least to have Hollywood budgets.
From that angle, our priority is animation.
—What advantages does Mexico offer
in terms of doing animation?
In the first place, costs. In television, we have lev-
eled off in terms of budget and similar circum-
stances with international standards, though
not so with cinema. To guarantee our movies
are shown abroad, we have to arrange with a
different local distributor in each country and
get audiences to consume them, yet even so, our
movies are sold in some 25 or 30 countries.
w—Did any animated character inspire
or motivate you to go into this field?
Top Cat. I don’t know if he inspired me, but he
was definitely a big influence. I grew up watching
November | December 2018
COVER FEATURE
PHOTOS ARCHIVE
the characters in the show, and years later we “We have met with
were fortunate enough with Ánima to convince
Warner Brothers to make the respective movies Mexican universities,
outside of Hollywood. It was the first time that
where we want to
Warner agreed to anything like that.
convey our needs as a
—What can you tell us about
Ánima’s future plans? company. Universities are
We will be doing a series with Disney, which
will be launched in late 2018 or early 2019. challenged with creating
—What would you say to anyone professionals that can
interested in animation in Mexico?
That Ánima is a success story that bucked all enter the labor market.”
the predictions. That animation in Mexico is a
reality. You have to recognize the effort made
and see that fabulous things have been done
despite lacking history in the field, budget,
logistics and human resources, among other
challenges. That you have to learn from mis-
takes and do so very quickly. Last of all, if your
feet are on the ground, it is possible to compete
with those at the top, playing with or against
them, but always to win.
35
COVER FEATURE

interview with gabriel riva palacio, ignacio martínez

caseres, and david salinas garfias

HUEVO CARTOON:
ANIMATION A LA MEXICANA

In Mexico, some major animation projects ushered in the 21st

century. The brothers Gabriel and Rodolfo Riva Palacio, along
with Carlos Zepeda Chehaibar, created the Comunidad Huevo,
an animation production company that enjoyed popularity with
Mexican audiences as it recognized the importance of serving
the leisure needs of a segment of the young adult market.

BY MARÍA CRISTINA ROSAS

Unlike other animation projects in Mexico, in this
case the company’s creators turned to a highly
distinct narrative for their characters, making
use of double entendres, saucy wordplay, gags and
satire to comment on social, cultural, political and
economic aspects of the country.
Born under the auspices of the Comunidad
Huevo in November 2001, Huevocartoon has
anthropomorphic eggs (huevos in Spanish) as
its protagonists who might stand in for charac-
ters from practically any society.
The project started on the Internet, where
it had garnered a huge following. Within three
months of its kickoff —in January 2002— the
site had registered three million visits, and two
years later it was averaging 230,000 hits daily.
When it was founded, the company had just
two computers but it grew up very fast, surpass-
ing even the expectations of its creators.
The business model entailed agreements
with different companies while also putting
hundreds of products on the market —includ-
ing gift cards, wrapping paper, cuddly dolls,
T-shirts, DVDs, ringtones, clothing and food—
thus positioning the Huevocartoon franchise
in the public eye.
In 2006, with a budget of 1.5 million usd and
a pool of creative talent that had jumped from 25
to 100 artists and animators, Huevocartoon pro-
duced its first animated feature film: Una pelícu-
la de huevos (A Movie of Eggs). The film did very
well at the box office, drawing a million viewers
within a week of its release in theaters.
Thus were the foundations set for Huevo-
cartoon’s offering, which was to focus on two
major products: web content —which tended to
be more irreverent, risqué and sarcastic— and
features —which struck a more politically correct
tone, something also necessary for access to inter-
national markets. Funny as a character might be
to Mexican audiences, it could fall flat with other
moviegoers.

Negocios ProMéxico
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 COVER FEATURE

With us to discuss the past, present and

future of Huevocartoon are Gabriel Riva
Palacio, the company’s founder —who lives
most of the time in Los Angeles, due to the ex-
pansion strategy they’ve undertaken as well
as the need to access the US market—, Ignacio
Martínez Caseres, producer, and David
Salinas Garfias, line producer.

—Talent is a basic element in any project.

Can you talk about your respective
profiles, professional training and
how you got into animation?

Gabriel Riva Palacio (GRP): I studied industri-

al design at the Universidad Iberoamericana. At
age 16, I took a trip to Disneyland and one of the
guides gave us an explanation of how animation
was done. I was quite young and I was fascinated
by what the guide told us. I approached him to
ask him what you had to do to work at Disney; I
told him what I wanted to do and he suggested I
study industrial design. I had to teach myself in
many ways.
I completed the course and got a job at Ollin
Studio, a producer of visual effects that did a few
things for Disney. They did an animation video
that I directed and they invited me to work in the
United States as a director of animation. When
I got there, the animators realized that I was un-
aware of the Disney system and they sent me for
training. I learned a lot and when I finished the
training, Disney hired me: I started off as an inker
and I did other things, but I realized it would take
me a long time to become an actual animator. It
was then that I decided to go back to Mexico and

PHOTO ARCHIVE
set up, with my brother Rodolfo, Huevocartoon.

Ignacio Martínez Caseres (IMC): I studied

Communications in Morelia and then I went to
study for a master’s degree in film production in gabriel riva palacio

Spain, at the Universidad Complutense. There

I learned a lot about production. I returned to In 2006, with a budget of 1.5 million usd and a
Mexico, worked a lot in television: at Argos, I
did things for Sky and eventually Rodolfo Riva
pool of creative talent that had jumped from
Palacio invited me to work on a live-action se-
25 to 100 artists and animators, Huevocartoon
ries for Azteca that went very well for us. After
that, Gabriel and Rodolfo convinced me of their produced its first animated feature film: Una
idea to produce an animated film, which they
wanted to be in 3D. At that time it was a huge película de huevos (A Movie of Eggs).
challenge; we decided to start developing it and,
aside from realizing that we were insane, we
understood that we’d learn a lot along the way.
What we did was to get advice from a lot of in-
dustry people and companies that wanted to get
3D films made in Mexico.

November | December 2018 37

COVER FEATURE
“The processes for
making animation in
Mexico are becoming
more accessible. You can
start producing films with
a DSLR camera. There’s
also open software.”
ignacio martínez caseres
38
2D has lost ground in the world, except on the
art circuit. Banking on 3D put us in an advanta-
geous position and served us quite well with Un
gallo con muchos huevos (Little Rooster’s Egg-
cellent Adventure) in 2015. The 3D project opened
doors for us in the United States and in other
countries like South Korea and Hungary. We’re
now the only animation studio in Mexico that
does all the animation and production processes
in our country, and at highly competitive prices.
We’re currently working with the Tec de
Monterrey in Querétaro and Santa Rosa de
Jaúregui university, also in that city. We’ve seen
a great opportunity to create things, and we’re
working toward developing technology that goes
beyond intellectual properties, that is, patents.
We’re going to do a book on how 3D animation is
made in Mexico to fund staff training. We’re also
working with the(National Council for Science
and Technology (Conacyt), with Proméxico, and
we want to capitalize on synergies.
David Salinas Garfias (DSG): I studied art and
digital animation at the Tecnológico de Monterrey’s
Toluca campus, where I also did a master’s in
business administration. I’d worked previously
for three years at Ánima Estudios and I joined
Huevocartoon in May 2017 as a line producer.
—What is happening in the field
of animation in Mexico?
DSG: The processes for making animation in
Mexico are becoming more accessible. You
can start producing films with a DSLR cam-
era. There’s also open software. Aside from
this, you can’t lose sight of the fact that there’s
animation for advertising and for feature
films. The difference is in the budgets. Making
an animated film is complicated in budgetary
terms. But one way to approach the creation of
animated features has been through ad agen-
cies, because you get the chance in that area to
make cartoons that are short but are the basis
for attracting investors and carrying out more
ambitious projects.
IMC: The authorities in Querétaro want to make
it a hub for the animation industry. There’s a spe-
cial vibe in the area thanks to a triad of compa-
nies, government and schools/universities, that
seems to have worked out quite well in other
sectors such as the aerospace industry. We can
replicate that model for animation. The schools
are developing initiatives to better prepare their
students but they also know they have to offer
options for work.
PHOTO ARCHIVE
Negocios ProMéxico
 COVER FEATURE

—What advantages does Mexico

have for developing animation?

GRP: Being so close to the United States, we’re

exposed to their animation industries which,
though they may serve as a reference, cannot
be a model for making animation in Mexico.
To start with, animation is expensive all over,
terribly expensive. It takes a long time to pro-
duce a feature film.
In light of that, we’re forced to maximize
resources and times in Mexico. In the United
States if the director or producers don’t end
up liking an animated feature film or series,
they can start over, and that means huge allot-
ments of time and expenditures. We can’t do
that in Mexico. We can’t have “the director’s
cut.” Our quality is high, though we have to
remain aware that budgets of companies like
Pixar —which might be up to 200 million usd
as opposed to our 5 million-usd films— makes a
difference in the quality of the product.
Despite this, we’ve presented our projects
and products to American businessmen and
their reaction is, “I don’t believe you... I can’t
believe that on a budget of 5 million usd that
you can make animation of this quality... it
must be at least 30 million, not five...”
I mean, a huge comparative advantage that
we have is our prices and also our times. As
we cannot allow for any mistakes at the risk

PHOTO ARCHIVE
of compromising the viability of our company,
we’re managing to bring investment and in-
dustry to Mexico on the basis that if you invest
10 million usd in us, the product is going to be
worth like 80 million.
My big dream is that within 10 years david salinas garfias

Mexico will be the maquiladora of the anima-

tion world; that we’ll have many trained, high-
level artists and that the United States will
say: “Look, instead of Korea or the Philippines,
why don’t we go to Mexico?”
Ignacio Martínez Caseres, our producer,
is a whiz at cutting corners, knowing how to
make changes here and there and how to
save you half a month’s work. And everyone
on our team is on the same page in terms of
avoiding waste and maximizing what we have.
This forces us to be creative. That’s how we
Mexicans are. That’s why I’m sure we’re going
to achieve incredible things.
The United States demands impeccable
work and in Mexico we’ve got to work within
that culture. We at Huevocartoon have indeed
managed to get people to take on that culture
of impeccability.
— What’s next for Huevocartoon? “We have met with
DSG: We’re on the lookout for more universal con-
Mexican universities,
tent, mainly to internationalize the company. We
where we want to
make commercial cinema and we want to be able
to have easy access to other countries. We aspire convey our needs as a
to become the most important animation studio in
Latin America over the next five or 10 years. company. Universities are
GRP: We currently have a 10-million-usd project, challenged with creating
not counting the actors’ salaries. It’s the first time
we’re working with a big Hollywood studio. The professionals that can
script for the film has some very strong Mexican
overtones. We think this is the right time to pro- enter the labor market.”
mote other cultures and play up the importance
of diversity. It’s a way of telling our neighbors that
the more we accept those who are different, the
more we can live in peace and prosperity.

November | December 2018 39

COVER FEATURE
CIUDAD CREATIVA DIGITAL:
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
Digital development stands as one of the great opportunities, says the
director of Project Innovation and Development for Ciudad Creativa Digital.
BY SANDRA AGUIL AR
Since 2011, Ciudad Creativa Digital (Digital
Creative City, CCD) has endeavored to reno-
vate the urban environment by means of
new technology and to create a modern, in-
terconnected landscape where knowledge is
produced and quality of life improved by the
imagination.
The project is in the center of Guadalajara,
one of the country’s most important cities, in
west central Mexico. Allied with the University
of Guadalajara; the Instituto Tecnológico de
Monterrey (Monterrey Institute of Technology,
TEC) and the Instituto Tecnológico y de
Estudios Superiores de Occidente (Western
Institute of Technology and Higher Education,
ITESO); ProMéxico; the Guadalajara National
Chamber of Commerce, and the State Council
for Culture and the Arts, among others, it
brings together companies that produce film
and television video games, digital animation,
interactive media and mobile apps.
CCD intends to become Latin America’s
chief creator of creative content in the near fu-
ture. Pablo Ugalde, its director of Innovation
and Project Development, says the metropoli-
tan area of Guadalajara was chosen as the
creative capital of Mexico as it combines tech-
nological capacity with a robust cultural and
artistic scene.
Ciudad Creativa Digital has a three-phase
master plan: catalyzing projects, mobiliza-
tion projects and consolidation. The first con-
cluded in late 2018 with the creation of two
projects: the Creative Complex —the most
40
important of the catalyzing initiatives— and
the Digital University. “We have a solid core of
creativity-oriented people. We’ve made good
connections between people within and out-
side CCD in such areas as digital art, comics,
graphic novels and video games,” says Ugalde.
As for consolidation, the institution now
finds itself at a stage of talent development. It
features Mexico’s first master’s program in
graphic novels, located in the Arroniz building
(also known as “The Barracks”). In collabora-
tion with the Guadalajara International Book
Fair it also created the Comic Salon, the sec-
ond most important of its kind in the world.
The presence of a pool of software indus-
try talent in Guadalajara presents a major
growth opportunity for the CCD, according
to Pablo Ugalde, and it can prove a significant
support for any creative project on the local,
national or international level.
CCD has a two-pronged approach: at-
tracting companies and attracting projects.
“Attracting companies is quite interesting, but
attracting projects is much better for flexing
local muscle. It’s one thing to compete to get
a new site for an electronics firm, quite an-
other to compete as an industry to get a five-
minute film sequence for Marvel. That would
provide work for a large number of people. It’s
the more important aspect and it’s where CCD
holds its greatest potential. A top-notch instal-
lation like the Creative Complex helps inspire
confidence in traditional investors,” asserts
Pablo Ugalde.
Negocios ProMéxico
 MEXICO’S PARTNER

He goes on to say that Mexico and the One of the project’s key challenges and opportunities is digital
Guadalajara metropolitan area offer big ad-
vantages for the creative industries. The dif-
development. In the coming years, there will be a need to develop
ferent companies that converge in the city can
horizontal public policies that stimulate creativity, collaboration and
form alliances to compete for specific projects:
“If five companies in a consortium compete innovation, and also to turn analogue markets into digital markets.
for a Marvel project, you’ll have five compa-
nies establishing communication with the cre-
ative agents of an animation giant. And those
five companies will open a new market, and
they’ll even be able to propose new intellec-
tual properties.”
Ugalde believes that new entrepreneurs
will emerge from the pool of talent at the local
level. Even in countries like Japan, he says, it’s
the new entrepreneurs who have the most
elements, financial skills, personal and pro-
fessional development and ideas, as they’ve
witnessed the industry’s needs. Most are over
30 and under 50.
In Japan, he says, the ones who launch
businesses are over 45. “There are plenty of
people like that in Guadalajara, people have
that ability, are linked to international mar-
kets and possess tools, protocols, knowledge,
technological skills.” The trick is to connect
them to people who create content and tell
stories.
Though it has yet to be calculated, the eco-
nomic income that the CCD can generate be
important: “We know that Mexico is one of the
world’s biggest movie house markets. Mexico’s
box office earnings are substantial enough
to develop an industry. We’re also the fourth
largest consumer of video games in the world.
And there’s another important emerging mar-
ket: big shows such as the Cirque du Soleil.”
Though it includes major representatives
like Televisa, the local creative industry is still
under development. For Mexico, the impor-
tance of having a project like CCD is that it
presents an opportunity to cultivate fields of
collaboration and provides an opening.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CIUDAD CREATIVA DIGITAL
One of the project’s key challenges and
opportunities is digital development. In the
coming years, there will be a need to develop
horizontal public policies that stimulate cre-
ativity, collaboration and innovation, and also
to turn analogue markets into digital markets.
According to Pablo Ugalde, it’s important to
tell stories that come out of who we are —to cre-
ate Mexican characters and say what’s going on
here: “Let’s see if someone comes up with our
own national superhero anytime soon.”

ccdguadalajara.com

November | December 2018 41

MEXICO’S PARTNER
MEXICO, UP THERE WITH
THE WORLD’S BEST
INTERACTIVE DEVELOPERS
According to AMB Multimedia CEO, Felipe Reyna, Mexico’s developers have
taken up arms in the 4.0 Industrial Revolution.
BY SANDRA AGUIL AR
Interactive developers trained and employed
in Mexico are equipped to compete one-on-
one with their Asian and European peers,
according to Felipe Reyna, an expert in the
subject and CEO of AMB Multimedia, a com-
pany that specializes in augmented and virtu-
al reality, interactive and streaming projects
whose contents are designed to be viewed on
digital platforms using electronic devices.
In March 2019, the small Mexican com-
pany Reyna founded will be celebrating its
tenth anniversary and its work can be seen in
Mexico, Spain and Chile.
A great deal of trial and error has been in-
volved in the course of learning about the art
of live broadcasting, the creation of virtual en-
vironments and the superimposition of com-
puter-generated objects or animation over
real images in real time.
In Mexico, the team has worked on inter-
active and augmented reality projects for the
San Cristóbal de las Casas Museum and the
Tuxtla Gutiérrez Children’s Museum, both in
the state of Chiapas; the Explora Museum in
León, Guanajuato; the National Autonomous
University of Mexico’s (UNAM) Constitutions
Museum; the National Auditorium, for which
42
AMB created a virtual expo to commemo-
rate its 25th anniversary; and Iztapalapa TV,
which broadcasts over the Internet.
AMB’s designs —in this case an interac-
tive multi-touch project— can also be seen at
Barcelona’s Museum of Cultures and in Chile,
the company created a batch of glasses —yes,
drinking glasses!— for a soft drinks multina-
tional using augmented reality technology.
The team’s 25 members, led by Reyna,
Creative Director Emiliano Romero,
Development Leader Anghelo Buendía and
Cristopher Guevara, have fully embraced the
so-called Industrial Revolution 4.0 concept,
which refers to the combining of cyber-physical
systems and physical infrastructure containing
programs, sensors and digital technology.
In Latin America, says Reyna, 4.0 research
and development is progressing so rapidly
that hardware developers can’t keep up with
it. AMB Multimedia’s response has been to
create ecosystems to house these advances,
establishing Mexico in particular and Latin
America in general as a land of creative and
work opportunities for developers.
Odd as it may seem, the team’s work is all “ar-
tisanal”. “We see ourselves as digital architects.
Negocios ProMéxico

All our projects are handmade, from the draw-
ings and models that will give shape to 3D objects
to the lines of code we write,” says Reyna.
So far, the company has focused on educa-
tional, cultural, social and, to a lesser degree,
commercial assignments with a long-term
impact. In terms of projects, its goals for 2019
are to develop a headset to measure stress
levels among convicts using a stimulation and
reward system, to help prison authorities de-
cide, for example, which inmates are suitable
candidates for reduced sentences. Another is
the development of a radio frequency identi-
fication (RFID) card in collaboration with a
European company. In this case, the objective
is to boost tourism by documenting the prefer-
ences of people visiting a given city or country.
Projects like these not only require ex-
perts in technological and software develop-
ment, but the knowledge of anthropologists,
psychologists, sociologists, 2D and 3D anima-
tion artists, graphic designers and other spe-
cialists, and although the core team has only
25 members, as many as 60 people may be in-
volved, depending on the task at hand.
Mexico’s developers, says Reyna, are on a par
with the best in the world, including those of Tokyo.
November | December 2018
MEXICO’S PARTNER
PHOTO COURTESY OF AMB MULTIMEDIA
AMB’s designs —in this case an interactive
multi-touch project— can also be seen
at Barcelona’s Museum of Cultures
and in Chile, the company created a
batch of glasses —yes, drinking glasses!—
for a soft drinks multinational using
augmented reality technology.
Expansion is on the books for 2019 and
with the support of government agencies like
ProMéxico, AMB plans to open offices in
Germany, the United Kingdom and Chile.
Aside from creating jobs, Reyna points out
that small companies like the one he manag-
es create know-how and technology. “We are
now in a position to compete on an equal foot-
ing with experts from other countries.”
www.ambmultimedia.com.mx
43
MEXICO’S PARTNER
SIETECOLORES:
BREAKING DESIGN PARADIGMS
IN EDUCATION
Operators of the Papalote Children’s Museum in Mexico
City and the creators of its concept, this Mexican company
is about to open a subsidiary in Saudi Arabia.
BY SANDRA AGUIL AR
Sietecolores is a Mexican company that has
broken paradigm after paradigm. And in a very
short time. It has overturned traditional indus-
trial design trends in the field of educational
spaces, demonstrating that museums can pro-
mote learning for life and social change while
still turning a profit, regardless of their content
and target audience. Over time, Sietecolores
has branched out into legal concepts, financing
plans, brand positioning and the accompani-
ment of institutions.
“We don’t design museums; we create insti-
tutions,” says CEO Maribel Ibarra, who, along
with Sietecolores President Marinela Servitje
and Projects Director Guillermo Loza, was in-
strumental in creating the Papalote Children’s
Museum in Mexico City in 1993.
Just over two years ago, these same three
names began cropping up in other parts of the
world, in countries as far flung as Saudi Arabia,
where Sietecolores has created the Early
Childhood Exhibit for the King Abdulaziz
Center for World Culture in the city of Dhahran.
The local business community has been so
impressed with the project that it has entered
into alliances with Sietecolores for the open-
ing of a representation office in Saudi Arabia,
an initiative that is expected to materialize in
late 2018.
Founded in 2011, Sietecolores is the fruit of
the 18 years’ experience gained by several of the
current team’s 24 members in the creation and
44
operation of the Papalote Museum, which em-
barked on its most decisive development phase
in 1991—around the same time Ibarra and Loza
were finishing their industrial design courses
at the Autonomous Metropolitan University of
Xochimilco.
It was their course director who told them
about a company that was looking for designers
for a new project. Ibarra worked freelance for
the Papalote for two and a half years and joined
full time in 1993, while Loza was taken on in the
mid-1990s.
Both agree that this, their first job, was one
every industrial designer dreams of. It was all
about creating innovative interactive displays
for children and adults, starting with an idea
and proceeding to interpret, design and adapt
it until a final version was obtained.
The museum’s success can largely be attrib-
uted to a unique model that combines spaces
for preschool and secondary school kids under
one roof; fun science with an overriding educa-
tional purpose and an inclusive social compo-
nent, delivered under an accessible, sustainable
financing plan that incorporates sponsors. The
model was so successful that it was soon repli-
cated in other parts of the country.
But the Papalote team was restless and
eager to continue trailblazing. And so the
Papalote Móvil, a mobile version that visited
Mexico’s provinces, came into being. This itin-
erant project sparked the interest of several
Negocios ProMéxico
 MEXICO’S PARTNER

local governments, giving rise to the Labyrinth

Museum of Sciences and the Arts in San Luis
Potosí, the Durango Interactive Museum,
the Mazatlán Museum in the Pacific and La
Rodadora in the border city of Ciudad Juárez.
And each time it was the same: the team would
break with the very same concept and design
paradigms it had only just smashed. So al-
though they share the same philosophy, no two
of these museums are alike.
Ibarra and Loza agree that one of their most
rewarding experiences was La Rodadora in

PHOTO COURTESY OF SIETECOLORES

Ciudad Juárez, because it fulfills an important
function in a border city with very complex so-
cial dynamics.
“La Rodadora brings hope to people. It
shows a museum can be an agent of social
change and encourage society to envisage a bet-
ter future.” The experience, they say, “shook us
out of a project rut and gave us the chance to do
something different.”
More than a company specializing in the
creation of museums, Sietecolores defines it-
self as a creator of spaces that generate knowl-
edge based on coexistence, entertainment and
meaningful exchanges.
According to Ibarra and Loza, the experi-
ence of operating the Papalote Museum for 18
years gave them insight into the potential of
educational spaces such as these, whose impact
goes way beyond specialized design and even
the visitor’s experience. Interactive museums,
they say, “are important educational forums for
teachers, mothers and workers.”
Many of the Papalote’s original staff now
works at Sietecolores. “This speaks to our pres-
tige and values,” says Ibarra. Today the team
boasts 24 members, from designers, physicists,
educators and architects to administrators and
sociologists.
Unaccustomed to remaining in its comfort
zone, the company has always turned its gaze
outwards, convinced that its work should rate
among the best in the world.
And to ensure it is always at the forefront
on educational issues and the targeting of audi-
ences, it has forged close ties with international
museum organizations.
Sietecolores has since turned its attention
to new projects that aren’t specifically aimed at
children, like the Mexico City Natural History
Museum. However, the most tangible evidence
of its expansion beyond its native Mexico is one
of its more recent projects— the Early Childhood
Exhibit in Dhahran.
Loza says this space for under-fives “was a
great experience, because despite the physical
and cultural distances, Sietecolores was able to
put together an accompanying document that
More than a company specializing in the creation of museums,
Sietecolores defines itself as a creator of spaces that generate
knowledge based on coexistence, entertainment and
meaningful exchanges.
even included a staff training manual.” The
document was of such a high standard that the
promoters chose the Mexican company over its
European and American competitors.
It took two years to install the Early
Childhood Exhibit, from the idea to the train-
ing of staff. Over 90% of the exhibition materi-
als were made in Mexico in compliance with
stringent quality standards and although it
hasn’t been officially opened, it’s been receiving
visitors since May.
“In Arabia we broke several of our own re-
cords. The quality was excellent and the fittings
arrived and were installed on schedule without
hitches,” says Loza.
Sietecolores has gained a competitive edge
by entering into alliances with universities,
tech companies and sister firms. It currently
works with a Spanish company called Empty
(empty.es) and in 2017 added a Venezuelan
museographer to the team, giving it a whole
new perspective.
In Saudi Arabia the company is looking for-
ward to breaking even more paradigms in the con-
ceptualization and design of educational spaces.
sietecolores.mx

November | December 2018 45

MEXICO’S PARTNER

PAST THE PITCH:

MEXICAN ARCHITECTS QUALIFY FOR
2022 FIFA WORLD CUP IN QATAR

Mexico already has its pass to the 2022 FIFA World Cup
in Qatar. Dünn, a firm specializing in light architecture, has
been commissioned to build the roofs and facades of two
of the main stadiums where the matches will be held.

