Our region

Central America and the Caribbean Basin, characterized by fragmented markets that are just beginning to open up to strong foreign competition, make up the geographic focus of our operations. Many changes have come about through policies aimed at market liberalization, including cutting inflation, promoting free capital flow and increased privatization and deregulation.

The region has been experiencing economic growth during the last decade and for the first time in a quarter century, all of the governments are democratic and free of armed conflict. Nevertheless, the complexities of these markets and the velocity of change has proved a challenge to local companies that attempt to obtain scale and presence in the region. The market fragmentation has also caused problems for multinationals that are looking for investment opportunities in the region. Our job is to provide support to local companies and to multinationals in their strategies to achieve scale, competitiveness and profitability.

Origins of the term, Mesoamerica

Paul Kirchhoff coined the term, “Mesoamerica” in 1943 from the Greek ‘mesos’ or ‘center’ and ‘America’ from Amerigo Vespucci who claimed to have discovered the continent (Christopher Columbus thought he had reached Asia). Kirchhoff’s intention was to define a cultural area whose inhabitants share a common heritage and cultural makeup. Since it refers more to a cultural region than a geographical one, its borders fluctuated throughout history. In general, the term refers to the region from the south of Mexico through Panama.