Iris V. Quadrio
Partner, Marval O'Farrell & Mairal (Argentina)

Iris V. Quadrio, attorney specialized in IP law, partner of Marval, O’Farrell & Mairal in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and co-leader of its Trademark Department. In addition to sitting on the Managing Board of the firm, she forms part of the Career and Diversity Committees and chairs the New Partners Committee. She is also responsible for coordinating the mentoring program for new partners of the Firm.

She was on the Board of Directors of the International Trademark Association (INTA) and served on its Executive Committee. She is also a member of the Interamerican Association of Industrial Property (ASIPI), Association Internationale pour la Protéction de la Propriété Intellectuelle (AIPPI), Chartered Institute of Trademark Attorneys (CITMA), European Community Trademark Association (ECTA) Pharmaceutical Trademarks Group (PTMG) and of the Association des Practiciens du Droit des Marques et des Modèles (APRAM).

She has lectured in many seminars and conferences at universities and specialist forums both in Argentina and abroad and has written numerous articles on a variety of IP issues.
 
Juan Cruz Valdez Rojas
Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay Country Manager, Monsanto

Latin America South Women’s Network Lead.
Industrial Engineer / MBA. 20-year experience within multinational companies throughout several sectors and geographies.
Angel investor and startup advisor.
 
María Epifania González
Ministra Secretaria de la SEPRELAD (Paraguay)

Bio to follow
 
Carla Bacigalupo
Ministra de Trabajo (Paraguay)

Bio to follow
 
Gloria Ayala Person
Director Fondos Patrimoniales y Casa de Bolsa, CADIEM

Gloria Ayala Person, mother of 4, Paraguayan, is an economist from the National University of Asunción, has a PhD in Economics and Business Administration from the University of Seville, a Master's in Business Administration from the Catholic University of Asunción and is also certified as Ontological Coach by Yoica.

Her work life began at age 13, however, her commitment to personal and corporate finances began at age 22 when she worked on the development and implementation of the opening of the Stock Exchange in Paraguay, inaugurated in October 1993, with her as the CEO of the entity.

She is currently the Chairman of: Cavida SA, Potenciarte SA, Innovarte SA and Superarte SA. All of them business provider of services. She is also Director of: Cadiem Casa de Bolsa SA, Cadiem Administradora de Fondos SA and Yoica SA.

She is an International Speaker on Personal Finance since 2011 (with an average of 100 conferences per year). She presents Financial Health capsules called “Hablando de dinero” (Talking about money), which are televised on two air channels and transmitted also on two radios.

In addition, she is a Director in the Club de Ejecutivos del Paraguay (Executives Club of Paraguay), Director of the Asociación de Empresarios Cristianos (Catholic Entrepreneur Association), a Member of the Business Advisory Council of Unicef and Ambassador of Plan International in Paraguay.

Actually, she is coursing a Sustainability Postgrade Diplomat. She teaches Financial Engineering at the Catholic University of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción.
 
Tania Peña
Legal & External Affairs Manager (Paraguay and Uruguay), British American Tobacco

Tania Peña was appointed as Head of Legal and External Affairs of British American Tobacco (BAT) for Paraguay and Uruguay in 2016. Prior to joining BAT, she worked for PROSEGUR, a security company with a global presence, as Legal and Anti Money Laundering Manager in Paraguay. Before that, she spent 3 years working as Compliance Officer in CARGILL Paraguay and advised on the creation of the Compliance Area in CARGILL Bolivia. She also has a solid expertise working in private practice in prestigious local Law firms, specifically on IP matters as well as a vast experience on the public field working for criminal matters at the National Prosecutor Office in Paraguay .
She has a degree in Law and Public Notary (Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Paraguay) and is a Candidate for LL.M in Corporate Law (Universidad Católica “Nuestra Señora de la Asunción”, Asunción, Paraguay). Tania has always been committed to women empowerment and gender equality matters.
 
Bettina Pessolani
Managing Director, Crafting Brands

Bettina Pessolani Pastore, has been working with mass consumption markets in Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay for more than 20 years, leading various executive positions. During this time she was also member of Boards of Directors in multinationals and chambers related to the private business sector in Paraguay and Argentina.

She holds a Masters Degrees in Business Executive Management from the IAE Business School Argentina and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Marketing College at the Catholic University of Asunción in 2001. Nowadays, she is a professor of several MBA courses at the American University of Asunción.

Her analytical orientation, development of innovation strategies, business and planning of local and regional markets, has allowed her to make an important leap from the corporate world to entrepreneurship, founding her own consulting company: Crafting Brands, after 14 years of corporate career. Its main areas of action are focused on market research & consumer insights, innovation, business development and strategic business planning.

In the last 5 years she has been responsible for leading the execution of more than 200 commercial and marketing projects in the local market, launching and re-launching iconic brands.

Some brands worked regionally and locally in the last years are: ADES, ACISA, AMANDAU, CADIEM, CONTI PARAGUAY, DOVE, HELLMANN'S, ILLY, KEEPER, KNORR, K-ZERO, MAIZENA, SAVORA, MATIRIS, MIATERRA, MÓDIGA, RAÍCES, RAPSODIA, VIVA BIEN, VISIÓN BANCO Y TELETÓN.
 
Moderator: Lourdes Breuer
Lawyer, BKM | Berkemeyer

Bio to follow