BY ANTONIO VÁZQUEZ
PHOTOS COURTESY OF DÜNN

Negocios ProMéxico
46

On June 13, 2018, Mexico, the United States
and Canada were chosen to host the 2026
FIFA World Cup, but even before that Mexico
had its presence at the 2022 World Cup in
Qatar secured.
Dünn Arquitectura Ligera, a firm head-
quartered in Guadalajara, Jalisco, and that
specializes in light architecture, has been com-
missioned to help build two stadiums in Qatar,
under the supervision of the award-winning
architect Norman Foster (1999 Pritzker Prize
and 2009 Prince of Asturias Award for the
Arts): Al Rayyan and the Lusail Stadium, in
the city of Lusail, which will be the main sta-
dium of Qatar 2022, where the opening and
closing ceremonies are held.
“Without ProMéxico, this definitely would
not have been possible. Someone who works
with us contacted the Mexican embassy in
Doha and we got an amazing response,” recalls
Dünn CEO Roberto Muñoz.
And so the tripartite relationship between
Dünn, ProMéxico and the 2022 Qatar Supreme
Committee came into being, all to the benefit of
Mexico and Qatar, which have registered over
70 million usd in trade since 2016.
Two years ago, Mexico and Qatar signed a
series of agreements, including one between
ProMéxico and the Supreme Supply and
Development Committee for the Promotion of
Mexican Suppliers of Goods and Services for
the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
“Juan Antonio Zepeda, a representative
of ProMéxico in Qatar, and his team opened
the doors for us. When we got there, the
Committee had already awarded contracts for
five stadiums to the global companies that al-
ways win the big stadiums. We presented our
project and were added to the supplier list. For
two whole years we didn’t let up, until we won
contracts for the roofs of the Al Rayyan and
Lusail stadiums,” says Muñoz.
Architectural Couture
In 2012, Muñoz and his three partners decided
to focus on light architecture, a market niche
that was underexploited in Mexico at the time
That same year, Dünn (which means light
in German) was founded in Guadalajara. Its
first employee was a fabric manufacturer and
gradually it won contracts with the Brazilian
oil company Petrobras and the Institute for
Highway Safety in the United States.
Several projects later —most of which were
soccer stadiums—, Dünn has three subsidiaries
November | December 2018
MEXICO’S PARTNER
—Infrastructure, Installation and Design, and “Without ProMéxico,
Training— that employ 650 people and com-
pete with leading firms in the United States, this definitely would
Japan and Germany.
A distinctive trait of the company is the not have been possible.
quality of the materials it uses. Geometrical
and extremely moldable, these are recyclable
Someone who works with
and therefore environmentally friendly. us contacted the Mexican
“The ETFE we use is made in other coun-
tries like Germany and comes with a 15-year embassy in Doha and
factory warranty. Its useful life is not yet
known because this material was first in- we got an amazing
stalled on a project 35 years ago,” says Muñoz.
response,” recalls Dünn
After Qatar
Dünn is firmly rooted in Guadalajara, Jalisco, CEO Roberto Muñoz.
but has spread its branches overseas. It has
sales offices in France, the United States
(Houston) and Germany (Munich), and plans
to open another one in the United States
(Florida) in the near future.
Muñoz attributes Dünn’s rapid growth to
the fact that it was always intended to be a
global enterprise geared toward offering its
clients solutions that meet their needs.
“Our plan for the future,” he says “is to be-
come the leading light architecture firm in
the world. I can safely say we currently rank
among the top five and proof of this is that we
have won contracts for two of the largest sta-
diums at Qatar 2022. We want to do Mexico
proud and create an architectural legacy.”
www.dunn-lwa.comfd
47
MEXICO’S PARTNER

TANYA MOSS:
A JEWELRY
MAKER WITH
METTLE

Not content to put Mexican

jewelry design on the world
map, Tanya Moss has even
bigger plans for her brand.

BY SANDRA AGUIL AR

Tanya Moss is currently one of Mexico’s more

well-known jewelry brands. The face behind it
not only designs the pieces you see in stores, but
is a very capable businesswoman.
When she was six, Tanya traded in her dolls
for jewelry. Fascinated by her grandmother’s
large collection, she has been playing with these
wonderful creations ever since —creations she
believes capture the female aesthetic. “When a
woman puts on a necklace or a pair of earrings,
she is completing the look she visualized before-
hand. This is where her creativity and personal-
ity shine forth,” says Moss, who views her craft as
a form of artistic expression and self-discovery.
As a child, she would spend her time cre-
ating pieces of jewelry and accessories from
everyday household items. Later, while study-
ing Graphic Design at the Iberoamericana in
Mexico City, she began designing and making
jewelry more formally as an extracurricular
activity. She then went on to take part in an
exchange program with the Southern Illinois
University, where she specialized in jewelry
design and manufacture. Her hobby soon
evolved into a career that was to bring her im-
mense personal and professional satisfaction.
In 2017, the family business she set up cel-
ebrated its 20th anniversary. Thanks to her
hard work and high personal standards, Moss
now has 35 points of sale in Mexico, including
her own boutiques and outlets at the El Palacio
tanya moss de Hierro department store.

Negocios ProMéxico
48
 MEXICO’S PARTNER

Gold, silver, gemstones and other metals Procter and Gamble, Ocesa, Estée Lauder
are her materials of choice because of their and Bancomer. Her collections have been
resilience. This has been something close to shown at Mexican silver expos organized by
Tanya’s heart since 1993 when she began de- the Banamex Foundation and have traveled to
signing and making jewelry professionally, to Spain to represent Mexican design. Moss also
create family heirlooms, long-lasting pieces teamed up with Chrysler to help design a spe-
that can be handed down from generation to cial edition of the Town and Country minivan
generation. and intervened a series of Samsung washing
Over the decades, Tanya has drawn inspi- machines.
ration from many different sources. Today, In 2013, Tanya was named Entrepreneur
her work aims to showcase “all the beauty of of the Year by EY and in 2014, Endeavor
Mexico and its culture.” Her most recent collec- Entrepreneur together with her husband
tions are a celebration of Mexican traditions, and business partner Eduardo Stolkin. And
featuring Catrina-like figures, paper cutting in 2015 and 2017, she was invited to take part
art and even a Mexican-style hummingbird. in Color Trends, an initiative organized by the
In 2003, Moss designed a butterfly that Mexican paint company Comex, along with 16
was a huge commercial success and is now other designers.
the image of her brand. “Butterflies represent Clearly this is one Mexican brand with
constant evolution and well-rooted inner free- business mettle that will continue to spread its
dom. They remind you to always be the best wings and evolve like the butterfly.
possible version of yourself,” she says.
The pieces Moss makes don’t conform to www.tanyamoss.com
the whims of fashion, but are “classic and in-
novative, elegant and bold all at the same time,
but above all, they are timeless.”
According to Tanya, the real value of her In the next five to ten years, Tanya aims to double the value of
project is that it is 100% Mexican. “It’s impor-
tant to us to promote the idiosyncrasies of our
her company by going international. She already has clients in
country. There are a lot of other companies
the United States, France, Japan and Australia, and is discussing
here doing the same thing, big brands, but they
don’t talk about Mexico or preserve its tradi- future agreements with distributors in England and Asia.
tions; they take their cue from other countries,
whereas we want to pay tribute to Mexico.”
One of Tanya’s goals for the immediate fu-
ture is to turn the family business into a mid-
size company. The time has come to expand,
she says. “It’s a real challenge, a huge under-
taking because there are so many practices
you have to start incorporating when you stop
being a family business. You have to analyze
your leadership style and the contribution of
each team member is very important. Also we
have to decide how we want to expand. It’s a
daunting, yet exciting phase.”
In the next five to ten years, Tanya aims
to double the value of her company by going
international. She already has clients in the
PHOTOS COURTESY OF TANYA MOSS

United States, France, Japan and Australia,

and is discussing future agreements with dis-
tributors in England and Asia.
In 2018, Moss opened boutiques in
Monterrey and Guadalajara. In addition to her
women’s collections, she designs jewelry for
men and has a corporate gift line, along with
a lengthy client list that includes prestigious
names like Banamex, Telcel, Coca Cola, Nike,

November | December 2018 49

MEXICO’S PARTNER
BABY BALLET:
A MEXICAN FRANCHISE PIROUETTING
ITS WAY ACROSS LATIN AMERICA
Baby Ballet took its first tentative steps 13 years ago in Mexico City and has
now expanded to the rest of the country and several parts of Latin America.
.
BY JESSICA ROBLES
This is the story of a couple who set out in search
of a good ballet school for their two daughters
and ended up owning a dance franchise that has
gotten Latin America on its toes. Today it is pre-
paring to jeté into the United States.
Recently named the Best International
Mexican Franchise by the Mexican Franchise
Association, Baby Ballet was founded on June
2005 in Mexico City. Soon after, it began open-
ing what were branches at the time, specializing
in classical ballet and a variety of other dance
genres. Its CEO and founder, Mario Loaiza
Luján, recalls how, in 2011, at the suggestion of an
acquaintance, he sought out the business license
developer César Aranday and by 2012 they had
sold their first franchise.
In 2016, following ProMéxico’s invitation to
attend a trade fair in Bogota, Baby Ballet incu-
bated its first academy in Colombia, where it was
to open another six schools over the next two
years. The company currently has 72 schools in
Mexico and Colombia, including two in Costa
Rica and another two in Chile, and plans to open
its first in Peru this year. Other plans for the im-
mediate future include making an incursion on
the US market. To date, the company has given
classes to 10,000 children, making it one of the
largest academies of its kind in Mexico and Latin
America.
Baby Ballet accepts infants as young as 18
months to teenagers up to 14. In 80% of cases,
students take classical ballet classes, although
jazz, Hawaiian, flamenco, hip-hop, belly dancing,
aerial dance, rhythmic gymnastics, capoeira and
tae-kwon-do are also available.
According to Loaiza, that first trip to
Bogota with ProMéxico marked the company’s
50
international expansion. In the four months be-
tween receiving the invitation and the fair, he
and his wife had time to adapt the concept to
Colombia’s ways, currencies and even subtle lan-
guage differences. The result was Baby Ballet ar-
rived rehearsed and ready to perform.
“Apart from the fact that the ProMéxico
stand was the best-looking one there and gave
us a lot of visibility, from day one we had ten
prospective partners waiting for us. We were a
hit. Over the following days, all we did was iron
out some details related to the premises we’d be
using and the kind of students we’d be receiv-
ing,” he recalls.
The truth is, by this stage Baby Ballet had al-
ready gained considerable expertise of its own,
based on a combination of its founders’ experi-
ence and common sense.
Loaiza and his wife started the business
when their older daughter expressed an inter-
est in dance as a young girl. Soon this pas de
deux realized there were very few academies
that catered to small children and the ones
that did employed rigid, antiquated teaching
methods.
In the end, they decided to hire a private
teacher to give their daughter classes at home.
This prompted them to open their first school,
which was so successful they soon began open-
ing others in the vicinity. And the rest is history…
Loaiza attributes their success to several fac-
tors. Firstly, the franchise model, which is based
around 160-square-meter premises equipped
with professional dance infrastructure.
Secondly, it is one of the few dance academies
that caters to children as young as 18 months and
whose classes adapt to parents’ schedules.
Negocios ProMéxico
 MEXICO’S PARTNER

In 2016, following ProMéxico’s invitation to attend a trade fair in Bogota, Baby Ballet
incubated its first academy in Colombia, where it was to open another six schools over the
next two years. The company currently has 72 schools in Mexico and Colombia, including
two in Costa Rica and another two in Chile, and plans to open its first in Peru this year.

And thirdly, all Baby Ballet programs and

teaching methodologies have been designed by
dance experts.
The academies are delivered under a turn-
key mechanism, which means Mario and his
wife hire local architects to replicate the fran-
chise model and its corporate image. They then
employ a manager for each region to handle ad-
ministrative matters like teacher contracts and
their own brand of clothing for the various dance
genres taught. Most of the franchise holders are
either married couples or professional women
who want to work between 3:00 and 8:00 pm.
Each academy has 300 students on average,
but Loaiza stresses that the size of classes has no
impact whatsoever on the academy’s standards.
Students take an annual exam and are evalu-
ated by prestigious dancers and dance experts
in each zone. In Mexico City, both synods and
dance teachers are graduates of the National
Fine Arts Institute.
Sometimes profits even stretch to sponsor-
ing internationally acclaimed Mexican dancers
Elisa Carrillo and Isaac Hernández, which is
something Baby Ballet’s founders are proud of.
They know most of their students are not seek-
ing a professional dance career, but are over-
joyed when one chooses this path, like former
Baby Ballet pupil Alexis Escamilla, who is now a
student at the National Arts Center.
Baby Ballet may be receiving standing ova-
tions, but it hasn’t been resting on its laurels. On
the contrary, its plans for the future include open-
ing academies in 12 states in Mexico as a prelude
to covering the entire country, continuing its ex-
pansion in South America, where it intends to
take advantage of the facilities provided by the
Pacific Alliance, and opening three branches
by 2019 or 2020 in the United States where the
trademark has already been registered. “We
haven’t ruled out the possibility of opening
schools in Thailand and the Philippines either,”
says Loaiza, who recognizes that ProMéxico has
PHOTO ARCHIVE

been of invaluable assistance throughout the en-

tire process.

www.babyballet.mx

November | December 2018 51

GUEST OPINION
GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS:
VALUING ORIGIN
Acknowledgment of geographical indications in Mexico is a major step
forward in the field of intellectual property, which will be reflected in
economic benefits, protection for communities and the environment and a
better “country brand” for Mexico.
BY JOSÉ MIGUEL MENA*
Mexico is a melting pot of artistic traditions,
cultural creativity and natural wealth, which
makes it possible to create, as well as to get,
products with very particular features that may
be attributed both to specific geographic condi-
tions in the territories where they are from and
traditional techniques that are part of the com-
munity that produces them.
Due to new market trends and consumer
habits worldwide, in the last few years, demand
has risen for products with differentiated qual-
ity and linked to their origin and to exclusive
production methods that guarantee such qual-
ity. Consequently, today more than ever, legal
concepts such as geographic indications (GI) and
denominations of origin (DO) perform a relevant
role in promoting, disseminating and positioning
this type of products, as well as for the economic
and social development of various communities.
For a long time, the Mexican legal frame-
work only acknowledged and protected DOs.
Although the most representative product with
DO protection in Mexico is, beyond question, te-
quila, the country has a total of 16 products pro-
tected under this concept —such as the Olinalá
technique of handcrafted lacquer work consist-
ing of waterproofing and artistically decorating
objects made of wood or bark from the linaloe
tree produced in this municipality in the state of
Guerrero, and Bacanora, the distilled agave bev-
erage produced in Sonora.
On April 27, 2018, the Industrial Property
Law was reformed to include recognition and
52
protection of GIs, which are used to “identify a
product as native of a territory (or a region or
locale within that territory), when a particular
quality, reputation or other feature of the prod-
uct can be fundamentally attributable to its geo-
graphic origin.”
With this reform, products such as silver
from Taxco, avocadoes from Michoacán, and
piteado embroidery on leather from Colotlán,
among many others, may now get real protec-
tion and enjoy exclusive exploitation, thereby
safeguarding hundreds of communities that
produce this type of products typical in our
country. At the same time, they are provided
a sense of belonging, their cultural identity is
strengthened, trade discipline is shaped, their
efforts rewarded and the economic and social
development of their community stimulated.
Although Mexico may be ahead of the
game with its experience safeguarding the in-
terests of products with DO, such as tequila
—which is, today, marketed in about 120 coun-
tries and generates over 300,000 jobs—, many
issues still remain to be fine-tuned and imple-
mented to ensure the quality of products for
consumer benefit and to create confidence in
the Mexican DO/GIs around the world.
For Europe, in particular France, Italy
and Spain, the system of geographic indica-
tions has increasingly favored the economy of
the territories and production systems, espe-
cially in the food, wine and alcoholic beverage
industry.
Negocios ProMéxico
 GUEST OPINION

For example, during the celebration of On April 27, 2018, the Industrial Property Law was reformed
the second Sectorial Forum of Differentiated
Quality, the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture to include recognition and protection of GIs, which are
and Fishing, Food and Environment indicated
that in 2017, over 14 million hectoliters were sold used to “identify a product as native of a territory (or a
of Spanish wines protected by DO/GI, such as
“Rioja” and “La Mancha”, 35% of which was ex- region or locale within that territory), when a particular
ported to various countries, with an estimated
quality, reputation or other feature of the product can be
value of more than four billion dollars —7.4%
higher than in 2016. fundamentally attributable to its geographic origin.”
As for Italy, it is the country with the
most products enjoying DO/GI protection.
With 523 protected wines—such as Prosecco,
Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino— and The DO/GI system is definitely a major
289 food products under such protection — tool for economic development and a great op-
such as Asiago and Parmesan cheeses, and portunity for Mexico, which besides having
the celebrated vinegar from Modena—, Italy an adequate legal framework, has the natural
receives great benefits from DO/GIs: in eco- and social conditions essential for creating an
nomic terms, exports of this type of products economy around a competitive national identi-
represent approximately 39 billion dollars an- ty, benefiting each and every one of the actors
nually, according to figures from the Italian involved in the production chain, especially
Confederation of Farmers. those communities whose land, traditions and
It is clear that products protected by these cultural identity will, in the end, be acknowl-
legal categories strengthen the image of their edged and valued.
countries and position the country brand,
which in turn provides a competitive advan- * Member of the American Chamber/Mexico
tage to the producing communities respon- Intellectual Property Committee and Legal
sible for keeping their traditions alive, by Director at Clarke, Modet & C° Mexico.
being considered by consumers as certified
products with superior quality to other simi-
lar ones. Precisely, the added intrinsic value
of these products, on top of consumer percep-
tion, is what allows DO/GI-protected products
to be sold at a higher price. According to the
National Association of Denominations of
Origin (ANDO), consumers are willing to pay
up to 20% more for a product with DO/GI than
for a generic one.
This system that is so good for communi-
ties is the same way with the environment.
Due to the unbreakable connection between
production and land of origin, ecosystem and
biodiversity protection is necessary, and once
in place is a source of sustainable development
of the environment and of social cohesion.
Even the good reputation a region gets from
a local product offers additional business op-
portunities for its marketing. As an example
of new opportunities, culinary tourism pro-
PHOTO ARCHIVE

motes economic activities that maintain and

improve living conditions for the rural popu-
lation, contributing with complementary in-
come for inhabitants of the region.

