About us

Ana Blanco is a sustainability and external affairs expert helping companies strengthen their business models by identifying, measuring and managing environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks and opportunities, as well as understanding policy and regulatory frameworks. As Director of External Affairs at PMI, Ana developed partnerships with public and private sector organizations and advocated for policy modernization. Previously, she worked for GSMA and the United Nations in corporate sustainability initiatives and in the financial industry as an ESG research analyst. She is part of the Advisory Board for Concordia. Ana holds a law degree and MA degrees in Political Science, Journalism and Latam Studies. She lives in New York with her husband, daughter and two dogs. She enjoys participating in long-distance triathlons.

Lina Delgado is a partnerships expert with extensive experience in public-private collaboration. She has successfully identified, cultivated, and executed win-win alliances that accelerate social impact, organizational growth, and business opportunities. Lina served as the Executive Director of the Colombian American Association (CAA), where she created and led successful initiatives such as the Entrepreneur Incubation Program, When Women Lead, and Innovation & Tech. She also designed and organized major international conferences. Before joining CAA, Lina founded a digital marketing agency serving small and mid-size companies. Previously, Lina worked as a senior investor relations associate at i-Advize, supporting investor relations efforts by Latin American companies. Lina holds a BA in Business from ICESI University and an MBA Essentials certificate from the London School of Economics. She enjoys mentoring social entrepreneurs, and visiting her native Colombia.

Associate
Facilitator with 20 years of experience in global health, supporting organizational strategy development and guiding the introduction of new health technologies in the infectious disease and sexual & reproductive health fields. Trained in health behavior, Petra has also supported organizations in the adoption of human centered design and behavioral economics approaches to advance health outcomes. She is a skilled facilitator with specialized training in adult learning and is sought out for her inclusive and impactful facilitation approaches. Her clients include the Gates Foundation, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, FIND, the World Health Organization, Mann Global Health, PSI and FHI 360. She holds a MA degree in Public Health.

Associate Director
Michael is a visionary marketing leader who has challenged the status quo in a career that has spanned more than 30 years.
He was instrumental in establishing the GSMA as the voice of the mobile industry, driving innovations such as Mobile World
Live TV, the Mobile Economy report series, and the company’s “Better Future” industry purpose initiative. In this role, he worked closely with the UN Department for Public Information (UNDPI) as well as DESA and ITU in various SDG advocacy projects.
Michael reinvigorated Microsoft’s communications service provider offering through the “Telco 2.0” strategy, raising the company’s industry perception rating and growing the sector business. As co-founder of mTech.Academy, he worked to transform the Northern Ireland education system, helping students build the real-world employability skills they need to succeed in the digital world.

Associate Director
Beth has over 30 years of experience delivering marketing and communications programs that generate exceptional results for global organizations such as the GSMA, Microsoft, Amazon, AWS, and others. Prior to forming Combustion, she spent 10 years leading the GSMA’s public relations, executive communications, social media, brand, and employee communications programs. While there, Beth drove communications strategies and wide media coverage for their industry purpose program and advocacy initiatives including GSMA Connected Women and Women4Tech. Beth has crafted compelling press releases, media pitches, speeches and narratives for C-level executives at high-profile events, including UNGA, the World Economic Forum, World Bank Annual Meetings, Mobile World Congress, and VivaTech. Beth holds a degree in Business Administration with a dual concentration in marketing and management.

External Consultant
Rafael has more than 15 years’ experience providing strategic investor relations and corporate communications counsel to publicly-traded companies and debt issuers with extensive operations in Latin America, and Asian micro-cap companies seeking access to U.S. capital markets.
Rafael served as Director at InspIR Group, a leading Investor Relations and Corporate Communications advisory firm. He managed the equity and fixed-income investor relations programs for clients in Latin America.
Prior to InspIR Group, Rafael was Senior Vice President at i-advize Corporate Communications. He was responsible for designing and developing effective investor relations programs while coordinating and executing all investor events, including investor days and roadshows.
Rafael holds a Master of Science in Investor Relations from Fordham University in New York City and a Licentiate degree in International Business from the Universidad Internacional de las Americas in San Jose, Costa Rica. He is Fluent in Spanish and English.

Strategic Partner
Ancizar is an international business specialist designing and implementing foreign investment projects and identifying and financing international trade opportunities. He designed the 2023 global strategy for El Salvador’s investment and export promotion agency. Previously, Ancizar worked for ProColombia in the US and Mexico designing and implementing new models to attract investment to Colombia. He holds an M.A. in International Business, International Trade, and Finance from Universidad Externado de Colombia and a degree in Economics and Business Administration from Universidad Santo Tomas de Colombia.

Associate
Virginie (Gini) has over 12 years of experience working on social development issues with an Intersectional Gender Perspective. She has served as a Project Manager, Senior Consultant, Researcher, Advisor, Workshop Facilitator, and Critic in Gender Equality and Violence Prevention topics.
Gini holds a degree in Business Administration and Finance from the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM) and a master's degree in International Development specializing in Gender Studies from The George Washington University in Washington D.C.
Virginie is the Founder of mxpersonas.org a consultancy project that works from feminist perspectives to ensure that people, in their diversity and various contexts, can live safely and free from violence.

Associate
Valentina is a seasoned executive coach and workshop facilitator with extensive international experience and a robust cross-functional background, committed to enhancing organizational performance through human-centric strategies. She has empowered individuals and teams globally to unlock their potential, foster psychological safety, and drive business success. As a human resources expert, she worked as an Employee Experience Lead & Business Partner for FT500 companies in New York and Mexico City, where she championed an employee-centric culture, designed holistic employee experiences, and delivered comprehensive training on empathy and engagement to a global audience. With a proven track record in talent management, leadership skills, and organizational development, she is dedicated to facilitating transformative workshops and coaching sessions that inspire innovation and elevate team performance across diverse settings. Valentina holds a degree in International Relations and studies in management, psychological safety, and innovative workshop tools. She is fluent in English and Spanish.

Strategic Partner
Ricardo has over 20 years of experience across diverse industries, demonstrating exceptional skills in managing commercial relationships with clients in LATAM, capital raising, asset management and deal closure.
Today, Ricardo is focused on guiding corporations towards value-adding projects that promote sustainability and societal well-being.