November | December 2018 53

SPECIAL FEATURE
SHORING UP MEXICO’S
PARTICIPATION IN THE
GLOBAL DIGITAL ECONOMY
Comprised mainly of small and mid-size companies, Mexico’s IT sector has
the talent and capacity to develop innovative solutions, but its increased
participation in the global digital economy will depend on the continued
backing of the federal government.
BY OMAR MARTÍNEZ GONZÁLEZ
If there is one industry that has a point of con-
vergence with all others it is information tech-
nologies (IT). Today it is virtually impossible to
conceive of an economic activity that doesn’t
have a digital component.
According to studies conducted by the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD), the efficient use of IT
solutions like big data can translate into an
increase of between 5% and 10% in the pro-
ductivity of a business. What this means is
we need to introduce new business models
based on digital services that are innova-
tion intensive and that facilitate commercial
transactions.
In its Digital Economy Outlook 2017 report,
the OECD states that the proportion of com-
panies in Mexico with an Internet presence is
41.5%, indicating that we still have a long road
to travel.
The private and public sectors have both
taken action and as a result, the market value
of Mexico’s IT industry has registered average
annual growth of 12% since 2010 to stand at
12.3 billion usd in 2017.
According to the National Institute of
Statistics and Geography (INEGI), the domestic
54
IT industry is comprised of over 4,000 compa-
nies, approximately 60% of which are located
in Mexico City, Jalisco, Nuevo León, Estado de
México, Querétaro and Puebla.
Today the industry has more tools than
ever to take on the challenges facing it both
at home and abroad. The goal is to position
Mexico as a world-class service provider and
an attractive destination for the development
of innovative solutions.
Mexican IT, It’s All About
Opportunities
The level of maturity of the industry in Mexico
is conducive to the creation of business oppor-
tunities of all kinds.
For example, e-commerce is indubita-
bly gathering impetus in Mexico, according
to figures reported by the Mexican Internet
Association, which put its value at close to 18
billion usd in 2016.
This particular business model demands
tools that give companies as much control as
possible over inventories, prices and logistics,
among other aspects. These are all things TI
Mobile of Queretaro offers its clients. The
company’s Express Mobile Sales solution
Negocios ProMéxico

allows users to deliver merchandise more effi-
ciently by providing remote access to informa-
tion, thereby facilitating the decision-making
process. The solution was exhibited at the
ProMéxico pavilion during the Mobile World
Congress (MWC) in 2017 and is now used in
countries like Spain and the United States.
Bambú Mobile is another example of a
Mexican company that has successfully par-
ticipated in the Mobile World Congress and
that boasts an extensive portfolio of solutions
whose applications range from personal fi-
nances to health services. As a result of its
participation in this year’s edition of the event,
it has managed to position its brand on the
Spanish market.
One strategic area in which a concerted ef-
fort to adopt IT solutions needs to be made is
the export sector.
Entix, an IT business event organized
by the León, Guanajuato-based National
Electronics, Telecommunications and IT
Industry Chamber (CANIETI), is designed to
encourage companies operating in tradition-
al sectors —such as agro-foods, textiles and
apparel, logistics, among othes— to embrace
these new technologies.
November | December 2018
SPECIAL
SPECIAL FEATURE
PHOTO ARCHIVE
At this year’s edition, ProMéxico helped Today the industry
set up more than 200 business meetings be-
tween IT solution providers and companies in- has more tools than
terested in increasing the added value of their
exports by incorporating innovative tools into ever to take on the
their operations.
Another company that participated in
challenges facing it both
Entix was Apprendia Tech, whose solutions at home and abroad.
are aimed at the medical and educational ser-
vices industries, evidencing just how broad The goal is to position
the range of applications for IT solutions is.
Apprendia Tech has worked with ProMéxico Mexico as a world-class
on several occasions and garnered business
from events like the Pacific Alliance Business service provider and an
Macro Round Table and South by Southwest.
These are just a few examples of IT success attractive destination
stories, the common denominator being high
levels of innovation, accompanied by the ac- for the development of
tive backing of the federal government.
Today that backing needs to be redirected
innovative solutions.
to the development of managerial and negotia-
tion skills. In this respect, participating in the
main industry events will improve companies’
chances of positioning their solutions on inter-
national markets, not to mention serving as
the perfect vehicle for identifying and realiz-
ing business opportunities.
55
COVER FEATURE

MEXICO, FINTECH NATION

Financial technology companies, also known as Fintech, use information

technologies to enable their offer of financial products and services. The
global Fintech ecosystem has developed rapidly thanks to the globalization
of industries and services, digital transformation of its processes,
collaborative economies, and increased connectivity. Mexico has the
capabilities to be part of this movement, thanks to the actions that are taking
place in the country and its favorable business ecosystem.

BY J. SANTIAGO RODRÍGUEZ SUÁREZ

According to the World Economic Forum in its
Global Competitiveness Report 2018, Mexico is
the second most competitive economy in Latin
America, right after Chile. The country’s compet-
itiveness is due to the large size of its market and
the stability of its macroeconomic atmosphere.
There are other reasons to be optimistic about
Mexico’s growth trajectory: “It outshines other
Latin American countries in terms of business
dynamism, due, in part, to the relatively favorable
administrative environment for businesses”.
Thanks to this competitiveness, it has
been possible to maintain a fertile soil for the
creation of fintech companies in the country.
Therefore, efforts such as the Fintech Law,
one of the most advanced in the world, and
Mexican talent in the development of new
applications and business models in an inno-
vative framework, have been successful for
positioning Mexico as the most promising fin-
tech ecosystem in Latin America.
Mexico shows an overall value for annu-
al transactions of 426 usd per Internet user,
against 410 usd for Brazil. The approved fin-
tech laws promote opportunities for open
banking models and the development of
APIs for the integration of productive chains
between financial institutions, fintechs and
users. This regulatory framework provides
protection and certainty to users and inves-
tors. It also promotes one of the first legal sand-
boxes at the country level to run pilot tests of
new technologies and evaluate their function-
ing and interaction in the safest way with the
different actors of the financial ecosystem.
As for the banking system, the country’s
financial institutions have developed agree-
ments and projects to enhance their fintech
initiatives, from specialized funds and cours-
es to innovation laboratories, incubators and
business accelerators. Hence, they achieve the
double objective of promoting a better finan-
cial ecosystem in Mexico and, furthermore,
modernizing themselves before the technolog-
ical changes of digital transformation.
The participation of universities and R&D
centers has been fundamental for the develop-
ment of the sector, since they foster Mexican
talent in these new business models, offering
study plans with a technological approach
through innovative models of education based
on collaboration and Design Thinking.
Similarly, there are centers that investi-
gate local market behavior, improvements to

Negocios ProMéxico
56

the application of modern financial services,
best practices from other countries and pos-
sible solutions for public policy, banking and
participation on digital finances.
In this regard, ProMéxico just published a
study on the current affairs of fintech in the
country. The document aims to deepen the
strengths, challenges and opportunities of
Mexico in a global environment for the new
fintech business models.
Among the main fintech business oppor-
tunities mentioned in that analysis, one of the
most important is the investment in RegTech
(Regulation Technologies), which can decrease
the response times and the costs for checking
the regulatory compliance of organizations.
In addition, the banking authority (CNBV)
is evaluating some financial technologies for
their application in small and medium busi-
nesses, thus facilitating processes, transpar-
ency and flexibility in regulatory matters.
On the other hand, the blockchain tech-
nology allows lower costs for security and
November | December 2018
COVER FEATURE
traceability in transactions and even apply ProMéxico just published
it for the use of easily manageable intelligent
contracts, being a sector of interest to receive a study on the current
investment in application projects.
At a global level, small and medium-sized affairs of fintech in the
companies face the most obstacles in order to
carry out international trade operations, since
country. The document
they represent a greater risk that is not as- aims to deepen the
sumed by traditional banks.
In this way, Trade-Finance becomes an strengths, challenges and
important fintech opportunity in the country,
thus enabling economic growth by opening opportunities of Mexico
the doors of global business to most companies
in Mexico. in a global environment
Mexico has positioned itself as the most
promising ecosystem for the growth, application for the new fintech
and implementation of fintech in Latin America
and one of the most important worldwide. It is business models.
the sum of the efforts of the government, the
financial institutions, the academy and the in-
novative talent and national entrepreneurship,
which has allowed the country to strengthen
itself following the trends of financial evolution.
PHOTO ARCHIVE
57
COVER FEATURE
BLOCKCHAIN:
A TRUST-INSPIRING TECHNOLOGY
The development of blockchain technology and its implementation in Mexico
is ushering in new opportunities with enormous growth potential.
BY CARLOS RAÚL BARRÓN CRUZ
Blockchain is a disruptive technology, a digital
ledger of sorts that reduces the cost and com-
plexity of data transactions, building trust-
worthiness into the information systems that
facilitate virtually every aspect of our daily
lives and business.
Its applications range from the certifica-
tion of bank and foreign-currency transactions
(cryptocurrency) and the identity protection of
luxury items and works of art —a practice that
has been adopted by certain multinationals— to
the alignment and simplification of stock mar-
kets such as NASDAQ, which is experimenting
with the use of blockchain algorithms to regis-
ter the transactions of private companies.
Blockchain is being adopted so rapidly that
it is estimated 10% of global GDP will be stored
in this technology by 2025.
Mexico has begun using blockchain tech-
nology in the form of proven application
solutions, mainly to validate corporate trans-
actions, but has yet to exploit opportunities re-
lated to identity validation services and smart
contracts. The most popular use of the tech-
nology is cryptocurrency, with daily transac-
tions shooting up from 100,000 usd in early
2017 to 2 million usd in May of the same year.
58
One of the goals of the fintech law recently
passed by Mexico was to define an operating
framework for the country’s financial tech-
nology companies. An interesting inclusion is
the regulatory sandbox concept, which grants
companies temporary permission to test busi-
ness models that are different to existing, al-
ready regulated ones. In other words, it is a law
that promotes innovation.
The financial sector aside, the applications
of blockchain technology are virtually unlim-
ited —because it functions as a verifier, auditor
or trustee, there is a place for it in all types of
processes in industries of every kind.
Applications include systems like auton-
omous vehicles, automated homes, drones
and other collaborative objects with smart
features that are capable of recognizing the
identity of their users, with the subsequent re-
duction in operating costs.
Blockchain improves security by making it
possible for objects to know who their legiti-
mate owners are, so digital mechanisms can
be implemented to, for instance, prevent a car
engine being turned on or a safe being opened,
without the possibility of a password being
falsified.
Negocios ProMéxico
 COVER FEATURE

PHOTO ARCHIVE
Likewise, the peer-to-peer nature of block-
chain networks makes them suitable for, say,
independent electricity producers, because
alternate networks to corporate and govern-
ment ones can be developed relatively simply,
allowing individual producers to cover their
own needs and safely sell any surpluses.
ProMéxico works with the country’s leading
IT companies to help identify potential partner-
ships with other sectors that could lead to the de-
velopment of comprehensive, disruptive, highly
innovative blockchain-based solutions. These
opportunities include applications for payments

PHOTO ARCHIVE
and loans in the financial sector and the recep-
tion of remittances and international payments;
contracts and regulatory processes in practical-
ly every sector and industry; audits, public regis-
ters, elections and private-sector identity issues.
It should be noted, however, that companies ProMéxico works with the country’s leading IT companies
interested in employing blockchain technol-
ogy for their digital transactions need to clear- to help identify potential partnerships with other sectors
ly define their strategic vision, do some formal
planning and take on board the advice of cryp- that could lead to the development of comprehensive,
tographic experts if they are to reap the benefits
of increased security and lower costs. It might be disruptive, highly innovative blockchain-based solutions.
a gamble, but there is a lot to be gained for those
who aren’t afraid to do some trailblazing.

November | December 2018 59

COVER FEATURE

PERSONAL DATA SECURITY,

MARKETS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Have you ever wondered how much your personal information

is worth? Information like your zip code or affiliations to minority
groups. How often have you stopped to read the small print
of the privacy notices service providers and other entities that
collect our information are legally obliged to provide?

BY CARLOS RAÚL BARRÓN CRUZ

Personal data security has become a pressing
issue and there are now countless digital sys-
tems for its storage. Some of this information is
of a sensitive nature, but its real value depends
on the use it is put to, whether by the person it
belongs to, the companies, government organi-
zations and other entities that collect it and that
are legally bound to protect it, and those who
use it for commercial purposes, be it legally or
in some cases, illegally.
Although the handling of personal data is
regulated by Mexican and international law, the
problem remains as to how to protect it, on the
one hand, without obstructing new business de-
velopment and, on the other, it has also proven dif-
ficult to implement uniform privacy standards.

PHOTO ARCHIVE

Negocios ProMéxico
60
 COVER FEATURE

For example, when a multinational collects infor-

mation in one country and processes it in another,
different regulations may apply.
Personal data is an asset to companies be-
cause it tells them about the lifestyle and habits
of their clients, both existing and prospective,
enabling them to set prices and personalize
their products and services. Not only is this
information key to corporate marketing strat-
egies, but it has become vital to the operation
and very survival of companies, this is a mean-
ingful reason for safeguarding it.
In March 2018, a major personal data vio-
lation occurred when the Facebook accounts
of as many as an estimated 50 million users
were hacked. Similar incidents have occurred
since, affecting companies like Google, Uber,
Instagram and, again, Facebook. The cost for
those responsible for safeguarding this informa-
tion has been untold. Following the March 2018
incident, the value of Facebook stock fell approx-
imately 10% in two days, without factoring in the
cost of reinforcing security and the expense of
legal actions taken against the company.
Aside from the companies that keep per-

PHOTO ARCHIVE
sonal data for their own use, there is an entire
industry dedicated to leasing and selling infor-
mation on individuals and companies collected
from different sources.
Unfortunately, there is also a growing black
market for information obtained by hackers.
Although there are no official figures available The regulated use of personal data in combination with
as to the size of this market, McAfee’s report on
The Hidden Data Economy – The Marketplace
technological and business trends like social media, the
for Stolen Digital Information reveals the type
automated collection of data by IoT devices, data mining
of data cybercriminals are most interested in:
• Credit card information, 30-45 usd. using big data techniques, and the rise of a new economy
• Credit card & PIN for use in ATM, 110-190 usd.
• Service accounts (mobile phone, pay televi- in which individuals directly trade in the personal data
sion), 20-300 usd.
• A person’s complete identity —no information they hold, opens up a whole new world of opportunities.
on price available.
• Medical information, both the records of in-
dividuals (free) and data packages used to
extort the health organizations that are the sectors offering innovative integrated solutions,
legitimate owners of the data. which can be marketed to both domestic and
international clients, because the ubiquitous,
The regulated use of personal data in com- intangible nature of these services means they
bination with technological and business trends can be rendered from Mexico or anywhere else
like social media, the automated collection of in the world.
data by IoT devices, data mining using big data It is here that ProMéxico plays a role as a
techniques, and the rise of a new economy in promotor of the internationalization of Mexican
which individuals directly trade in the person- companies. In the case of the IT sector, specific ac-
al data they hold, opens up a whole new world tions include the drawing up of a Roadmap for the
of opportunities. These opportunities espe- IT Industry in the State of Jalisco that takes into
cially apply to enterprises in the IT and related account the trends we have just described.

November | December 2018 61

COVER FEATURE

E-COMMERCE:
GROWTH OPENS DOOR TO NEW
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

The widespread adoption of e-commerce has created new opportunities for

companies operating in diverse sectors.

BY RENATA PIÑA HUESCA

PHOTO ARCHIVE

Negocios ProMéxico
62

Information and communications technolo-
gies have come to play a more predominant
role in our daily routines, changing the way
we do things and making life easier all round.
Commerce is one area in which this influence
is indisputable. Consumers and suppliers alike
have embraced e-commerce and in recent
years, its use has become more generalized,
contributing to the democratization of business
worldwide. By 2021, retail e-commerce will be
worth an estimated 4.5 billion usd globally.
According to the Global Electronic Market
Center, e-commerce can be defined as any
type of transaction or exchange of information
for business purposes in which the parties in-
teract using information and communications
technologies instead of establishing physical
contact. This definition includes at least four
different kinds of transactions: business to
business (B2B), business to consumer (B2C),
business to employee (B2E) and business to
business to consumer (B2B2C).
Nowadays, the most popular form of e-
commerce is business to consumer (B2C), with
global sales of approximately 2.1 billion usd —a
figure that will grow in the upcoming years.
This type of transaction is conducted directly
between the company and the consumer, usu-
ally without intermediaries. In 2017, countries
with the highest B2C sales were China (672 bil-
lion usd), the United States (340 billion usd) and
the United Kingdom (99 billion usd), followed
by Japan, Germany, France, South Korea,
Canada, Russia and Brazil. In Asia in particu-
lar, e-commerce has experienced a boom in
recent years. For example, the sales of China’s
leading e-commerce platform, Alibaba, ex-
ceeded the combined sales of the top two US
platforms, Amazon and eBay. In 2014 alone,
China reported 31% growth in e-commerce.
In Mexico, it has taken a while for e-com-
merce to get off the ground due to consumer
mistrust regarding payment methods. Since
2009, however, market penetration has gradu-
ally increased, so much so that by 2021, Mexico is
expected to rise from second position to take the
lead in e-commerce in Latin America. According
to the International Data Corporation (IDC), in
2017 Mexico reported the highest growth in e-
commerce (27.3%) in the entire region, while in-
formation furnished by the Internet Association
reveals that some 37% of Internet users in
Mexico made online purchases in 2017, 50%
November | December 2018
COVER FEATURE
Mexico is expected to rise from second
position to take the lead in e-commerce
in Latin America. According to the
International Data Corporation
(IDC), in 2017 Mexico reported
the highest growth in e-commerce
(27.3%) in the entire region.
of whom did so as a result of digital marketing
publications. The most popular purchases were
products like clothing, accessories, digital down-
loads and event tickets, as well as travel and
transportation services.
E-commerce has enormous growth poten-
tial in Mexico, but to consolidate it, we need to
look beyond the products and services tradi-
tionally preferred by the Mexican consumer
to other sectors that are starting to take priori-
ty under this mode of doing business —tourism,
entertainment, banking, automotive, cruise-
lines, airlines and media industries, in order to
incorporate e-commerce into their strategies.
Linio and Mercado Libre are the leading
platforms in Mexico, but more and more com-
panies are jumping on the e-commerce wagon,
from small and mid-size enterprises to large
department stores and supermarkets, which
have managed to bump their online sales up
from 1% in 2015 to 20% in 2017.
Global trends indicate that the digital
economy will continue to lead the way, so
Mexican companies seeking to stay one step
ahead of the competition on their home turf or
on international markets will have to incorpo-
rate e-commerce into at least a percentage of
their sales if they are to create more business
opportunities, in addition to improving the ef-
ficiency of their logistics chains and coming up
with more innovative, disruptive digital mar-
keting models.
In light of this new scenario, ProMéxico
has compiled intelligence documents to help
Mexican companies take advantage of e-com-
merce opportunities by guiding them in the
right direction.
63
COVER FEATURE

WHY IS MEXICO SUITED

TO M-COMMERCE?

Although it is an offshoot of e-commerce, m-commerce differs in that the

transactions users can make using mobile devices are much more varied
and versatile, due to the new methods of payment this technology permits,
from the payment of services based on geo-localization to an apps market
that offers a wide range of solutions and functionalities, e-identity and
information security mechanisms.

BY CARLOS RAÚL BARRÓN CRUZ

Some 2 billion people worldwide made transac-
tions using mobile devices in 2017, while it is es-
timated m-commerce will account for 27% of
online retail sales in the United States by year-end
2018. Global m-commerce sales are expected to
close 2018 at 459.38 billion usd, with tablet users
spending an average of 2.58 usd during every visit
to online retail sites —which is still lower than the
4.11 usd spent by users of desktop computers.
These figures illustrate the potential of m-
commerce for innovators and investors, espe-
cially in Mexico, where the market has some
specific characteristics that make it suited to
this particular business model:
• Widespread use of mobile phone lines and
devices by virtually every sector of the
population. A total of 102.3 million smart
phones were in use in Mexico in 2017,
which translates into 0.83 devices per in-
habitant, regardless of age.
• Only half the population has a bank ac-
count, hence the popularity of alternative
methods of payment.
• A regulated market that fosters m-com-
merce. Mexico was one of the first coun-
tries to regulate new financial models with
the passing of its Fintech Law.
Corroborating this favorable outlook for
m-commerce is the Mobile Commerce in
Mexico and the World study conducted by
the Mexican Association of Online Sales and
IAB Mexico. According to the report, 76% of
mobile Internet users in Mexico have made a
purchase using a mobile device, eight out of
every ten Mexicans are satisfied with their m-
commerce experience and 83% of mobile de-
vice users interacted with a digital ad of some
kind during the six months prior to the survey.
In terms of trade and investment, pros-
pects for m-commerce are just as positive. Like
its close cousin e-commerce, m-commerce
eliminates barriers to competition, meaning
any company, even small and mid-size ones,
can export their products and services and
compete with their larger rivals that operate

Negocios ProMéxico
64
 COVER FEATURE

PHOTO ARCHIVE

on traditional markets. Specifically, Mexican ProMéxico has taken measures to promote

companies can identify aspects of the digital
market and its global scope that favor trade in all these windows of opportunity and has
contents and information (music, video games,
software, e-books, etc.), making it possible for worked closely with the country’s IT sector
them to compete on an even playing field on
this knowledge market.
on initiatives like the Roadmap for the IT
Advertising and media agencies have also Sector in the State of Jalisco, which treats
discovered in mobile platforms and apps a
new and broader channel that can be tailored m-commerce as a relevant trend for the sector.
to the profiles of mobile device users.
ProMéxico has taken measures to pro-
mote all these windows of opportunity and
has worked closely with the country’s IT sec-
tor on initiatives like the Roadmap for the IT
Sector in the State of Jalisco, which treats m-
commerce as a relevant trend for the sector.
Given the characteristics of the Mexican
market, there can be no denying m-commerce
stands to benefit both suppliers of goods and
services and the increasing number of con-
sumers who have found in this business model
a convenient alternative.

November | December 2018 65

COVER FEATURE

ROADMAP FOR THE IT SECTOR

IN THE STATE OF JALISCO
Information technologies (IT) have made an immeasurable contribution to the transformation of
global business, due to their many and varied applications. In Mexico, the state of Jalisco is one of the
industry’s main centers of development and ProMéxico, in conjunction with CANIETI and IJALTI, has
drawn up a strategy for its consolidation over the next ten years.

BY JOSÉ MANUEL CORTÉS RÍOS


Information technologies have had a tangible
impact in areas such as employment, service
management and market value in relation to
software and hardware engineering for differ-
ent industries —an impact that has been substan-
tially greater in developing countries. Over 40%
of the world population has access to the Internet
and this trend is expected to continue on its up-
ward course. The evidence shows that new in-
formation technologies are economic drivers
that have the capacity to boost trade, productiv-
ity and competitiveness on a global level.
Mexico has mechanisms to promote the de-
velopment of information technologies in place
and has registered growth, both in the value of
the domestic industry and in exports, which
stand at approximately 6 billion usd, position-
ing the country as the world’s third-largest sup-
plier of these services and a major international
destination for IT investment.
There are over 3,000 higher education insti-
tutions in Mexico that turn out some 66,000 IT
graduates every year and virtually all Mexican
companies in some way rely on the sector,
whether as users or suppliers of these services.
The Mexican government’s National Digital
Strategy includes initiatives to promote the
growth of the sector, especially in states like
Jalisco, whose IT industry is the most devel-
oped in the country.
Accounting for a substantial 6.5% of GDP,
Jalisco is one of the largest state economies in
Mexico. Investors first began taking an interest
in its IT and electronics industries in the 1960s,
sparking off growth in high-tech goods, electron-
ics and automation and software engineering
and development —all basic areas of the IT sec-
tor. Often referred to as Mexico’s Silicon Valley,
several of the country’s main international IT
service companies are headquartered in Jalisco,
from large corporations to small-scale suppli-
ers that serve different niches of the automotive,
aerospace, health and other sectors.
Jalisco boasts an extremely active IT eco-
system and public and private organizations
have come together to encourage technological
innovation by helping startups and small and
mid-size enterprises gain access to infrastruc-
ture, equipment and mentoring. This triple
helix approach fosters cooperation between
strategic actors for the development of clusters
and the management of specialized IT talent.
In light of the interest the region’s IT compa-
nies haven shown in expanding their business
globally, ProMéxico, in conjunction with the
Western Chapter of the National Electronics,
Telecommunications and IT Industry Chamber
November | December 2018
COVER FEATURE
PHOTO ARCHIVE
(CANIETI), IJALTI and 26 organizations repre- A total of 40 global
senting private companies, government and ac-
ademia drew up the Roadmap for the IT Sector trends were analyzed
in the State of Jalisco, the goal being to come up
with a strategic, global vision for the state’s IT in- in the drawing up
dustry over the next ten years. This vision calls
for a new business outlook and the pooling of ef- of the roadmap [...]
forts with a view to creating synergies with other
industries that guarantee an impact in areas like
Three milestones
talent, research, development and innovation, were established and
the coordination of productive activities, the de-
velopment of capacities and infrastructure, and ten projects featuring
standards and quality assurance.
A total of 40 global trends were analyzed innovative solutions
in the drawing up of the roadmap: social trends
like social media and smart cities; environmental that exploit the expert
ones like environmental technologies and con-
servation; economic trends like cryptocurrency, knowledge and
blockchain and e-commerce technologies; politi-
cal and legal trends such as intellectual property specialized talent of
and the modernization of the legal framework;
and technological trends like cyber security, arti-
Jalisco’s IT industry
ficial intelligence and the Internet of Things. were selected.
Three milestones were established and ten
projects featuring innovative solutions that ex-
ploit the expert knowledge and specialized tal-
ent of Jalisco’s IT industry were selected. The
resulting roadmap can be consulted or down-
loaded directly from the ProMéxico website at
promexico.mx/en/mx/mapas-de-ruta.
ProMéxico promotes innovative, disruptive
strategies for the development, not just of the IT
sector, but all industries via the implementation
of high-added-value projects that translate into
global business opportunities.
67
MEXICO’S PARTNER
FINTECH FOR RETIREMENT
Jorge López, founding partner of Vitalis, explains how new technology
is encouraging Mexican employees to save more for their retirement.
BY IVÁN IGLESIAS
Mexico is making progress in terms of infra-
structure and the production of goods and
services associated with new technologies, in-
novation and development, but there are cer-
tain areas that require special attention if the
country is to achieve the desired levels of eco-
nomic development and social wellbeing. One
of these is to improve the economic conditions
of the country’s senior citizens.
It is an issue representatives of the Mexican
government and the business community
have been working on. According to Maribel
Monterrubio, general manager of Vitalis, a
Mexican company with 26 years’ experience in
pension plans, the best way to guarantee qual-
ity of life for senior citizens is through preven-
tive measures.
On the same note, Jorge López Pérez, a
founding partner of Vitalis, believes pension
systems around the world have been in crisis
for the last five decades because the workforce
doesn’t have a culture of saving. “We don’t know
when we’re going to die. If we knew, it would
make planning simple, but since we don’t, we
prefer not to think about it and spend now in-
stead of saving for our retirement.”
López believes there are three lines of action
that could turn the situation around. “Firstly, so-
cial security contributions should be mandatory.
Secondly, we need to inculcate a habit of saving in
our children. And thirdly, long-term private and
public incentives need to be aligned.” Fortunately,
he says, “the government and workers have em-
barked on a more realistic dialogue on the subject
of retirement savings.”
A High-Tech Retirement
For the last two decades, Vitalis has been mak-
ing a concerted effort to improve the quality of
life of Mexico’s senior citizens and is convinced
68
a culture of saving would go a long way to solv-
ing the problem.
According to López, applying technological
innovations to pension funds can make all the
difference when it comes to saving. “We came
up with an innovative idea: why can’t people
save for their retirement while they spend?
Why don’t we adopt a model over the 20 to 30
years of our active working lives that allows us
to save every time we buy something?”
This is exactly what Vitalis’ Retirement
Miles (Millas para el Retiro) app is designed to
do. “We want to help Mexicans implement a
loyalty program that makes saving as natural a
habit as satisfying their immediate needs and
materialistic desires. We’ve seen similar ideas
in other parts of the world, but never linked to
pension funds,” says López.
Vitalis launched the Retirement Miles plat-
form three years ago and now has some big-name
investors. “The first thing we did was develop
the necessary technology to hook up with the so-
cial security system (obviously with the permis-
sion and backing of the National Commission for
the Retirement Savings System).”
Users of the app can access their retirement
savings accounts in a click. “When you buy
something, the app recognizes your social secu-
rity number, verifies it and then charges your
credit or debit card with the amount you have
chosen to save. You decide what percentage of
your card expenditure you want to save and
that amount is credited directly to your retire-
ment savings account.”
“Some 20 million Mexicans people are reg-
istered with the social security system, but an-
other 40 million have made contributions at
some point in their working lives. All of these
people can use the app to save for their retire-
ment,” says López.
Negocios ProMéxico
 MEXICO’S PARTNER

Retirement Miles is in the process of formal-
izing partnerships with leading brands and com-
panies that have committed to contributing to
the pension funds of workers who consume their
products, much as a loyalty program works.
Launched in November 2017, the app was not
officially available until March 2018, but already
it is getting positive feedback and generating valu-
able qualitative data. “Aside from the backing of
the Mexican government, the Mexican Employers
Confederation (Coparmex) and other associations
have included us in their long-term strategic plans
as one of the retirement savings tools workers
should have at their disposal. Internationally, too,
PHOTO ARCHIVE
we have won entrepreneurship awards, like the “We want to help
Innovations Awards and the BBVA Open Talent
Award in the Financial Inclusion category as the Mexicans implement
most innovative fintech for the unbanked.”
Indubitably, technology is revolutionizing a loyalty program that
our lives and thanks to Retirement Miles, we
can now use it to secure our financial futures
makes saving as natural
into old age. So far, 1,000 users have signed up. a habit as satisfying their
“We are growing at a monthly rate of 7%, but
are aiming for 70% because we are convinced immediate needs and
no other system makes it easier for workers to
save for their twilight years,” says López. materialistic desires.
www.millasparaelretiro.com We’ve seen similar ideas
in other parts of the
world, but never linked
to pension funds.”

November | December 2018 69

MEXICO’S PARTNER

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
AND BIG DATA APPLIED
TO FOREIGN TRADE

In today’s global economy, we need to modernize customs

procedures as quickly as possible, says Daniel Alarcón, CEO
of Logiety, a company that is striving to make import-export
processes more efficient using innovative applications.

BY IVÁN IGLESIAS

PHOTOS ARCHIVE

Negocios ProMéxico
70

Mexico is still at an “early” phase in the imple-
mentation of new technologies to facilitate
import-export procedures, says Logiety CEO
and foreign trade expert Daniel Alarcón in in-
terview. “Implementing artificial intelligence is
a complicated matter,” he aays, “but we are at-
tempting to restructure and automate the en-
tire customs process. Latin America is lagging
in this respect, but Mexico has made some prog-
ress and is preparing to make the technological
leap. We are 30% there and are aiming for fully
automated processes, possibly by 2030.”
Another area of opportunity is big data.
“Only 1% of the big data available is used to
assist with decision-making in the area of for-
eign trade; the other 99% is disregarded,” says
Alarcón. As concerns import-export compa-
nies, very few are making use of the informa-
tion in the cloud that is available to the general
public—information they could be using to make
informed decisions in real time. The [customs]
information collected in Mexico —over 60 mil-
lion consultations a day— is used to generate
public data that can be analyzed to identify new
clients. “This,” he says, “is the purpose of data:
to explore new lines of business, help make dis-
tribution processes more efficient and better
serve the final consumer.”
Innovative Developments
Startups like Logiety are pushing for the tech-
nological modernization of customs procedures
in Mexico. “As a company, Logiety’s mission is to
automate all import and export processes. We
want to make it easier for all Mexican import-
ers and exporters to connect with the world,”
says Alarcón.
So what exactly does this entail? “We au-
tomate the entire process, from the moment
the goods are shipped from a foreign country
to the moment they are received at a Mexican
port, and follow up on them using online big
data analysis and reliable artificial intelligence.
For example, we use Classify, an app that con-
tains 137 million ‘trained’ products. When
users search for products on this platform, they
are given a series of options so they can make
a more informed decision as to which country
they want to import from or export to,” says
Alarcón.
One example of how Logiety is bringing
customs procedures into the modern era is
CustomsFy, an app designed to help produc-
ers identify the best potential markets for their
products and assist them with the export pro-
cess. “This is our most recent development,
November | December 2018
MEXICO’S PARTNER
which we will be launching in the not-too- “We have been pretty
distant future. We have high expectations for
CustomsFy. To give you just one example, in successful as an export
Veracruz there are many companies making
quality goods and that are interested in export- company. We export
ing them. I think these businesses will welcome
CustomsFy as a reliable source of information,
to over 25 countries
one that gives them a better idea as to where to and our growth
place their products.”
strategy is weighted
The Role of Innovation
and Development toward the export side
Logiety is not a company to rest on its laurels;
innovation and development are at the heart of the business. We
of everything it does. “We are constantly look-
ing for new ways of making import-export pro- aim to penetrate new
cedures more efficient. For example, foreign
trade information is of the public domain, so markets where we can
the first question we asked ourselves was why
there wasn’t a site where it could be easily ac-
continue expanding
cessed by producers interested in exporting? and internationalizing
We want to set up an efficient site where pro-
ducers can access the raw data and find their the brand.”
customs indicators,” says Alarcón.
Logiety is currently experimenting with
neural network techniques to improve the ac-
curacy of import-export predictions.
“Our goal,” says Alarcón, “is to create a
win-win situation for everyone involved in im-
port-export activities, from producers and dis-
tributors through to the final consumer.”
www.logiety.com
PHOTOS ARCHIVE
71
MEXICO’S PARTNER
EGYPT, A LONG-TERM
PROJECT FOR CEMEX
CEMEX began operating in Egypt in 1999 and knows the
market inside out. This has given the company’s new director
the confidence to ride out short-term setbacks and plan
for a lengthy and profitable stay in North Africa.
BY OMAR MAGAÑA
“Is Egypt a country where we should be or
not?” is the question Carlos Emilio González
Gallegos, president of CEMEX Egypt, has been
asking since mid-2017.
González arrived in Egypt after a success-
ful stint as director of CEMEX Dominican
Republic to take over what is “quite probably
our fourth- or fifth-largest subsidiary in terms
of size.” Located in a country where demand for
building supplies is high, this is also a strategic
zone for the development of business opportu-
nities in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
Cemex has been operating in Egypt for
more than 20 years and its market share hov-
ers between 8% and 9%, but the concern of the
company’s new director is its ability to ride out
the current market glut and the construction of
a megaproject by Al Arish Cement Company
(a subsidiary of the National Service Projects
Organization, which belongs to the Egyptian
Armed Forces) that will produce as much as 12
million tons of cement a year.
“The market is flooded. Production current-
ly stands at 85 million tons and is expected to
increase to 92 million in the near future.” This,
says González, has put pressure on prices and
reduced profit margins for the 22 companies
competing for a share of a market that consumes
approximately 54 million tons of cement a year.
The Answer
So, what conclusion have González and his
team come to given the hard facts? “We have
analyzed the situation in depth and decided
that, despite the current complications, Egypt
is a market with promise in the long term for
several reasons, namely the size of its popula-
tion and the rate at which it is growing, the
economic actions the government is taking, its
72
geographic location and, from a cultural and
business structure standpoint, interaction with
markets in Mexico and Latin America.”
According to González, demand for cement
in Egypt has remained steady, despite the po-
litical and economic crisis that shook the coun-
try just five years ago. Today it is increasing as
a result of population growth, related housing
projects and the infrastructure projects the
government has embarked on.
“The next question is how do we survive
the storm? We are trying to be more efficient
and to gain a competitive edge over our rivals
by using digital platforms like CEMEX Go, an
app that was launched last year and that allows
our clients to do nearly all their business with
us using their mobile phones or computers.”
The company’s strategy in Egypt is to keep
the organization compact, efficient and moti-
vated, and to maintain its trusted supplier status
that has earned it contracts for large-scale proj-
ects like Egypt’s first stretch of concrete highway
linking Cairo and the Suez Canal, the new tun-
nels connecting Egypt with the Sinai Peninsula,
and a new commercial port on the Suez Canal.
“The Egyptian army is very strict about the
quality of the cement and services provided.
I would not hesitate to say we are a preferred
supplier when it comes to large projects. We do
our utmost to make sure we are there to sup-
ply products in the quantities required and on
schedule,” says González.
“Egypt,” he says “is a very interesting mar-
ket and we do not plan to pull out of it because
there are going to be some very good opportu-
nities in the mid to long term. We need to ride
out the tempest and make the most of every
opportunity that comes our way, with a view
to better positioning ourselves on this market.
Negocios ProMéxico
 MEXICO’S PARTNER

It’s a market with a lot of potential—the kind of
market we are used to.”
As regards retail sales, the CEMEX Go app
has facilitated client interactions by enabling
customers to place orders, keep a record of
them, track them by GPS and receive notifica-
tions electronically.
An Attractive Country for Mexico
In the wake of the unrest that shook Egypt at
the turn of the decade, the economy has begun
to pick up and is now growing at an annual rate
of 5.5%, according to González, who also pre-
sides over the Mexico-Egypt Business Council.
In the last two years, the country has
enjoyed greater economic stability, its in-
ternational reserves have increased and it
has opened its doors to foreign investment,
consolidating its position as a key emerging “We are trying to be
economy in a territory that is attractive to a
wide range of companies. more efficient and to
“There are opportunities for Mexican com-
panies of all kinds. Mabe recently launched a gain a competitive edge
business here and Polímeros de México entered
the market a short time ago. It’s a large market
over our rivals by using
that’s growing at the rate of 2 million inhabitants digital platforms like
a year in a country that is connected to Europe
via the Mediterranean, but that also forms part CEMEX Go, an app
of the Middle East and has close ties with the
Arab world and Africa,” says González, adding that was launched last
that Mexican companies are at an advantage on
markets like these because they have experience year and that allows
operating in an emerging economy and are able
to thrive in the face of adversity. our clients to do nearly
www.cemex.com
all their business with
us using their mobile
phones or computers.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF CEMEX

November | December 2018 73

SPECIAL REPORT: CYBERSECURITY
MEXICO’S
NATIONAL
CYBERSECURITY
STRATEGY
Given the increasingly widespread use of Information
and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the
daily activities of individuals and organizations,
its importance as a factor for political, social and
economic development, the economic value of the
information, and the inherent risk of the use of said
technologies, it has become mandatory to have
a National Cybersecurity Strategy. The strategy
should articulate the actions directed to individuals,
private organizations and public institutions.
BY JUAN CARLOS REYES OROPEZA
The National Cybersecurity Strategy is the doc-
ument that establishes the vision of the Mexican
State in the matter, based on the acknowledg-
ment of:
a. The importance of the information and
communication technologies (ICTs) as a po-
litical, social and economic development
factor in Mexico, in the understanding that
more and more individuals are connected to
the Internet and that both private and pub-
lic organizations develop their activities in
cyberspace.
b. The risks associated with the use of tech-
nologies and the growing number of
cybercrimes.
c. The need for a general cybersecurity culture.
The general objective of the National
Cybersecurity Strategy is to identify and estab-
lish cybersecurity actions applicable to the social,
economic and political spheres for the population,
and private and public organizations in order to
use and take advantage of ICTs responsibly, for
the sustainable development of the country.
The Strategy considers the following as its
guiding principles:
a. Human Rights Perspective: To consider in
different cybersecurity actions, the promo-
tion, respect and fulfillment of human rights,
among which are the freedom of expression,
74
access to information, privacy, protection of
personal data, health, education and work.
b. Risk Management Approach: To have the
ability to handle uncertainty scenarios
through preventive and corrective ap-
proaches, with the intention of minimizing
the impact of the changing threats and risks
of cyberspace.
c. Multidisciplinary and Multi-Stakeholder
Collaboration: To have a multidisciplinary
collaboration approach of different actors
and sectors, focusing the Internet gover-
nance on cybersecurity, thus enabling the
comprehensive, cross cutting and holistic de-
velopment of the Strategy while facilitating
their transparent participation.
In order to fulfill its main goal, the strategy
proposes five strategic objectives, which require
the development of eight cross cutting Axes that
are articulated and interdependent, which con-
tribute to achieving each of the strategic objec-
tives. All the actions for each cross cutting Axis
will be explained in the three guiding principles.
Strategic Objectives
I. Society and Rights
Create the conditions for the population to carry
out activities responsibly, freely and reliably in
cyberspace, in order to improve the quality of
Negocios ProMéxico

life through digital development, within a frame-
work of respect for human rights such as free-
dom of expression, life privacy and protection of
personal data, among others.
II. Economy and Innovation
Strengthen cybersecurity mechanisms to pro-
tect the economy of the different productive sec-
tors of the country and promote technological
development and innovation, as well as the boost
of national industry in cybersecurity, in order to
contribute to the economic development of indi-
viduals, private organizations, public institutions
and society in general.
III. Public Institutions
Protect information and computer systems of
public institutions in the country for their optimal
functioning and the continuity in the provision of
services and procedures to the population.
IV. Public Security
Increase capacities for the prevention and inves-
tigation of criminal behavior in cyberspace that
affect people and their assets, with the aim of
maintaining order and public peace.
V. National Security
Develop capacities to prevent risks and threats in
cyberspace that may alter national sovereignty,
November | December 2018
SPECIAL
SPECIAL REPORT: CYBERSECURITY
PHOTO ARCHIVE
integrity and independence, affecting develop- The National
ment and national interests.
Cybersecurity Strategy
Cross cutting Axes
1. Culture of Cybersecurity is a document designed
They are the set of values, principles and ac-
tions in terms of awareness, education and
to evolve according to
training, carried out by society, academia, pri- society’s cybersecurity
vate sector and public institutions, which af-
fect the way of interacting in cyberspace in a needs, in order to have
harmonious and reliable manner, and as a fac-
tor of sustainable development. the capacity to adapt and
The culture of cybersecurity will promote the
achievement of the five strategic objectives through continuously improve
the development of public policies, strategies, pro-
grams, projects, actions and initiatives that will: regarding the challenges,
• Contribute to the promotion, fulfillment and
protection of the rights of individuals and risks, threats and
public and private organizations, emphasiz-
ing the protection of children and adoles-
vulnerabilities inherent
cents in cyberspace and their rights; in future technologies
• Promote the maximum, responsible use of
information and communication technolo- and the new social
gies, harmonious coexistence and the devel-
opment of activities in cyberspace; dynamic in the short,
• Encourage innovation and the economy for
sustainable development; medium and long term.
• Strengthen the prevention of risks and crim-
inal behavior that affect individuals, and pri-
vate and public organizations;
75
 SPECIAL REPORT: CYBERSECURITY
The general objective • Increase trust and continuity of public and
private digital services and procedures;
of the National • And contribute to the prevention of risks
that could affect the critical infrastructures
Cybersecurity Strategy of information and operation
is to identify and 2. Capabilities Development
It is the set of actions aimed at the creation and
establish cybersecurity
strengthening of organizational capacities,
actions applicable to the human capital and technological resources in
cybersecurity, which allow society, academia,
social, economic and private sector and public institutions to have
the resources for risk management and threats
political spheres for the in cyberspace, as well as the increase of nation-
al resilience.
population, and private The development of capabilities will aid in the
achievement of the five strategic objectives through
and public organizations the development of public policies, strategies, pro-
grams, projects, actions and initiatives that:
in order to use and • Encourage the development of human capi-
tal through the training of:
take advantage of ICTs
i. Cybersecurity specialists and professionals;
responsibly, for the ii. Professional leaders of cybersecurity as
drivers of strategies and policies;
sustainable development iii. Research and development profession-
als for the industry and marketing of
of the country. cybersecurity;
iv. Professionals in investigation and prosecution
of crimes committed through ICTs, as well as
in the administration and delivery of justice.
PHOTO ARCHIVE
76
• Establish the organization that should prevail
in the public and private sectors in order to:
i. Position cybersecurity at a strategic level in
public and private organizations;
ii. Establish mechanisms for citizen participa-
tion in cybersecurity matters.
• Generate the necessary technological infra-
structure for:
i. The national technological development of
cybersecurity for the gradual strengthening
of cybersecurity in Mexico
ii. Increase the technical capacities for the
identification and management of cyber in-
cidents nationwide.
3. Coordination and Collaboration
It is the set of actions aimed at coordinating and es-
tablishing the collaboration channels between the
different public institutions, academia, civil society
and private organizations in the field of cybersecu-
rity that will provide trust and peace to the popula-
tion in the exploitation of ICTs. These actions will
consolidate the cybersecurity ecosystem and ob-
tain the resilient capacity needed to establish pre-
ventive, proactive and reactive mechanisms.
The development of coordination and col-
laboration actions will support meeting the five
strategic objectives through the implementation
of actions that:
Negocios ProMéxico

• Strengthen international cooperation and
collaboration.
• Identify the coordination and cooperation
mechanisms among the different actors in-
volved at the national level
• Define and apply the cybersecurity gover-
nance model among civil society, private
sector, academia and public institutions
to share information and best practices in
cybersecurity
• Establish protocols and communication
channels that strengthen trust, reciprocity,
and stimulate social responsibility between
all key actors.
4. Research, Development and Innovation
in ICT
The set of actions aimed at establishing mecha-
nisms to promote research, development and
innovation in the use and exploitation of cy-
bersecurity technologies in the development of
human capital and technological innovation fa-
vors the development of capacities and the ma-
turity of the national ecosystem.
Those actions derived from research, devel-
opment and innovation in ICT will allow the con-
solidation of the five strategic objectives through
the creation of new models and technology
aimed at minimizing the risks and vulnerabili-
ties inherent to the technologies through the:
November | December 2018
SPECIAL REPORT: CYBERSECURITY
• Establishment of policies, programs, actions In order to fulfill its
and initiatives that trigger and consolidate
the cybersecurity ecosystem in Mexico, main goal, the strategy
among academia, civil society, the private
sector and the public sector to trigger inno- proposes five strategic
vation in ICT related to cybersecurity;
• Promotion of scientific and technological re-
objectives, which require
search that stimulates the development of the development of
cybersecurity skills;
• Promotion of the national cybersecurity eight cross cutting Axes
market that favors technological autonomy
at the national level and triggers national that are articulated
economy in that sector.
and interdependent,
5. Standards and Technical Criteria
The set of actions focused on the development, which contribute to
adoption and strengthening of standards, tech-
nical and standardization criteria in cybersecu- achieving each of the
rity will admit the homologation and application
of best practices and processes in the use and
strategic objectives.
adoption of ICTs in a cybersecurity environment.
The development of standards and technical
criteria will help fulfill the five strategic objec-
tives through the:
• Establishment of criteria, standards and
methodologies for the creation, use and
adoption of hardware and software in order
to strengthen the cybersecurity ecosystem
and reduce risks and vulnerabilities inher-
ent to technology;
PHOTO ARCHIVE
77
 SPECIAL REPORT: CYBERSECURITY
To build the National
Cybersecurity Strategy,
the Government of the
Republic, in its facilitator
role, promoted spaces
for dialogue, discussion
and learning through a
collaborative process
called Towards a National
Cybersecurity Strategy.
PHOTO ARCHIVE
78
• Definition of reference frameworks to
strengthen the cybersecurity of private and
public organizations, academia and society;
• Promotion of the participation of the aca-
demic, technical and scientific community in
the development and strengthening of stan-
dards, methodologies and standardization in
cybersecurity matters;
• Identification and, where appropriate, promo-
tion of the use of international standards and
best practices in the field of cybersecurity.
6. Critical Infrastructures
A set of actions aimed at establishing the actions
and mechanisms needed to minimize the likeli-
hood of risks and vulnerabilities inherent in the
use of ICTs for the management of critical infra-
structures, as well as to strengthen the resilience
capacity to maintain the stability and continuity
of services in case of a cybersecurity incident.
The set of measures and actions aimed at
protecting critical infrastructures will help
fulfill the five strategic objectives through the
development of policies, a human capital devel-
opment program and actions aimed at:
• The establishment of policies and actions that
will be carried out within the framework of
the National Cybersecurity Law and other
related and applicable provisions in matters
of national security and in collaboration with
the national security authorities.
7. Legal Framework and Self-Regulation
The actions aimed at adapting the national legal
framework and the development of self-regula-
tory mechanisms in the digital era are vital for
the development of digitalization in the world
and a key for the prevention of risks and threats
and the investigation and punishment of crimi-
nals in the digital era. In addition, it is key to
strengthening trust between society, the private
sector and public institutions.
The above will help fulfill the five strategic
objectives through:
• The development of legal operators and deci-
sion makers skills in public and private insti-
tutions, as well as civil society; on the digital
ecosystem, cybersecurity and Internet gov-
ernance to analyze and propose modifica-
tions or legislative harmonization;
• Legal certainty so that public and private
institutions can carry out their tasks in a co-
operative environment, where law enforce-
ment agencies increase their effectiveness
in the investigation, prevention, prosecution
and punishment of cybercriminals;
Negocios ProMéxico
 SPECIAL REPORT: CYBERSECURITY

• The analysis and establishment of mecha-

nisms and self-regulation procedures that
favor the construction of trust among indi-
viduals, the public sector and private organi-
zations adhering to legal provisions;
• The standardization and harmonization of
criminal codes and complementary laws in
relation to cybercrimes, as well as the legal
tools available to law enforcement agencies
to prosecute them

8. Measurement and Monitoring

It is the set of policies and actions aimed at the
promotion and development of approved mea-
surement mechanisms that monitor the re-
sults obtained from the implementation of the
National Cybersecurity Strategy and its impact
on the social and economic development of the
country, with the aim of identify areas of oppor-
tunity for continuous improvement.
The development of measurement and mon-
itoring mechanisms will help the fulfillment of
the five strategic objectives through the creation
of statistics and indicators for:
• The joint collaboration of actors for the de-
velopment of methodology for the construc-
tion of a national diagnosis of risks and
threats in cyberspace;
• The establishment of centralized statistics
related to the implementation and impact
of cybersecurity and the Strategy in the eco-
nomic, political and social sectors;
• Obtaining data for the continuous im-

PHOTO ARCHIVE
provement and updating of the National
Cybersecurity Strategy.

To build the National Cybersecurity

Strategy, the Government of the Republic, in its
facilitator role, promoted spaces for dialogue,
discussion and learning through a collaborative
process called Towards a National Cybersecurity
Strategy. In these meetings were represented:
civil society, academia, private organizations and
public institutions of different branches, autono-
mous bodies and international organizations
such as the Organization of American States.
More than 400 people formed part of the
workshop meetings, where 14 international ex-
perts accompanied and shared experiences of
other countries in the design and implementa-
tion of the Strategy. The participants addressed
five different topics in the development of the
National Cybersecurity Strategy, creating five
working groups and eight crosscutting groups,
which support the working groups in their day-
to-day work.
More than 400 people formed part of the workshop
meetings, where 14 international experts accompanied
and shared experiences of other countries in the
design and implementation of the Strategy.
The National Cybersecurity Strategy is a
document designed to evolve according to soci-
ety’s cybersecurity needs, in order to have the
capacity to adapt and continuously improve re-
garding the challenges, risks, threats and vul-
nerabilities inherent in future technologies and
the new social dynamic in the short, medium
and long term.

November | December 2018 79

SPECIAL REPORT: CYBERSECURITY
CYBERSECURITY:
PRIORITY IN MEXICO’S
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
Given its position as a strategic platform for the technological
implementation and development of digital services in Latin America,
Mexico faces important challenges regarding cybersecurity.
BY J. SANTIAGO RODRÍGUEZ SUÁREZ
We thrive in the digital transformation era,
where our interests integrate themselves with
information technologies at different levels,
improving personal and economic well-be-
ing. From intelligent homes to the application
of cyber-physical systems in industrial pro-
cesses, the use of wearables and collaboration
through global networks, technology forms
an increasingly important part of our day-to-
day life. To increase their efficiency, the great-
est possible number of users should use these
technologies and keep them interconnected,
thus following a path of constant evolution.
Therefore, the global IoT market will grow by
almost 18% annually, forecasted between 2017
and 2025, allowing the development of smart
solutions for main industries. Equally, by
2020, more than 50,000 million devices will
be interconnected.
Mexico is a strategic platform for the tech-
nological implementation and development of
digital services in Latin America, as several of
the main leaders of the information and com-
munication technologies (ICTs) sector have
based their regional operations here. The
increase in connectivity has stimulated the
growth of the Mexican digital economy. Today,
75% of cell phones users in the country have
smartphones, due to their relative low cost
and increased functionality and connectivity.
However, by promoting the intercon-
nectivity of personal, commercial, work and
urban environments, vulnerabilities become
80
an important issue to consider. Thus, one of
the main challenges to face potential cyberat-
tacks is due to the accelerated cycles of inno-
vation, which reduces reaction times to new
threats.
Financial institutions (which receive 24%
of the total cyberattacks) and the health sec-
tor (with 15%) are the most exposed industries
in terms of cyber risks. The reasons are the
number of data breaches that have occurred,
the sensitiveness in the information both han-
dle and the impact of each loss, which fluctu-
ates between economic loss and damage to the
physical integrity of the owners.
Online financial fraud is constantly in-
creasing in Mexico with an annual growth of
70.3% in the last five years. Mexican financial
institutions received almost 70% of the total
reported extortion threats – institutions payed
15% of those threats. In addition, banks lost
close to 150 million pesos due to cyberattacks
during the years of 2015 to 2017. Although, this
only mirrors the fast adoption of new technol-
ogies in the country. This is why the necessity
to foresee new ways to reduce risks and vul-
nerabilities, creating a safe environment to in-
crease the adoption of digital solutions.
To anticipate the needs of the market,
ProMéxico published the study Cybersecurity:
market analysis, which presents an analysis
of the current situation of cybersecurity in
Mexico, its trends and the business opportuni-
ties that can be generated. The cybersecurity
Negocios ProMéxico
 SPECIAL REPORT: CYBERSECURITY

market demand is high, partly thanks to the To anticipate the needs of the market, ProMéxico
growth of the industries that plan to insert
themselves in the digital transformation to published the study Cybersecurity: market analysis,
improve their productive processes and cus-
tomer service. Therefore, it suggests continu- which presents an analysis of the current situation
ing the creation of clusters dedicated to ICT, as
an important investment to favor the digital of cybersecurity in Mexico, its trends and the
ecosystem through the integration of services
and application systems for industries. business opportunities that can be generated.
We face the most distinct challenges for the
implementation of an ecosystem of cybersecu-
rity in the country. Among the main challenges
are: the scarcity of highly qualified profession-
als in cybersecurity, the lack of knowledge of
the sophistication of cyber threats by SMEs
and, finally, the cycle of replacement of devices
and technologies that can accelerate the regu-
latory changes required in the future.
Nevertheless, these challenges never come
without a strategic recommendation and
equally heightened opportunities. They re-
volve around the development of cybersecuri-
ty insurance policies, thus promoting both risk
awareness and technological development
(and certifications) for Mexican companies.
On the other hand, the creation of new public
partnerships -private to carry out innovation
projects and the insertion of national compa-
nies in global cybersecurity processes, foster-
ing the promotion of technology transfer for
the good of all businesses in the country.
It is essential to promote a collaborative
strategy of cybersecurity between represen-
tatives from government, industry and aca-
demia –best known as the Triple Helix, with
the aim of marking the vision of a digitalized
Mexico in an increasingly connected world.
Thus, the Government of the Republic pub-
lished last year the National Cybersecurity
Strategy. The named strategy is the first docu-
ment focused on creating an environment that
safely develops the evolution of technology
and social dynamics in the short, medium and
long term. It will allow the consolidation of a
legal and technological framework in benefit
of social, economic and political ecosystems;
while boosting security and reducing the risks
in the adoption of ICTs.
The digital transformation and the in-
crease in connectivity between sectors, users
PHOTOS ARCHIVE

and applications makes cybersecurity a key

industry to adopt the main digitalization
trends that accelerate Mexico’s competitive-
ness in global markets.

November | December 2018 81

SPECIAL REPORT: CYBERSECURITY
CYBERSECURITY:
BRIEF CONSIDERATIONS ON
MEXICO’S LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Cybersecurity legislation is in development in most countries.
This is an overall view to Mexican legislation in the matter.
BY DR. ANAHIBY BECERRIL GIL
The dynamic digital transformation of our
economy, an ever-increasing share of cyber-
space in international relations and new, bor-
derless hybrid security threats call for a strong
digital dimension, with cybersecurity compo-
nent as its indispensable element. As we have
witnessed in recent years, cyberattacks are in-
creasingly high profile and impact. In addition
to the security approach, the risks in cyber-
space must be addressed as economic risks.
This reality poses huge challenges as business-
es —large or small—, governments, individuals
and society in general, identify and manage-
ment the cybersecurity risks and threats in a
fast-changing world.
Cybersecurity does not fall into a single set
of rules. Unlike other legal areas such as Civil,
Commercial or Family Law, the legal frame-
work that involves cybersecurity, is dispersed
in various legislations. That is why sometimes
it seems that cyberspace is a place without
domain. However, the lack of a hard law does
not necessarily mean the lack of security mea-
sures (technical standards) and regulation.
Nevertheless, the reality is that cybersecurity
legislation is in development in most countries.
It spans over espionage (political1 and eco-
nomic 2), information security for countries 3 ,
privacy and data protection for individuals 4 ,
cross-border trade and investment in ICT, and
cross-border criminal enforcement.
Managing Data
Data is one of the main information assets
that companies currently have and is one of
82
the main targets of cybercrime, too. Local
and global companies deal with different cat-
egories of data, which may imply different lev-
els of security and protection. In Mexico, the
Federal Law on Protection of Personal Data
Held by Private Parties 5 and its Regulation 6 ,
enforces private organizations to build infor-
mation security into their wider strategy. In
accordance to this, the controllers are obliged
to establish and maintain administrative,
technical and physical security measures that
allow the protection of data. These measures
will not be less than those that they keep for
the management of their own information.
To comply with the security measures,
the Regulation enforces to the parties the
implementation of a Personal Data Security
Management System. Otherwise, the Law re-
quire to private entities to notify individuals
of security breaches, especially those person-
al data that significantly affect the patrimo-
nial and moral rights of the individuals (art.
20). For the enforcement of the foregoing,
the INAI published “Recommendations for
the Management of Personal Data Security
Incidents”7. This “describe the processes and
controls to generate a plan for responding to
security incidents”, specifically to mitigate
data breaches.
It is important to consider that recently8
the country acceded to the Convention for
the Protection of Individuals with regard
to Automatic Processing of Personal Data 9
(Convention 108), of the Council of Europe and
its Additional Protocol.
Negocios ProMéxico
 SPECIAL REPORT: CYBERSECURITY

Criminalisation of Certain Cybersecurity does not fall into a single set

Cyber Activity
There are provisions in the Federal Criminal
of rules. Unlike other legal areas such as
Code10 , as well as in the 32 State Codes and
Civil, Commercial or Family Law, the legal
some Federal Laws. However, there is no uni-
formity at the national level in these laws. framework that involves cybersecurity,
The necessary discussion on the need for a
legal framework that adequately incorpo- is dispersed in various legislations.
rates the criminal types in the matter is under
development.
We must consider that when each country
seeks its own security, without considering the
safety of others, we foster a global insecurity
that threatens us all.
We cannot ignore the transnationality
of these criminal behaviours, which is why a
framework of international cooperation and
collaboration that allows us to combat effec-
tive cybercrime is also necessary. Therefore,
it is also important to carry out an analysis
and working groups that determine whether
to adhere to the Convention on Cybercrime
(Budapest Convention).

Agreements with Reference to

Cybersecurity Export control
The advanced technical nature of cybersecuri-
ty gives cause of some products, software and
services to contain export-controlled features.
Within this context arises the Wassenaar
Arrangement. This constitutes a multilateral
regime that establishes controls on the trans-
fer of dual-use (military and civil) goods and
technologies. Mexico is part since 2012.

Broad and Progressive

Agreement of the Trans-Pacific
Partnership (CPTPP)
In Chapter 14 (relating to ecommerce), there
is a section that addresses the issue of cyber-
security, which aims to promote cooperation
between the contracting parties.
In addition to committing the states par-
ties to the development of the capacities of na-
tional entities responsible for the response to
computer security incidents, as well as the use
of collaboration mechanisms for the identifi-
cation and mitigation of malicious intrusions
or the dissemination of malicious codes that
affect their electronic networks (Art. 14.16).
The National Cybersecurity Strategy
PHOTO ARCHIVE

brings together these and other issues, which

converge on the vision of a secure and resilient
cyberspace, with innovation and development
for Mexico.

November | December 2018 83

SPECIAL REPORT: CYBERSECURITY
INDUSTRY 4.0 MX PLATFORM
Mexico has developed an Industry 4.0 & Innovation public policy that
operationally aligns every action, manages implementations and promotes
economic incentives to each actor involved in the innovation ecosystem.
BY DR. RAÚL E. RENDÓN MONTEMAYOR
We are currently facing the reality of the
Fourth Industrial Revolution, a technological
revolution that will enhance the digitalization
of companies and industries but at the same
time, it will bring along, changes and challeng-
es for the society and economy. In this context,
it is evident that we are going through a dis-
ruptive moment and Mexico -under this sense
of urgency, is making the necessary efforts to
address these changes and face the challenges
in order to place the country as a worldwide
reference of digitalization.
In this regard, Mexico is one of the few
countries that officially has an Industry 4.0
public policy (I4.0 PP); however, in order to es-
tablish it, Mexico has to overcome some inher-
ited social and organizational problems such
as the lack of innovative public policies capa-
ble to operationally align all the actors of the
ecosystem and also the lack of a public policy
capable to align all the economic incentives;
this last point continues to have significant
frictions, which complicates an ideal organiza-
tion inside the ecosystems.
For these reasons, we have developed an
Industry 4.0 & Innovation public policy that
operationally aligns every action, manages im-
plementations and promotes economic incen-
tives to each actor involved in the innovation
ecosystem. The main objective of implement-
ing this public policy is to create innovation
ecosystems that are able to use and adopt
technology in a faster and agile way.
Since the success of the public policy de-
pends on the speed for the adoption of technol-
ogy by Mexican companies, we have launched
the Industry 4.0 MX Platform, which link us to
84
this article through one of its core aspects, the
Cybersecurity.
The Industry 4.0 MX Platform, is the re-
sulting outcome of different actions that we
have promoted with the objective to generate
the conditions that permit us to rapidly mi-
grate into an Industry 4.0 model; in this re-
gard, some of those efforts are:
• Elaboration of an Industry 4.0 Route map,
entitled Crafting the Future – A roadmap
for industry 4.0 in Mexico, which analyzes
strategies around the world and new tech-
nological trends for the path of Mexico to-
wards the 4th industrial revolution.
• Development of a prioritization exercise
of the technologies identified in the Route
map and specialized papers; this exer-
cise analyzes the impact of each one of
those technologies in order to target pub-
lic policies and supportive instruments.
As a result, it has been detected that the
priorities are those related to: (a) Digital
platforms (Automation); (b) Big data / data
analysis; (c) the Internet of things and (d)
Cybersecurity as a transversal technology.
Likewise, with the objective to encourage
the adequate implementation of the Industry
4.0 MX Platform, it has been created a High
Level Advisory Committee of I4.0, which
analyzes the diverse topics that directly im-
pact the digital transformation through 8
working groups that will address topics such
as: Industrial cybersecurity, infrastructure,
alignment of Public Policy, intelligent auto-
mation (industrial digitalization), education /
technology adoption, transition costs, financ-
ing and electronic commerce.
Negocios ProMéxico

The Cybersecurity Working Group has the
objective to achieve an action plan that pro-
motes the development of Industrial cyberse-
curity in Mexico. A plan capable of mitigate
the existing flaws and threats, as well as to fos-
ter its strengths and opportunities.
Some of the topics to be addressed by this
group are:
• Protection of industrial process systems
and critical infrastructure.
• Protection of administrative systems.
• Protection of infrastructure of industrial
networks.
• Protection of man-machine communica-
tion mechanisms (scada systems).
National Cybersecurity Strategy:
Economy and Innovation
In order to achieve better results, we are work-
ing in a “mirror” way between the public and
the private sectors, and aligning the actions
of the Economy and Innovation Group from
the National Cybersecurity Strategy with the
November | December 2018
SPECIAL REPORT: CYBERSECURITY
actions of the Cybersecurity Working Group The Industry 4.0 MX
from the Industry 4.0 MX Platform.
The objective of the Economy and Platform, is the resulting
Innovation Group is to “strength the mecha-
nisms in terms of cybersecurity to protect the outcome of different
economy of several productive sectors of the
country and encourage the development of
actions that we have
technological innovation, as well as boost the promoted with the
national industry of cybersecurity, in order to
contribute to the economic development of in- objective to generate the
dividuals, private organizations, public institu-
tions and society in general”. conditions that permit us
All the foregoing actions aims to position
the Cybersecurity Working Group and the to rapidly migrate into
High Level Advisory Committee of I4.0, as an
analytical and monitoring steering group that an Industry 4.0 model.
allows the achievement of its objectives.
With this and by aligning every action
mentioned before, Mexico will be sought to
have: a frame of reference for the creation of a
cybersecurity ecosystem of I4.0, which will be
a pole of talent in industrial cybersecurity, and
a reference in Latin America.
PHOTO ARCHIVE
85
MEXICO’S PARTNER
TORNEL TO FLEX ITS
EXPORT MUSCLE
The transition Tornel is currently making from a family business
to a corporation is expected to consolidate its expansion
on international markets for animal health solutions.
BY OMAR MAGAÑA
Laboratorios Tornel is a Mexican company spe-
cializing in animal health solutions whose fu-
ture growth will stem from strategies designed
to increase its share of international markets,
according to its president and CEO Mauricio
Bravo Berentsen.
Exports currently account for 20% of
total revenues and Tornel has a presence in
more than 25 countries in Central and South
America, North Africa and the Middle East. A
couple of years ago, the company began export-
ing to the Philippines and some of its brands
are currently being registered in Saudi Arabia,
Libya and the Sudan.
Bravo visited Turkey with the support of
Proméxico and the Mexican Foreign Trade,
Investment and Technology Board (Comce),
and participated in a trade mission to Vietnam
and Indonesia, which he believes will soon
bring in new business for the company.
“We have been pretty successful as an ex-
port company. We export to over 25 countries
and our growth strategy is weighted toward
the export side of the business. We aim to pen-
etrate new markets where we can continue ex-
panding and internationalizing the brand.”
Laboratorios Tornel started out on the
export race in 1987 when Luis Bravo Tornel,
Mauricio’s father and founder of the company
(1976), was still at the helm. Their first export
market was the Dominican Republic. A decade
later, in 1997, their sales strategies at interna-
tional equestrian events in Dubai opened the
doors to Africa and the Middle East, followed
by Egypt in 1998.
The countries Tornel exports to “have a
level of wealth very similar to that of Mexico,
which means products made in Mexico are
very attractive to these markets. Combinations
86
of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs are
popular because a combined product covers a
broader spectrum of diseases. Broad-spectrum
drugs like these make life easier for the stable
owners who prescribe and administer the
product, because the diagnosis doesn’t have to
be so precise.”
In Central and South America, says Bravo,
our vitamin products for high-performance an-
imals like race and show horses have been well
received, and are popular among cock fighters
in the Philippines.
A Catalogue with Room for Innovation
Laboratorios Tornel has a catalogue of 120 phar-
maceuticals, nutraceuticals and vaccines for
small species and companion animals, fighting
birds, cows, horses and pigs.
“We are very much involved with biological
products, which are more specialized and faster
to develop than pharmaceuticals. We are focus-
ing all our efforts on preventive medicine with
vaccines,” says Bravo.
In 2008, Tornel acquired a company that spe-
cialized in the production of pharmaceutical and
biological products, mainly for dogs, cats, sheep
and pigs. Since then, it has expanded its portfolio
of vaccines to some 30 different solutions.
The company has developed three proj-
ects in conjunction with the National Science
and Technology Board (Conacyt), which have
resulted in vaccines like Bioviral 4 —the prod-
uct’s commercial name— for Type 1 and Type 2
Bovine Viral Diarrhea and Bovine Infectious
Rhinotracheitis.
The project entailed isolating specific virus-
es in Mexico, to which end the National Institute
of Forestry Research (Inifap) collected samples
of animal tissue from all over the country. The
Negocios ProMéxico
 MEXICO’S PARTNER

“We have been pretty

successful as an export
company. We export
to over 25 countries
and our growth
strategy is weighted
toward the export side
of the business. We
aim to penetrate new
markets where we can
continue expanding
and internationalizing
the brand.”

PHOTO ARCHIVE

National Autonomous University of México
(UNAM) then isolated the strain and Tornel
completed the research, development and pro-
duction of the vaccine.
These and its contract manufacturing
activities are conducted at three plants: one
which produces injectable drugs in Naucalpan,
Estado de México, another that manufactures
antibiotics, also in Naucalpan, and a freeze-
drying facility in Ciudad Sahagún, Hidalgo,
which was financed by Bancomext and had
the support of Conacyt. Tornel also has a dis-
tribution center and a corporate building in
Estado de México.
“We own a 20,000-square-meter plot of land
in Ciudad Sahagún and the plan for the mid to
long term is to transfer all our manufacturing
operations there,” says Bravo.
In a bid to secure its future, Tornel is mak-
ing the transition from a family run business to a
corporate one, with this year marking the insti-
tution of its first board.
“We want our brand to firmly stand the test
of time,” says Bravo.
What has enabled you to expand and re-
main competitive since the company was found-
ed in 1976? “Our agile decision making,” replies
Bravo. “Laboratorios Tornel is a relatively small
company compared to the international giants
on the market, the advantage being that we can
change strategy or course quickly,” he says, add-
ing that “we are continually improving our pro-
cesses. Every day we strive to do things better
and raise the bar that bit more.”
tornel.com

November | December 2018 87

 MEXICO’S PARTNER

AGUA INMACULADA:
OUT TO CONQUER THE WORLD

Agua Inmaculada has spent 15 years addressing one of the key issues
of the 21st century: the shortage of water for human consumption.
With a scalable and socially responsible business model, it’s
determined to succeed in South America’s largest economy.

BY OMAR MAGAÑA

The Mexican Eymard Argüello outdid Brazil

during the World Cup season: he obtained the
permits needed to install water purifiers and
thus to proceed with Agua Inmaculada’s ambi-
tious internationalization program —via master
franchises.
“It’s been a long hard road: we overcame
legal and all kinds of other barriers to achieve
what we achieved on June 29, 2018,” said the
Mexican businessman.
Argüello, National Entrepreneur Award
winner for 2016, has conquered Mexico with a
highly scalable business model that enables new
entrepreneurs to open and operate water puri-
fiers with an initial investment of no more than
6,000 usd and financing options, and offers con-
sumers drinking water and quality alternatives
at a much lower price than the big bottlers.
Under this model, launched in 2003 and
promoted as a franchise since 2007, Argüello’s
business units have proliferated throughout
Mexico and reached the markets of Nicaragua,
Honduras, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic,
Panama, El Salvador, Ecuador, Colombia,
Venezuela and Peru.
Brazil, the crown jewel for Agua Inmaculada,
has remained the entrepreneur’s biggest chal-
lenge thus far, and they’ve spared no effort to go
into South America’s largest market.

Why Persist?
It took Eymard four years to win the battle for
Brazil. Why the effort, why the wear and tear?
Among the Brazilian population, explains
the businessman, the water problem is very sim-
PHOTO ARCHIVE

ilar to Mexico’s: the quality of drinking water is

poor, bottled water is expensive and the cover-
age of water services is insufficient to serve the
population, in particular those located at the

Negocios ProMéxico
88

base of the social pyramid. Considering the size
of its population, the distances between urban
and rural areas, and the very high prices of
bottled water —up to 5 usd for a 19-liter bottle –
Brazil’s numbers are double Mexico’s.
“I knew it wouldn’t be easy,” says Argüello.
The businessman turned to ProMexico’s pro-
grams to have a representative in Brazil charged
with analyzing the market and leading the way
through the legal red tape. Agua Inmaculada de-
voted all that time to locating the partner best
qualified to form the Brazilian subsidiary, set up
a factory for the manufacture of purification and
bottling machinery -a basic element in this fran-
chise system- register the brand and business
model, and seek permits.
“We decided to produce the purification
equipment there: the washing tables, osmosis sys-
tems and water dispensers, which we normally
manufacture in Mexico. We had to create the en-
tire supplier scheme in Brazil. It was like starting
the business from scratch again,” notes Argüello.
Equally daunting were the procedures re-
quired by the authorities, for whom granting
permits for the installation of small premises
dedicated to purifying and bottling water was
something totally new and, therefore, difficult
to fit into the current legislation. The model has
proved to be a major annoyance to those who
deemed the business exclusive to multinationals.
With permission granted in June, the tech-
nologies patented by Agua Inmaculada, regis-
tration of the master franchise in Brazil and the
consolidation of an operating team in that coun-
try, the company’s future prospects are looking
up. Once everything has been straightened out,
Eymard Argüello will be poised to introduce
himself at the 2019 edition of the fair organized
by the Brazilian Franchise Association (ABF) in
Sao Paulo. “We can now offer the product, the
plants and the water shops and we’ll begin to re-
cover (the investment),” he points out.
Breaking paradigms
The race for Agua Inmaculada’s international-
ization doesn’t end there. Eymard Argüello is
busy targeting such unlikely markets as Spain,
Russia and the United Kingdom, all countries
that we think of as customarily drinking water
directly from the tap.
“It’s a fact that water is becoming increas-
ingly polluted, more difficult to obtain and more
expensive. This opens the doors to these places
for a Mexican brand,” says Argüello, who vis-
ited Moscow in 2017 to conduct an initial inves-
tigation of the market. Now he’ll do it again in
November | December 2018
MEXICO’S PARTNER
Spain, a country where two of the shortages the The master franchise
franchise addresses are combined: water and
employment. system has become the
With 9,000 units —owned and franchised—
in Mexico, Central and South America, it’s easy best way to boost the
to understand the entrepreneur’s positive out-
look toward diversification opportunities.
brand in other economies.
Agua Inmaculada stands apart for its For Agua Inmaculada,
groundbreaking, innovative spirit. The awards
and recognitions given it by CNN Expansión, this is the most effective
Harvard and Endeavor speak of its ability to take
the lead and set itself apart from the competi- scheme for proliferating
tion. Just as noteworthy is its consistent commit-
ment to social change in the markets it’s reached through a shared
and to providing self-employment opportunities
to communities within depressed economies effort and enhancing
and business knowledge to low-income commu-
nities, as well as to addressing scarcities ignored the brand’s potential
by large companies.
Agua Inmaculada claims to have “replicat-
from the local level.
ed its model to water purification plants with at
least 400% utility, thanks to the Support Fund for
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.” The most
active purification plant can deliver up to a thou-
sand 19-litre bottles in an eight-hour cycle, while
other plants focus on PET packaging with 500
and 1,500-milliliter formats. The technologies
of osmosis water purification, ozone container
cleaning and dispensing —all developed in Mexico
and patented by the company— enable the devel-
opment of up to six different business models.
After it implemented its digital strategy
to communicate the advantages of the model,
Agua Inmaculada’s internationalization process
developed organically. “Thanks to the social net-
works, to the work we did on the Internet, coun-
tries like the Dominican Republic, Honduras,
Chile, Peru and Venezuela became aware of us,”
says Argüello.
“Such was the confidence engendered by our
products that people saw no need to come and
see the facilities or what we were doing; every-
thing was so well explained on YouTube that we
started right in exporting the equipment and in-
stalling it,” he adds.
The master franchise system has become
the best way to boost the brand in other econ-
omies. For Agua Inmaculada, this is the most
effective scheme for proliferating through a
shared effort and enhancing the brand’s poten-
tial from the local level.
“If we’d opened directly in all of the countries,
it would have taken us longer to invest and get to
know the market,” concludes Eymard Argüello.
www.aguainmaculada.com
89
INTERVIEW

interview with carl voigt

academic director academic director for international
business education and research & professor of clinical
management and organization at usc marshalll

PRODUCTIVITY OF MEXICO’S
SMALL ENTERPRISES:
KEY TO GROWTH

In interview with Negocios ProMéxico, Carl Voigt, Academic Director

of International Business Education and Research (IBEAR) and
professor of Clinical Management and Organization at USC Marshall,
talks about Mexico and opportunities in the area of innovation.

BY IVÁN IGLESIAS

—How would you qualify the strategic
course Mexico has taken, both on a
government- and private-sector level?
I’m fairly optimistic. I think Mexico decided on
its course two decades ago when it created eco-
nomic liberalization programs and took action
to connect globally with Asia and Europe, for
example. In terms of trade, these commitments
have yielded good results.
In my perspective, Mexico has very solid
foundations. I totally agree with the country’s
macro and free-trade policies—Mexico has
more international trade agreements than
any other country in America. However, when
it comes to micro-policies, it is clear there are
two Mexicos: the north is doing well and trade
agreements have translated into growth, but
the south is straggling somewhat. So all parties
involved, both government and private-sector,
need to work on improving their commercial
status.
—In which sectors are the greatest
growth opportunities to be found?
Mexico’s strength currently lies in its role as a
global producer for other, more developed econo-
mies. The problem is that when you get stuck in
the assembly part of the value chain, it’s the part
that’s less profitable.
In the short term, Mexico needs to continue
expanding its manufacturing capacities, but I’d
add that, looking to the long term, it also needs to
exploit the talent of its workforce, focus on educa-
tion in the engineering sciences and start render-
ing more specialized services within value chains.
The service sector is the one with the great-
est potential in Mexico, especially business servic-
es. Specifically, Mexico needs to secure a larger
share of the market for business consulting and
engineering services, which are highly valued
and create well paid jobs.
—How can Mexico participate
more in global value chains?
Many companies from other countries have taken
advantage of their trade agreements with Mexico
to set up subsidiaries, mainly on the northern
border, specifically Tijuana—there’s a reason it’s
known as “TV city”, because of the amount of tele-
visions that are assembled there for export.
But what has been misunderstood, and to a
large degree overlooked, is that Tijuana is also an
innovation hub. For example, it has a medical in-
novation cluster and is fully engaged in R&D.

Negocios ProMéxico
90
 INTERVIEW

This is where Mexico needs to create incen- ideas that work together. Creativity is impor- “Creativity is important.
tives in the long term, not just for manufacturing tant. That said, its true essence does not lie in
companies, but in the areas of process design and inventing something new, but in taking existing That said, its true essence
advanced engineering. As I have already said, inventions and applying them in new ways. This
this is the point where value is added to the entire is something we’re starting to see with the digital does not lie in inventing
chain and where the best jobs are to be found. revolution.
something new, but in
—The business sector plays an important —How would you rate the potential of
role in that it has activated sectors that Mexico’s human capital and innovation? taking existing inventions
traditionally received little attention. First and foremost, more young people should
How would you rate the training and be encouraged to take engineering degrees. We and applying them in new
professionalism of Mexico’s entrepreneurs? need to create that “critical mass”. We also need
Mexico’s small enterprises have enormous poten- to attract intelligent people from other parts of ways. This is something
tial. There are some 9 million small businesses in the world, be it India, China, Japan or Europe,
the country, but not all are registered and many and get them involved in our processes. At the we’re starting to see with
are manned by just one person. same time, we should be putting Mexico’s cre-
We need to focus on improving this aspect ative minds to work finding solutions to global the digital revolution.”
of the economy. If we could make our small busi- problems.
nesses more productive, the domino effect this
would have would result in unprecedented eco-
nomic growth.
One of the major challenges facing these
types of companies is their lack of basic business
administration skills. They need to learn how to
plan, make projections and balance their books.
If our small enterprises started acquiring these
skills, they would begin to grow. Likewise, small
companies that “embrace” technology tend to be
more in touch with their clients, partners and sup-
pliers and grow two to three times more quickly
than their counterparts. If we did all this, I think it
would take Mexico to the next level.

—How creative are Mexican entrepreneurs

when it comes to drawing up business plans
or addressing unforeseen situations?
As I see it, an entrepreneur is someone who is
always looking to take the next “big leap for-
ward”; someone who does things differently. A
true entrepreneur will find new ways of solving
a problem, perhaps by employing cutting-edge
technologies or simply by approaching it from a
totally innovative perspective.
PHOTO ALAN GARCÍA GODÍNEZ

I don’t think Mexican entrepreneurs are any

less creative than ones of other nationalities. I
think the crux of the problem is how to encour-
age people to be creative.
The best thing an entrepreneur can do is
think global and grab every opportunity that
comes their way. In my view, fostering the cre-
ativity Mexico needs is not about trying to invent
things from scratch, but drawing on different carl voigt

November | December 2018 91

INTERVIEW

interview with ángel villalobos rodríguez

general director of foreign investment at the ministry of economy

TOWARD THE DIVERSIFICATION

OF PACIFIC ALLIANCE
INVESTMENTS

The Pacific Alliance continues to transform Latin America. Ángel

Villalobos Rodríguez, General Director of Foreign Investment at
the Ministry of Economy, talks about the changes taking place
in sectors that have attracted investment within the bloc.

BY OMAR MAGAÑA

Logistics, financing and the mobility of human
capital are what is attracting investment in cer-
tain sectors of the economies of Colombia, Chile,
Mexico and Peru, the four countries that comprise
the Pacific Alliance.
“We have worked closely with the World
Bank, which has a clear overview of investment in
the region—both within the bloc and from external
sources—and has provided us with a very precise
map of how these flows are distributed. We have
also discussed which sectors could help make the
region more attractive to investors,” says Ángel
Villalobos Rodríguez, General Director of Foreign
Investment at the Ministry of Economy.
“This information, combined with the find-
ings of a study conducted by the World Bank to de-
termine the situation of each individual member
country —specifically, what the obstacles to invest-
ment are and which sectors need to be given prior-
ity to make the region more attractive to potential
investors— has resulted in public policies designed
to facilitate trade.”
According to information furnished by the
Ministry of Economy, Mexico received 2.3 bil-
lion usd in foreign direct investment from other
Pacific Alliance member countries between
1999 and the second quarter of 2018. Colombia
has channeled more capital into Mexico than
any other country over this 20-year span (1.26
billion usd), followed by Chile (884.2 million usd)
and Peru (176.9 million usd). Manufacturing,
commerce, construction, professional and finan-
cial services are the sectors that have attracted
the most investment from their Pacific Alliance
counterparts, primarily in Mexico City, Jalisco,
Estado de México, Chihuahua and Sonora.
What we are seeing now, says Villalobos, is a
greater diversification of economic activities and
a transition toward more complex ones that are
facilitating the region’s incorporation into global
value chains. “We’re going to see a greater level of
integration and while Mexico has made the most
progress in this area, there are opportunities for
Colombia, Peru and Chile to follow suit.”
According to Villalobos, analysts agree that the
Alliance’s priorities should be to: position itself as a
logistically agile zone; ensure its companies have
access to financing; promote financial integration
among member countries; and lay solid fintech
foundations. Finally, the World Bank and invest-
ment promotion agencies concur as to the need for
programs to encourage the movement of human
capital within the bloc.
“Each country has drawn up an agenda of
what needs to be tackled to improve the busi-
ness climate. Likewise, the Alliance’s members
have acknowledged it is going to take more than
a shared vision to attract green field investment
and that they need to work together to make this
happen. Other important issues raised includ-
ed customs logistics, port organization and air
transportation, and everything that fosters the
mobility of goods and people in the region,” says
Villalobos, adding that “we are going to make a
concerted effort to deal with any logistical issues
deemed to be hampering investment.”

Negocios ProMéxico
92
 INTERVIEW

From Theory to Practice

We asked Villalobos how Mexico is implementing
the lines of action proposed by the Pacific Alliance
Services and Capital Technical Group and the
World Bank Group based on the Pacific Alliance
Investment Facilitation Initiative (IFIAP) an-
nounced as part of the Declaration of Cali on June
20, 2017, in Colombia.
According to the Declaration, said initiative
“seeks to pool and coordinate efforts to identify
and eliminate regulations and government mea-
sures or actions that prevent or hinder the ex-
pansion of foreign direct investment within the
trade bloc.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MINISTRY OF ECONOMY

“We visited virtually every agency of Mexico’s
federal government: the Finance Ministry, espe-
cially the Customs Office, Ports, the Ministry of
Agriculture, Cattle-Farming, Rural Development,
Fishing and Food, and every other department that
has ties with the business community, and put the
same problems to them,” says Villalobos.
“As a result, we have been able to expedite in-
spections at customs checkpoints and ports, and
the National Agro-Food Health, Safety and Quality
Service has given special seminars. Many of these
measures may seem trivial, but in the end they
help reduce costs and save businesses time.”
As regards fintech, steps have been taken ángel villalobos rodríguez

to fast-track the passing of legislation and pro-

mote the mobility of engineers within the Pacific The efforts undertaken by the Ministry of Economy
Alliance bloc.
Many of the grievances aired by the busi- and ProMéxico to inform the business community in
ness community were related to customs
procedures, particularly inspections and the
Mexico of the Pacific Alliance Investment Facilitation
length of time these take. “We met with cus- Initiative (IFIAP) and the benefits of belonging to
toms officials from the Tax Administration
Service (SAT), they understood the problem the Alliance in general have been invaluable.
and inspections are now conducted in a more
organized fashion,” says Villalobos.

Closing the Information Gap

The efforts undertaken by the Ministry of Econ-
omy and ProMéxico to inform the business
community in Mexico of the Pacific Alliance
Investment Facilitation Initiative (IFIAP) and the
benefits of belonging to the Alliance in general
have been invaluable. Villalobos also acknowl-
edges how important it is to continue collecting
data on factors that could choke investment flows
to and within the region in the future.
This has been achieved by “maintaining open
channels of communication with the Alliance’s
business sectors. In the event of a problem, the
Ministry of Economy of the country in question
can be e-mailed directly and the issue addressed
immediately without the need for too many
intermediaries,” says Villalobos, adding that pro-
moting investment in this way requires the gov-
ernments of each country to dialogue with their
respective business associations to learn about
their needs and understand the obstacles they face.
In time, Villalobos envisages a much more
integrated region, one where investment flows
freely internally and that attracts capital from ex-
ternal sources.
“This flies in the face of the anti-free-trade
sentiment we are presently seeing in certain
parts of the world. It should be stressed that
Alliance members are convinced free trade
brings greater growth opportunities and creates
jobs,” concludes Villalobos.

November | December 2018 93

GUEST OPINION
THE FREIGHT FORWARDER,
A KEY LOGISTICS PLAYER
Foreign trade is on the rise and Mexico’s logistics providers have had to face
some major challenges. Freight agents are one of the links in the logistics
chain that shoulders the most responsibility. It is these forwarders that
companies lean on to improve their logistics efficiency, reduce operating
costs and meet delivery deadlines.
BY FRANCISCO JAVIER MÉNDEZ A .*
Mexico is the world’s 13th-largest exporter
and 12th-largest importer of goods. The coun-
try ranks seventh as a global producer of ve-
hicles and fourth as an exporter, and is the
tenth-largest exporter of food in the world.
In the last two decades, foreign trade has
boomed, with exports rising from 110.43 bil-
lion usd in 1997 to 409.49 billion usd in 2017,
which translates into exponential growth of
370%. In the same period, imports grew an im-
pressive 382%, rising from 109.81 billion usd in
1997 to 420.37 billion usd in 2017.
Clearly, the free trade policy implemented
by Mexico 30 years ago has benefited produc-
tive sectors.
Located in North America, Mexico is a
member of one of the largest economic blocs
in the world. In terms of gross world product
(GWP), Asia ranks first with 33.84%, followed
by North America with 27.95% and Europe
with 21.37%. Together, these three blocs ac-
count for 83.16% of GWP.
In such a context, logistics takes on even
greater importance, especially in the corpo-
rate world, where it is critical to the growth
of companies. There are several factors that
directly impact logistical efficiency, although
most of these are out of the control of com-
panies. In Mexico’s case, these are related to
infrastructure, the training of human capital,
security, inventories, insurance, government
management, the availability of transporta-
tion, the age of fleets and technology.
94
These factors combined can push logistics
costs up anywhere from 20% to 30% of the
cost of the goods produced by small and mid-
size companies, compared to just 10% in other
countries. The World Bank ranks Mexico
54th on its Logistics Performance Index,
which means the sector has plenty of room for
improvement.
Functions of the Freight Forwarder
As a logistics supplier, the freight forwarder,
with the aid of its domestic and international
network, is in an ideal position to optimize the
logistics processes companies require. The
main job of this intermediary is problem solv-
ing, both for the user, whether an importer or
an exporter, and the freight company. This
includes assistance with operating, fiscal, cus-
toms and assurance aspects, as well as with
the collection of goods and the follow up of all
related documents. The forwarder also has
the advantage of having a wide range of trans-
portation modes at its disposal.
A freight agent acts as an intermediary
between the shipper or sender and a freight
service supplier. The forwarder does not phys-
ically own a fleet of trucks or employ drivers;
its job is to connect available carriers with the
freight that needs transporting.
This job entails a series of functions, from
storage, procurement, preparing orders, pack-
aging, labeling, distribution, cross-docking,
quality inspections, freight consolidation and
Negocios ProMéxico

deconsolidation to customs dispatch, freight
management and the issuing of freight docu-
ments, coordinating procedures with freight
agents at the point of origin, the use of infor-
mation systems to control critical processes,
oversight of door-to-door processes, and the
compiling of performance indicator reports.
Assessment of the Service Rendered
Importers and exporters need to evaluate
their logistics services so they can improve the
efficiency of their supply chains, which means
defining performance indicators directly re-
lated to the cost of operations that impact
supply chain effectiveness and management.
These indicators might include: the delivery
of goods on time; the delivery of goods intact;
the delivery of goods of the agreed-upon qual-
ity; reports of factory damaged goods or goods
damaged during shipment; traceability of
shipments; risk analysis and a mitigation plan;
contingency plans; agile customs dispatching;
and hassle-free customs inspections.
PHOTO ARCHIVE
November | December 2018
GUEST OPINION
All these have a tangible impact on logistics A freight agent acts as an
operations, so it is vital all areas work together
to analyze the data and metrics collected and intermediary between
decide on the appropriate course of action.
the shipper or sender
Factors to Consider When
Choosing a Freight Forwarder and a freight service
In Mexico forwarders are not regulated by law supplier. The forwarder
and users can find themselves at a disadvan-
tage if they make the wrong choice. does not physically
To ensure their goods are delivered safe-
ly and on time, companies need to put a solid own a fleet of trucks or
plan in motion for the use, oversight and rating
of forwarders. For strategic reasons, it is advis- employ drivers; its job
able to establish a relationship with more than
one forwarder. is to connect available
When choosing a forwarder, we recom-
mend you: check that it is a member of a nation- carriers with the freight
al or international freight association, like the
Latin American and Caribbean Federation of
that needs transporting.
National Freight Forwarder and International
Logistics Operators Associations (Alacat) or
the Mexican Association of Freight Agents
95
GUEST OPINION
Importers and exporters
need to evaluate their
logistics services so they
can improve the efficiency
of their supply chains,
which means defining
performance indicators
directly related to the cost
of operations that impact
supply chain effectiveness
and management.
96
(Amacarga); verify that it has market experi-
ence; visit its facilities and infrastructure; fa-
miliarize yourself with its human team and
financial backing; look into the national and
international networks of carriers and logis-
tics providers it represents or has commercial
contracts with; ask for references from other
clients; request evidence of similar services
rendered; ensure it complies with the security
standards of programs like the ones operated
by the Organization of American States (OAS)
and the Customs-Trade Partnership Against
Terrorism (C-TPAT), and investigate the net-
work of international forwarders it works
with.
Trials and Tribulations of
the Freight Forwarder
One of the most complicated aspects of the for-
warder’s job is to work closely with companies
so it can get a good grasp of its logistics diffi-
culties and come up with viable solutions. The
agent needs to make a risk analysis of each
exporter or importer to identify problematic
areas that can be put straight with compre-
hensive services rendered by committed car-
riers and the use of technology.
For example, these days companies de-
mand minute-by-minute information on the
location and status of their goods, because
merchandise in transit is inventory and com-
panies need to make sure it is delivered on
time, intact and at the lowest possible cost.
If exporters and importers take the time
to sit down with their forwarders to evalu-
ate performance indicators, they will be able
to define concrete goals to improve the effi-
ciency of their logistics services and position
themselves more competitively on the market.
The freight forwarder of the 21st century is
one that makes its clients more competitive by
helping improve their supply chain efficiency.
*COMCE consultant
PHOTO ARCHIVE
Negocios ProMéxico
 THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE MEXICAN WAY OF LIFE

The Lifestyle

114
INTERVIEW
photo courtesy of ariel rojo

Ariel Rojo
“There’s art in science
and science in art”

98 100 102 104

WORTH MORE MEXICO MEXICO MEXICO
THAN IT COSTS ACCORDING TO... ACCORDING TO... ACCORDING TO...
The Clay from Capula, Anaïs Pareto Carlos Palacios Takeya Matsumoto
A Tradition of the Earth

106 110 112 118

INTERVIEW DESTINATION DESTINATION VEN A COMER

Luciana Kaplan Bacalar Chepe Express Cynthia Martínez

A Narrator of Stories; A Paradise to Be Explored Life-changing Journeys Hands that
a Provoker of Thought Never Stop
WORTH MORE THAN IT COSTS
THE CLAY OF CAPULA
A TRADITION OF THE EARTH
Capula is a small town in the state of Michoacán, famous for its Catrinas and beautiful
earthenware dinner services. The mastery with which each piece is made pays tribute to a
tradition that dates back to 1550.
BY PAOLA VALENCIA
Perfectionism is a constant in the handicrafts of
Capula. You can’t help but lift them and admire
them; they demand your full attention. And if the
devil is in the detail, the artisans of Michoacán
have a pact with Satan himself, for these can
only be described as irresistible objects of desire.
It all began in 1550, when Don Vasco de
Quiroga taught the Purépecha the craft of pot-
tery making. Already skilled artisans, they fused
their own techniques with those of the Spanish.
Clay was abundant in the area, so it was only
natural this was to become a major source of
income at the time. And although pottery is still
made throughout the region, Capula has earned
a reputation for its meticulously crafted Catrinas
and tableware.
Catrinas
You know you’re in Capula the minute you set
foot here. A huge sculpture of a Catrina decked
out in festive dress and wearing her classic
wide-brimmed hat greets visitors. Yes, the same
figure José Guadalupe Posadas created, the one
98
he named La Calavera Garbancera and that was
later painted and renamed La Catrina by Diego
Rivera. The same figure that is now an icon of
Mexican culture.
Juan Torres is well known in Capula and for
good reason. In the 1970s, he fashioned sculp-
tures out of clay based on his own interpretation
of the engravings of José Guadalupe Posadas. It
didn’t take long for Juan’s designs to immortal-
ize la huesuda in his own unique style, turning
the Catrinas of Capula into the image that best
represents Michoacán.
La Candelaria is Juan Torres’ workshop and
a mandatory point-of-call if you happen to visit
Capula. You’ll be welcomed by the artist in per-
son, who will be only too happy to explain the
story behind each of his pieces. Juan paints, too,
and if you look closely, you’ll notice he’s a plastic
artist as well. Torres was a student of the artist
Alfredo Zalce, who gave him his first classes and
introduced him to the fascinating world of art.
Many families in Capula make Catrinas as
part of what has now become a tradition. The
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 WORTH MORE THAN IT COSTS

sculptures, molded using a pastillage technique

and then glazed or fired, take infinite forms,
from police officers to mariachis. Anything is
possible in this small town in Michoacán!

Pottery
Dinner services, cups, flowerpots, pots, jugs...
The pottery of Capula is easily recognizable
from the way it is decorated: small uniform dots
form tiny abstract designs that, repeated in se-
ries, lend movement to each piece. The pieces
are painted using fine brushes made of squirrel’s
hair, creating an effect so detailed it is almost
hypnotic.
Floral designs are the most traditional, but the
creativity of Capula’s potters knows no bounds:
birds, colored stripes, butterflies, fish, stars...
there’s something for every conceivable taste.
PHOTOS PAOL A VALENCIA

November | December 2018 99

MEXICO ACCORDING TO...

MEXICO ACCORDING TO…

ANAÏS PARETO

Anaïs Pareto was born in Barcelona, Spain, in 1985. This is where she began her film studies
before taking a directing actors workshop in Cuba. She then traveled to Mexico to continue
her studies at the Film Training Center (CCC) in Mexico City, her favorite city in all of Mexico
and the one where she currently lives and works. In 2013, she returned to Barcelona to take a
Master’s in Visual Anthropology and make her documentary Tsunami (2014).
Anaïs works as an independent filmmaker with the production company Santa Úrsula
Films and divides her time between Mexico and Spain. She has directed several short films,
including La banqueta (2013), which won numerous awards in Mexico and was selected for the
official Critics’ Week program at Cannes in 2014. Likewise, her short film La familia Hernández
Cruz (2016) brought her recognition in the Mexican and Spanish film industries. And in 2017,
her first feature-length production, Sinvivir, premiered at the Morelia International Film Festi-
val, where it won Best Fiction Actor.

BY LEANDRA FORT

—If you could introduce something
“Mexican” to Spanish culture, what would it
be and why?
People’s hospitality and their ability to adapt.
—Working in Mexico, is it a challenge or an
opportunity?
Most definitely an opportunity. It’s hard to get
a foot in the door no matter where you are, but
here people tend to trust you more readily. IN
Mexico, people will always give you the chance
to show what you’re capable of.
—As a filmmaker, what inspires you?
Human beings. I like to write stories about things
I hear or see happening to “ordinary” people.
I like the idea of giving a voice to more com-
mon or even invisible characters and making
them small heroes in the real world.
I like stories people can identify with and
that reflect reality.
—How do you describe your life in Mexico to
your friends from other places?
Fun. Lots of fun. Unpredictable and a bit stress-
ful. There’s too much to get done and there
aren’t enough hours in the day.
—What is your favorite place in Mexico to
wind down in?
Oaxaca. It doesn’t matter if it’s to spend a few
days in the city or visit different towns.
I have relatives in San Andrés Sinaxtla, near
Nochixtlán. It’s in places like this that I can dis-
connect. My favorite beach —Chacahua— is also
in Oaxaca.
—Which place in Mexico inspires you the
most?
The markets. There’s one in every town and
neighborhood and they’re not to be missed.
They’re a crucible, not just of different foods,
but of different cultures, all under one roof.

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 MEXICO ACCORDING TO...

—What is your favorite work of architecture

in Mexico?
The Torre Latinoamericana in Mexico City.
Seeing the city at your feet from the viewpoint
makes you realize just how huge it is. It’s im-
pressive. If you go at night, the city lights stretch
out in front of you like an endless carpet.

—Which place in Mexico should every tour-

ist visit?
Xochimilco. When friends or family come to
visit me, I don’t let them leave without spend-
ing a day in Xochimilco, at the market, the pul-
quería and then a boat trip down the canals.

—What is your favorite Mexican dish and

favorite Mexican restaurant?
My favorite dish is green mole and my favorite
restaurant is Los Colorines, in Tepoztlán, Morelos.

—Which Mexican filmmakers do you admire

most?
There are several Mexican filmmakers I admire,
like Michel Franco, Alonso Ruizpalacios, Amat
Escalante and Tatiana Huezo. They’ve managed to
position themselves internationally making very
personal films and that’s extremely commendable.
I’m a big fan of Paula Markovitch (Argen-
tina-Mexico). When I saw her first film, El
premio, I thought to myself: “One day I want
to make films like that,” and the same thought

PHOTO RUBÉN ORTIZ

crossed my mind when I saw her last film,
Cuadros en la oscuridad.

—And musicians?
Axel Catalán from Morelia. I discovered him just
over a year ago and I’m obsessed with his songs.
Also, I was fortunate enough to be able to work
with him when did the score for my film Sinvivir. anaïs pareto

—Of all your film screenings in Mexico,

which is the one you remember most?
The premiere of my first film at the Morelia In-
ternational Film Festival. It was a dream come
true. The theater was full and nearly all the
crew from the film were there presenting it.
—Where in Mexico would you like to have
one of your films screened?
The Cineteca Nacional in Mexico City. I was
lucky enough to have my first short premiere
there, at the Shorts Mexico Festival, but that
was a long time ago and I’d love to show there
again. It’s a venue I admire a lot.
—When you’re in Spain, what do you miss
most about Mexico?
The street music and the color.
—When you want to give someone a souve-
nir of Mexico, what do you get them?
Handicrafts. I always try and take something
from different regions. They’re inexhaustible!
And mezcal... that’s a must.
—What do you like most about Mexico?
The generosity of Mexicans, their drive to do
things and their determination.

November | December 2018 101

 MEXICO ACCORDING TO...
PHOTO YAZMÍN SANTILL ÁN

carlos palacios

MEXICO ACCORDING TO…

CARLOS PALACIOS
Carlos Palacios is one of those foreigners who came to Mexico because he fell in love with a
Mexican. He has lived here for eight years, but was born in Maracay, Venezuela, where he took
a Degree in the Plastic Arts. After that he completed a Master’s at the Bard Center for Curato-
rial Studies in New York and a diploma in Advanced Studies in History and Art Criticism at the
University of Barcelona, Spain.
He was a contemporary art curator of the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection, for which
he staged exhibitions in Venezuela, the United States and the Dominican Republic. Since 2012,
he has been a curator at the Carrillo Gil Art Museum in Mexico City, where he has incubated
over 30 exhibitions. Carlos has also served as a juror at art biennials and given talks and confer-
ences in Mexico. One of his most recent curatorial projects is Orozco. Rivera. Siqueiros: The
Pending Exhibition 1973-2015, which will be shown at the fine arts museums of Santiago, Chile
and Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Lima Art Museum in Peru, Palazzo Fava in Bologna and
Palazzo Ducale in Genova, both in Italy. He resides in Cuernavaca, Morelos, a city whose lush
vegetation, warm weather and architecture remind him of his native Maracay and Caracas in
Venezuela.

BY PAOLA VALENCIA

Negocios ProMéxico
102

—What Mexican ways have you had
to adapt to?
Mexico is a country of social mores based on a
very formal notion of good manners. Asking for
something directly, saying “no” or simply turning
something down candidly is sometimes interpret-
ed as being rude. In Venezuela, we’re more direct
in our day-to-day communications.
—If you could incorporate something
“Mexican” into Venezuelan culture, what
would it be and why?
Paradoxically —and I seem to be contradicting
my answer to the previous question—, I’d incorpo-
rate some of the good manners and education of
Mexicans.
—What are the challenges of curating in
Mexico?
The sheer volume of Mexico’s cultural output is
overwhelming. As regards modern and contem-
porary art, which is my area of expertise, the
wealth of stories, artists and histories are a con-
stant challenge. Personally, the greatest challenge
of all is to learn about and comprehend the im-
mense universe of historic events, relationships
and problems that define modern Mexican art.
—And the advantages?
Mexico is defined by its art and culture and its
capital is a city of museums. You have high-level
teams of professionals and amazing collections
and art archives at your disposal. As a curator, it’s
very gratifying to have so many options when put-
ting a project together.
—What is your favorite beach in Mexico?
Acapulco. I love the stories about it and the leg-
ends associated with its golden era. I also like its
modern architecture—the hints of Luis Barragán
at Hotel Pierre Marqués, Diego Rivera’s residence
and the Flamingos and Boca Chica hotels in the
old part of Acapulco. But Mexico has so many
beautiful beaches it’s impossible to single out one
in particular.
—Which place in Mexico inspires you the
most?
In connection with my work as a contemporary
art curator, I find the cultural dynamics of border
cities like Tijuana, Baja California, and Ciudad
Juárez, Chihuahua, very interesting.
And because of my education as an art histori-
an, I find certain places where Mexico’s revolution-
ary past remains very much “alive” inspiring. I’m
thinking of the haciendas of Morelos, for example,
but if you’re referring to a more intimate exercise in
inspiration, I’d have to say the Sonora desert. Its as-
November | December 2018
MEXICO ACCORDING TO...
ceticism and the expressivity of its landscape would
inspire the most spiritual of the mystics.
—What is your favorite work of architecture
in Mexico?
The Church of Santa María Tonantzintla in Puebla.
—What is your favorite Mexican dish?
It’s impossible to think of one dish that encom-
passes all the flavors of Mexico. For me, a memo-
rable meal is more than a collection of flavors; it’s
a recollection or a summary of the culture and
history that goes into them, of the experience
of being in a certain place. A good cut of beef in
Hermosillo; plantain molotes with hoja santa in
Oaxaca; crayfish tostadas in Ensenada; exquisite
chicken pipián in Puebla; crab legs in Ciudad del
Carmen; chile en nogada… I could go on forever…but
if I had to pick something I eat regularly, I’d go for
pork in pigweed.
—Of all the exhibitions you’ve curated in
México, which one do you have the fondest
memories of?
I’d have to say the exhibition commemorating the
40th anniversary of the Carrillo Gil Art Museum.
It was an interesting effort to reconstruct how the
museum’s founding collection traveled the world
for some 40 years, projecting a thought-provoking
image of modern Mexico and at the same time,
how this collection of paintings by artists like
Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros and José
Clemente Orozco helped define one of the main
canons of the history of Latin American art. It was
an effort by a team of curators to bring back to life
part of the history of the Carrillo Gil Collection,
which is perhaps the most important collection of
modern Mexican art.
—Where in Mexico would you like to curate
a project?
I’d love to invite modern and contemporary art-
ists to intervene the Tepotzotlán Viceroyalty Mu-
seum, for example.
—When you want to take friends or family a
souvenir of Mexico, what do you get them?
Masks. I especially admire the masks of the
Parachico from Chiapa de Corzo, masks from
Oaxaca and the masks of the Tastoan from Jalisco.
—What do you like most about Mexico?
The sensation that I’m still living in the friendly
shadow of what Latin America signifies. Mexico
dances to the tune of a mixed, hybrid cultural tra-
dition, whose many and varied shades continue
to fascinate me and, naturally, remind me of my
native Venezuela.
103
MEXICO ACCORDING TO...

MEXICO ACCORDING TO…

TAKEYA MATSUMOTO
Takeya Matsumoto has rapidly become synonymous with good Japanese food in Mexico City.
Born in the coastal city of Kanagawa, when he was a boy the kitchen was the place he liked
to hang out in. Making rice became one of his favorite pastimes and how he came to perfect his
yakimeshi, the basis of his cuisine.
Knowing that cooking was his passion, Matsumoto moved to Tokyo, where he worked in
several restaurants until he finally opened his own, which specialized in international fare.
Several years later, his wife and relatives convinced him to travel to Mexico City. That was 11
years ago and since then, the city’s best Japanese restaurants have all had Takeya Matsumoto
working behind the scenes.
Murasakii Santa Fe, Tori Tori and Mog were but a rehearsal for Izayaka Kura, his first res-
taurant in Mexico. Always packed and with a waiting list of up to an hour, its popularity couldn’t
be more evident among Mexicans eager to sample its traditional Japanese cuisine and more
than 60 varieties of sake.

BY RITSUKA HASEGAWA

—If you could incorporate “something”
Mexican into Japanese culture, what would
it be and why?
Eating tacos. Tacos and salsa are a great culture.
—And vice-versa, if you could incorporate
“something” typically Japanese into
Mexican culture...
Tacit understanding.
—What idea did you have of Mexico before
you came here?
I had the idea it was a fun place. Before coming to
live here in Mexico City I’d been to Cancún and
that’s the impression I got —that everyone enjoyed
themselves all the time.
—How do you describe life in Mexico to your
friends back in Japan?
I always tell them about the weather and how
nice Mexicans are. I also tell them that we live in
Mexico City, but that it’s surrounded by places of
great natural beauty, which means we can work
comfortably during the week and relax in the
country on weekends.
—What is your favorite place in Mexico to relax?
Ensenada in Baja California. Eating seafood at
street stands. Ensenada also has lots of great res-
taurants. It’s relaxing to fish in the sea and visit the
nearby wineries.
—Your favorite beach?
Cancún.
—And the Mexican town or city you like
most?
Mexico City! You have everything here!
—Somewhere in Mexico that reminds you of
Japan or makes you feel you’re back home?
More than a place, it’s a time of year, when the
jacarandas start flowering in spring. It reminds
me a lot of Japan, because the cherry trees blos-
som the same way.
—Which places do you recommend to
Japanese tourists visiting Mexico?
The streets of Mexico City’s historic center, a
morning at the Teotihuacán pyramids, and a trip
to Ensenada.

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104
PHOTO COURTESY FO TAKE YA MATSUMOTO
takeya matsumoto
—Which three ingredients would you say are
basic in your cuisine?
Rice is the most important, followed by water —I
use soft water— and Bluefin tuna fish.
—Which Mexican ingredients have worked
best in your cuisine?
Corn smut (I put it in my ramen), prickly pear (I use
it to make sunomono) and chayote (for miso soup).
—Mexican chefs you admire?
Bernardo Bukantz and Luis Serdio, the creators
of Lonches Bravo, Salón Ríos and the Corazón de
Pollo rotisserie.
—What is your favorite Mexican food?
I like all Mexican food, but especially traditional
dishes.
November | December 2018
—And your favorite dish?
Carnitas.
—Your favorite restaurant in Mexico?
Salón Ríos in the Cuauhtémoc district of Mexico
City.
—What do you miss about Mexico?
Tacos al pastor.
—What do you take back to friends and
family as a souvenir of Mexico?
Agave syrup.
—What do you like most about Mexico?
Mexicans. They’re outgoing and friendly and
warm and passionate. They have a lot of things we
Japanese lack. I like the way Mexicans are.
105
INTERVIEW

LUCIANA KAPLAN
A NARRATOR OF STORIES;
A PROVOKER OF THOUGHT
Luciana Kaplan has devoted a good part of her career to documentary filmmaking. She studied
Directing at the Film Training Center (CCC) in Mexico City and won its Debut Documentary
Competition with La Revolución de los Alcatraces, which tells the story of Eufrosina Cruz, a
woman from a small Chontal community called Santa María Quiegolani in South Oaxaca.
Eufrosina leaves her community to study and comes back after several years of absence.
From an early age, Luciana knew that film was her passion and that she had to find a way to
negotiate this complicated terrain. She has since forged a name for herself in the documentary
genre—a well- deserved one judging from her latest production, the recently released Rush
Hour, which portrays the hectic pace of life in large cities around the world.

BY PAOLA VALENCIA

—When did you decide you wanted to be a
filmmaker?
When I was 15 and in secondary school I realized
my first love was cinema. I knew a lot about films
and they’d always been a formative part of my life.
I come from a movie-loving family. As a young
girl, they’d take me to see very complex pictures
that ending up shaping my world view.
—Why did you opt for the documentary?
There’s a more direct relationship with people
and their contexts that doesn’t exist in fictional
cinema. The chance to get a glimpse of the lives
of other people, hear their stories, their dilemmas
and see the world through their eyes, it’s some-
thing that’s always interested me.
The documentary gives you greater freedom
as a filmmaker. You don’t have to depend on so
many people and processes to start filming. It’s
more of an individual effort. That said, it’s not
easy to portray a changing reality you don’t have
complete control over. It’s an interesting chal-
lenge: making something from the reality before
your eyes.
But what I like most about it are the rela-
tionships you get to form with the characters. It
opens doors to other worlds. I’d probably never
have met these people if I hadn’t been making
films about them.
—What is the greatest challenge filmmakers
face?
To discover who you are and what you want
to say. It’s something we’re constantly exposed
to when we choose to be filmmakers. The first
and most important step is to have a vision and
be strong and perseverant enough to stick by it.
Then come the financial and organizational as-
pects, which imply other obstacles, but the first
and most essential step is to know who you are
and insist on getting your point of view across in
the best possible way.
—There are so many stories waiting to be told.
How do you choose?
I always choose subject matters I feel passionate
about, that fascinate me, preferably ones that
are going to keep me engaged for a long time. It’s
hard work making films and if you’re not overly
enthusiastic about the subject, it’s not worth get-
ting involved.
General speaking, I’m drawn to complex
characters whose contradictions lead to broader
reflections on universal themes; stories that raise
more questions than they give answers.
The format is also important. It has to be a
challenge. What is the best way of putting the
film together? What are the rules of the game
going to be? It all has to be enticing, contain a

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PHOTO COURTESY OF LUCIANA K APL AN
scene from rush hour
promise of adventure so you stay interested and
enthusiastic throughout the process.
—Social issues are a recurring theme in your
work. Why is that?
They’re more than social issues. They’re issues
that reveal a way of looking at the world. For ex-
ample, I’ve made films that touch on indigenous
issues, but they also speak of universal themes:
power, vocation, personal relationships.
I made a documentary about the time we
spend commuting to work, but at the end of the
day it takes a very emotional approach. I wanted
to explore the ways we manage to survive ad-
verse realities. What decisions do we make?
What traps do we fall into? What are the con-
flicts that define our lives?
In my view, political and social aspects
should become personal in a film, because this
is the bridge connecting the characters and the
audience.
—What, in your view, is the main purpose of a
documentary?
To learn, interact with other people, observe
their conflicts and realities and reflect on my
findings.
It’s also a chance to share my own world view
with other people. I think I’m more interested
November | December 2018
INTERVIEW
“The first and most
important step is to
have a vision and be
strong and perseverant
enough to stick by it.
Then come the financial
and organizational
aspects, which imply
other obstacles, but the
first and most essential
step is to know who you
are and insist on getting
your point of view across
in the best possible way.”
in the process and experience of making a film
than the final product.
—How did you meet Eufrosina Cruz, the
woman whose story you tell in La Revolución
de los Alcatraces?
A mutual friend introduced me to Eufrosina be-
fore she became so well known. I was impressed by
her drive, her understanding of her context and I
suspected something interesting was going to come
of her. I wasn’t sure what, but I was convinced that
if I kept tabs on her, I would witness an interesting
process of change and that’s exactly what hap-
pened. Sometimes you have to trust your instincts.
—Do you stay in touch with the characters
in your documentaries or does your
relationship with them end once you’ve
finished the film?
I stay in touch with the people I film. Generally
speaking, I form relationships with them. I think
it’s essential in a documentary. The films isn’t just
yours, but belongs to the people you got involved
in its making.
A strong bond is created during the process.
When all’s said and done, you’re borrowing the
stories of other people and creating a very per-
sonal vision, so it’s only natural you want to stay
in touch with them.
107
INTERVIEW
“In my view, political
and social aspects
should become personal
in a film, because this is
the bridge connecting
the characters and the
audience.”
scene from rush hour
—One of the major problems with the world’s
capital cities is traffic, which is a subject Rush
Hour tackles. Why this particular story?
The story occurred to me after meeting a
woman called Mary Fregoso, who looked after
my daughter when she was little. Mary lived in
Milpa Alta and I lived in the Condesa district
of Mexico City. One day she told me it took her
three hours to get to my house and another
three to get home again. All kinds of things,
some not so pleasant, would happen to her on
the way. I was shocked to realize she spent more
time commuting than working. It prompted me
to reflect on the subject and I started thinking
about making a film.
—Why choose to talk about the traffic
problem in Istanbul and Los Angeles, and not
just Mexico City?
The film isn’t just about traffic, but about the
lifestyle of large city dwellers. We’re always in
a hurry, always sacrificing valuable time. The
point is it’s not something unique to Mexico City
and it was important for me to film other cities to
show that this is a global problem.
To me, Mexico City is a clear example of the
social gap, violence toward women and the enor-
mous distances people have to travel every day.
Los Angeles is a city with a deficient pub-
lic transportation system. People spend hours
on end in their cars every day and there is a
marked preoccupation with material success,
which sometimes ends up quashing the dreams
of its inhabitants.
108
PHOTOS COURTESY OF LUCIANA K APL AN
Istanbul is one of the world’s most congested
cities. People commute from one continent to
another, across the Bosporus. It’s a society that
combines the traditional and the cosmopolitan,
which makes the portrait of a woman with chil-
dren who wants to work all the more compelling.
Each portrait sheds light on different aspects
of the same problem. It’s not only about traffic;
it’s about an entire economic system and the
ways we’ve become accustomed to living.
—Rush Hour tells the stories of two women
and a man. Do you think women have a
worse time commuting than men?
Yes, definitely. Women are more exposed to vio-
lence and feel more vulnerable, but I also think
we have a greater burden to bear. Not only do we
have to hold down jobs, but we invariably end up
taking care of our children, husbands, the house-
work. We live in an eternal state of exhaustion
and I think the film reflects this.
—Do you know if the characters in Rush Hour
changed their lifestyles after the film was made?
Did it make them rethink the way they live?
In general, they carried on as usual, except in
the United States. Mike, the Los Angeles char-
acter, decided to move close to his job during
the week and travel with his partner so he can
spend more time with her. You’ll have to watch
the film, but that was one of the character’s
main conflicts. This happened after the making
of the documentary, so yes, I think it made them
take stock of their lives.
Negocios ProMéxico
 INTERVIEW

“I stay in touch with the people I

film. Generally speaking, I form
relationships with them. I think it’s
essential in a documentary. The films
isn’t just yours, but belongs to the
people you got involved in its making.”

—How many hours a day does Luciana

Kaplan spend stuck in traffic in Mexico City?
Truth be told, I’m very lucky. I’ve never had
to make the odysseys I depict in the film, but
I admit to being a victim of the stress that
comes with living in a big city where it’s hard scene from rush hour

to get around. I have a lot of work, a daughter

and mountains to get done in the day and even
though I only travel short distances, I feel my
stress levels are too high.
We used the hashtag #EnElRush to pro-
mote the film because it defines the way we live,
always in a rush to get somewhere, constantly
tired and stressed because we can’t live up to our
own expectations.
A lot of people will come up to me and say “I
was stuck in a traffic jam today and it reminded
me of you.” I’d like to think that means I’m creat-
ing some degree of awareness with my work.

—Do you have any personal stories you’d like

to take to the big screen?
I’ve always had the idea of making a documen-
tary about my family at the back of my mind. My
great-grandparents migrated from Belorussia scene from la revolución de los alcatraces

and the Ukraine to Argentina and 75 years later,

my parents brought us to Mexico. I find migra-
tion a fascinating subject, in this case, one that
involves a lot of reflection, both historical and
personal. It could be an interesting project.

—What projects are you currently working

on?
I’ve been shooting a new documentary for a year.
It’s called La Vocera and it’s about Marichuy’s
campaign as an independent candidate to the
Presidency of Mexico in 2018, and the work of
the National Indigenous Council. We’re about to
begin the editing process.
Also, I really want to make a fictional film. I
have an idea and plan on sitting down and writ- scene from la revolución de los alcatraces

ing the script soon.

November | December 2018 109

 DESTINATION
BACALAR
A PARADISE TO BE EXPLORED
Bacalar is a Magic Town in the south of Quintana Roo, some 40 kilometers from Chetumal, the
nearest city. Home to the Black Cenote and the Lagoon of Seven Colors, this picturesque town is a
paradise just waiting to be explored...
BY LEANDRA FORT
PHOTOS MARLENE L ANG
Originally known as Sian Ka´a n Bakhalal, this
small town was founded by the Maya in the
year 415 and remains one of Mexico’s best-
kept secrets. In the 17th and 18th centuries,
pirates used it as a hideout, because it was
the perfect place to traffic Central American
goods of value, like bloodwood, a type of wood
that was used by the English to dye fabrics and
that is still used today by local artisans.
San Felipe is perhaps the town’s most im-
pressive work of architecture. It was built by
the Spanish in 1729 to protect them against pi-
rate attacks and it was thanks to this fort that
they were able to lay siege to Bacalar. A fine
specimen of the military architecture of New
Spain, the bulwarks of San Felipe command a
spectacular view of the lagoon, so you can see
for yourself that it really does boast the seven
different colors it lays claim to.
Its sausage shape is formed by seven ce-
notes and it measures 50 kilometers long, but
only 2 kilometers at its widest point. The ceno-
tes all have different depths, which is why the
lagoon appears to have seven distinct tones of
110
blue, depending on the position of the sun. Of
indescribable beauty, nature has shaped this
majestic body of water over millions of years
and you won’t find another like it in all of
Mexico. Popular activities include snorkeling
and standup paddle-boarding or you can take
a relaxing boat trip out on the water.
Bacalar itself has been named a Magic Town.
Fishermen and their families live in its quaint,
colorful houses, while small stores and restau-
rants lend the place a tropical air.
Patrons of the arts might want to visit or
stay at the International Writers’ House, which
opened its doors in 1990 to provide refuge for
writers, poets and artists, both local and visiting.
But the first thing you’ll want to do when
you get here is plunge into the warm, crystal-
line waters of the lagoon, just to make sure the
sight before you is not an optical illusion. As
your feet sink into soft white sand, you’ll see
colorful fish and spongy coral underneath the
surface and hear the cry of exotic red macaws
as they fly overhead. Definitely an experience
you won’t want to pass up on!
Negocios ProMéxico
¡GRACIAS,
CHINA!
Mexico attended China International Import Expo 2018 (from
November 5 to 10, 2018) as a Country of Honor. ProMéxico leaded
Mexico’s delegation comprised of eight states, 65 companies and
associations, and more than 100 businesspersons.

We thank China for this opportunity to strengthen the ties between

our nations, as well as our strategic allies for their collaboration and for
contributing to the success of Mexico’s participation.
DESTINATION
CHEPE EXPRESS
LIFE-CHANGING JOURNEYS
Exploring Northwest Mexico has never been as luxurious as aboard the new Chepe
Express. Nine hours from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, to Creel, Chihuahua, taking in the famous
sunsets and changing landscapes of the Copper Canyon and the region’s millenary history
make for an unforgettable experience.
BY PAOLA VALENCIA
Mexico is renowned for its natural wealth and
exotic destinations like the Sierra Tarahumara
in Chihuahua. This chain of mountains in
Northwest Mexico forms part of the Sierra
Madre Occidental and is one of Mexico’s most
popular destinations.
Since it was opened in 1961, the Chihuahua-
Pacific Railway (better known as the “Chepe”)
has attracted tourists from Mexico and further
afield in search of adventure.
Built between the 19th and 20th centuries,
the railway is considered a feat of engineering,
boring 653 kilometers across the Sierra Madre
Occidental, through 86 tunnels and across 37
bridges from Sinaloa to Chihuahua.
A Luxury Renovation
Grupo México Transportes (GMXT) spent over
155 million pesos renovating its tourist trains.
It also inaugurated the Chepe Express, a new
world-class service featuring nine passenger
cars designed to make the journey an unparal-
leled experience. The Chepe Express is unique
112
in that it is equipped with a terrace from where
passengers can admire the stunning scenery, a
bar and a two-story car with a dome that houses
Urike, a restaurant run by chefs Daniel Ovadía
and Salvador Orozco.
Urike, Gourmet Food on the Track
“It’s been more than 100 years since a Mexican
train had a luxury restaurant on board,” says
Daniel Ovadía referring to his new project with
pride.
The menu takes its inspiration from the
flavors of the mountainous north. Only the
freshest of ingredients are used and the cheeses,
produced by the Mennonite community, were
handpicked by Ovadía and Orozco.
The bar is designed as a meeting point
where family and friends can enjoy a selection of
Mexican-style cocktails.
Riding the Chepe Express is an experience
that combines breathtaking scenery, great food,
crafts and history, guaranteeing you return
home with plenty of stories to tell.
Negocios ProMéxico
 DESTINATION

The Chepe Express is unique in

that it is equipped with a terrace
from where passengers can admire
the stunning scenery, a bar and
a two-story car with a dome that
houses Urike, a restaurant run by
chefs Daniel Ovadía and Salvador
Orozco.

SPECIAL STORIES TO SHARE

• The Chepe Express runs daily from Los
Mochis, Sinaloa, to Creel, Chihuahua, and
back to Los Mochis. There are two scheduled
stops: El Fuerte (Sinaloa) and Divisadero
(Chihuahua).
• In Los Mochis, we recommend you take a
boat trip out on Topolobampo Bay and do
some fishing.
• The municipality of El Fuerte is on the Sea
of Cortez — Copper Canyon Eco-Tourism
Circuit and has some amazing natural, his-
toric, architectural and cultural attractions
rooted in local indigenous traditions.
• Divisadero (Copper Canyon) boasts a series
of viewpoints and hanging bridges, and is
considered a mandatory point-of-call be-
cause of the beauty of its scenery. Three of the
largest canyons in the Sierra Tarahumara
are to be found here: Urique, Tararecua and
Del Cobre.
• Catalogued a magical town, Creel is the port
of entry to the Sierra Tarahumara and fa-
mous for its arts and crafts, especially its
pine baskets and statues carved out of wood
and tree bark.
• Ten minutes from Creel is San Ignacio de
Arareko, home to Valley of the Mushrooms,
Valley of the Frogs, Arareko Lake and the
18th-century Jesuit mission San Ignacio
de Arareko. Here you can also visit the
Cusárare, Piedra Volada and Basaseachi wa-
terfalls, and the Recowata thermal waters.
PHOTOS ARCHIVE

BONUS INFO

CHEPE.MX
TRENBARRANCASEXPRESS.COM

November | December 2018 113

INTERVIEW
“THERE’S ART IN SCIENCE AND
SCIENCE IN ART”
ARIEL ROJO
It’s impossible to talk about contemporary Mexican design without mentioning Ariel Rojo.
This young entrepreneur knows that perseverance is a key ingredient of success. Ariel talked to
Negocios ProMéxico about how he became a name in Mexican design.
BY PAOLA VALENCIA
Highly influenced by Mexican folk culture, Ariel
is an active representative of Mexican design. His
work has been exhibited in the United States, Eu-
rope and Asia, and his designs are sold by presti-
gious museums the world over.
But the objects Ariel designs are not just
functional and socially responsible; they exude
his unique sense of humor and are based around
concepts the user can identify with.
As a young man he didn’t know industrial de-
sign would be his passion, but his interests already
pointed in this direction. He enjoyed painting and
sculpture, but he was also drawn by engineering
and at 17 started designing printed circuits. “De-
signing printed circuits taught me that things have
a structure and are interconnected. It came in
very useful in my career.”
—Are there any of your pieces that mark a
before and an after in your career?
I don’t think there’s one particular piece. I don’t
think it’s like that in any profession. I think it’s your
entire collection of work that positions you in your
chosen career.
114
I’ve come to realize that people who are famil-
iar with my work associate me with different proj-
ects. Each person is taken with different objects,
different projects. I think that’s how an increasing-
ly large body of very different opinions about my
work has emerged, which has gradually brought
me recognition and an identity.
—There’s a sense of humor in your designs. Is
it intentional or spontaneous?
It’s not always part of the design process, but some-
times it’s necessary as an escape valve. It works for
certain pieces, but more than anything it’s a very
personal way of expressing something. For ex-
ample, in pieces like my Pig Savings Lamp, my Car-
keepers Piggy Bank and Wetback Dish Rack.
—Can you tell us more about these pieces?
My Pig Savings Lamp was the product of a Eu-
reka moment. I was in the bathroom when I saw
an ad for an energy-saving light bulb and, at the
same time, a pig-shaped piggy bank. I put two and
two together and that was the result. I was a joke
I didn’t want to stay just in my head, so I got to de-
photos courtesy of ariel rojo
Negocios ProMéxico
 INTERVIEW

“Your sense of humor, your cultural

heritage and context all come into
play when you’re designing something.
The things we design aren’t isolated;
they will have a very close relationship
with the final user and their context.”

signing and manufacturing it. It’s one of my more

popular pieces and has traveled the world. The
idea behind it is to save, not money, but electricity.
The Car-keepers Piggy Bank was born of my
concern over how the streets in Mexico’s major
cities have been invaded by people with red cloths
who “help” you park your car and keep an eye
on it in exchange for a tip. The idea was to take
the concept into a private space and create an ob-
ject with a touch of irony that would invade your
home and remind you to save.
The Wetback Dish Rack is a piece that is more
pertinent today than ever if you ask me. It’s about
the very universal phenomenon of migration, al-
though my attention is focused on migration be-
tween Mexico and the United States and its many
shades of gray. The rack has lots of levels for plates
and glasses and on each one is a character like the
worker, the bandit, the coyote, the cop, which are
associated with migration in one way or another.
The idea of designing a dish rack is also as-
sociated with the fact that a lot of people who
cross the border end up washing dishes in res-
taurant kitchens.

—Your sense of humor is very much connected

to your cultural heritage...
Your sense of humor, your cultural heritage
and context all come into play when you’re de-
signing something. The things we design aren’t
isolated; they will have a very close relationship
with the final user and their context. For me it’s
important to make sure these elements are al-
ways integrated.

—Is there one of your pieces you identify with

more than the others?
Each of the pieces I’ve designed and the probing
that has gone into them correspond to a specific
moment and need, be it mine, the studio’s or the ariel rojo

November | December 2018 115

INTERVIEW
pig savings lamp, by ariel rojo
“Now I understand that knowledge
and human action converge at
different points and are all part of our
universe and our reality. There’s art in
science and science in art.”
client’s. It’s the same with music. I identify with
certain songs when I’m sad, with others when I’m
happy and others when I’m hungry.
—How did you become interested in industrial
design?
When the time came to decide what I wanted to
study, a lot of careers crossed my mind: engineer-
ing, physics, the arts. As a matter of fact, I was ac-
cepted at the Art Institute of Chicago, but I wasn’t
totally convinced of any of these options.
116
photos courtesy of ariel rojo
Then, after talking to a friend of my dad’s who
was an architect about how confused I felt, he lent
me a book on industrial design and another on
Renzo Piano. That was when I discovered indus-
trial design had a bit of all the careers I was inter-
ested in.
Now I understand that knowledge and hu-
man action converge at different points and are all
part of our universe and our reality. There’s art in
science and science in art.
—What was the first thing you designed?
My first designs were printed circuits. Over 300
I’d say.
—How would you rate Mexico as a designer of
objects?
There is a lot of object-oriented design of an ex-
cellent standard in Mexico. The generation that is
coming of age today is going back to its roots and
recouping traditional processes, but it’s overlook-
ing industrialization. I think it’s just as important
to consider the industrial aspect.
Negocios ProMéxico
 INTERVIEW

—Ariel Rojo is a designer, a brand and a design “A successful person is someone who
studio. You have created one of the country’s
most well-established design studios. How did
enjoys what they do, who enjoys going
you get to this point?
to work. That’s the key to success —
I officially opened my studio in 1998. The Ariel
Rojo Design Studio has been around for 20 years, being happy!”
but I’ve been practicing my craft for a lot longer.
I don’t think you can learn to be an entrepreneur
at school. I don’t know what the situation with the
universities is these days, but I’m convinced that
practice is what really teaches you to make a suc-
cess of a business. Plus I come from a family that
has always had its own businesses. My parents al-
ways encouraged us to take the initiative.

The bicycle racks you designed can be found

all over Mexico City. How did one of your
designs come to be so iconic?
A dear friend, Paulina Newman, invited me to take
part in the project in 2006-2007. We were asked to
design a bicycle rack for the MODO design museum
in the Roma district of Mexico City. The biking cul-
ture boom hadn’t yet occurred and our goal was to
encourage people to use their bikes more.
Other places then asked us to repeat the ex- wetback dish rack, by ariel rojo

ercise —Enrique Olvera for Pujol and a lot of mu-

seums wanted their own bike racks. And from
there on, they became popular. Mexico City’s
government placed a large order and that’s how
the “invasion” began. I still get a rush when I see
them. It’s interesting to know that my work is
part of a city’s experience.

—What does success mean to you?

A successful person is someone who enjoys what
they do, who enjoys going to work. That’s the key
to success —being happy!

—What would you like to do next?

I’d love to do a subway station. I’ve always been fas-
cinated by them. And a motel too. car-keepers piggy bank, by ariel rojo

—What advice would you give to young people

interested in design?
My advice isn’t aimed just at people interested
in design, but at young people in general. I‘d tell
them to be persistent. It saddens me to see how
quick younger generations are to throw in the
towel. They lack perseverance. In my view, it takes
perseverance to achieve anything and a high de-
gree of tolerance to frustration.

—What would you tell foreigners about

Mexican design?
I wouldn’t tell them anything. I’d ask them to look
and see for themselves that what Mexico is produc-
ing is on a par with what’s being done in countries
that are internationally renowned for their design. bicycle racks, by ariel rojo

November | December 2018 117

VEN A COMER

CYNTHIA MARTÍNEZ
HANDS THAT NEVER STOP

La Conspiración de 1809 is a favorite among food lovers visiting the city of Morelia,
Michoacán. This restaurant has it all in the exact measure: décor that exquisitely combines
past and present, a relaxed, but luxurious atmosphere and a traditional menu with a dash
of modernity. Cynthia Martínez, the chef behind it all, tells us how she came to be here.

BY PAOLA VALENCIA

I remember my grandmother, Angela, taking me
everywhere with her. We’d grind the chocolate
together... and the chili peppers and the corn too.
We’d go to the cornfield together and the sta-
ble to feed the animals and milk the cows. The
smell of the fresh cheese and soft, warm tortillas
she used to make is etched on my memory. My
grandmother and the cuisine of Oaxaca were re-
sponsible for educating my palate.
I was born in Reyes Etla in Oaxaca. There,
catching grasshoppers and cooking them was per-
fectly normal. As was taking lunch out to the fields.
I have Michoacan and Oaxaca running in
my veins, two of the most important cuisines in
Mexico. I grew up talking about food, going to
markets, tasting ingredients.
My days revolved around the landscapes
and food of Oaxaca. I was raised by my grand-
parents on my mother’s side because my mother
died when I was very small. The bedtime stories
my grandfather would tell me fascinated me…
and still do.
When I heard that the dream of my other
grandfather, my father’s father, was to open a
restaurant in Morelia, Michoacán, I came to
help. I was only going to stay here a short time,
but that was 23 years ago! I’ve worn every hat in
the restaurant: storekeeper, cashier, buyer and
cook. That’s how I knew the kitchen and con-
cocting flavors were my passion.
When I want to pamper myself with a
Mexican dish, my first choice is a black mole.
Not only is it my favorite, but it reminds me of my
childhood, of Angela, my grandmother. Together
we’d toast the ingredients for the mole and then
grind them.
Mexico is a country of celebrations and tradi-
tions. When I was a little girl, I liked getting the

Negocios ProMéxico
118

photo courtesy of cynthia martínez
cynthia martínez
egg-yolk bread for the night of Day of the Dead.
The smell is unforgettable. I used to love making
the food for religious festivities, Christmas par-
ties, the town fiesta, so when I was asked to serve
up a gala dinner for the Morelia International
Film Festival, I knew how much I’d enjoy it. A red
carpet with 450 people and the world premiere
of Coco. It was a memorable night.
Another unforgettable experience was when
I had the opportunity to make a cocktail dinner
for 1,000 guests at the Vatican. I love cooking
around a theme, creating dishes dedicated to
love, death or life. I play with the ingredients and
use every technique I can to transform them.
I love Mexican food, its ingredients. My fa-
vorite restaurant is Marta Ortiz’s Dulce Patria,
but I’m not averse to a tasty taco at a street stand,
because good Mexican food is made by hand and
eaten by hand.
November | December 2018
VEN A COMER
I grew up among artisans and handicrafts. “When I want to
In Oaxaca and Michoacán, people are always
making things: alebrijes, textiles, shawls, bas-
pamper myself with a
kets, mortars, clay pots and casserole dishes…
Mexican dish, my first
Handicrafts are a great inspiration to me.
It touches me to see how each piece is made. choice is a black mole.
That’s why I founded México Mágico, which is
dedicated to the hands of Mexico that never Not only is it my favorite,
stop.
Located in the Historic Center of Morelia, but it reminds me of my
Michoacán, México Mágico honors Mexican
traditions. Here I like to remember my roots, childhood, of Angela, my
what I’m made of, which is why there aren’t
just crafts here—I also give cooking classes. In grandmother.”
my classes, we start from scratch. The first
step is to visit the main market to select the
ingredients. Then we come back here to make
Mexican dishes. This way, everyone can take a
piece of my country away in their hearts.
119
 VEN A COMER

Avocado juice Avocado jelly

ingredients:
ingredients:
1 ripe avocado
INGREDIENTS
400 ml milk
1 ripe avocado
200 ml evaporated milk
1 lime
50 g cream cheese
1 orange
14 g grenadine
2 liters of water
50 ml
AVOCADO DRINK &
water
refined sugar to taste
refined sugar to taste
ice to taste

DESSERT instructions:
instructions:

FRESH AVOCADO • blend the avocado flesh,

2/3 of the lime with peel
• blend the avocado flesh,
milk and evaporated milk

JUICE AND AVOCADO

with the sugar and cream
and 1/3 of the orange
cheese until you have a
with peel (be sure to
very sweet mixture.

JELLY remove the seeds).

• strain to remove any
pieces of peel.
• dissolve the grenadine
in water and activate
it in the microwave for
• sweeten to taste and add
one minute, stirring at
ice.
BY CYNTHIA MARTÍNEZ
20-second intervals.
• gradually add the
grenadine to the
avocado mixture, stirring
There is no fruit more Mexican than the avocado and no continually.
meal in Mexico is considered complete without it. The state • pour into molds
and refrigerate for
of Michoacán is the country’s leading producer. approximately four hours.
photo courtesy of cynthia martínez

Negocios ProMéxico
120