The 500 people who move Latin America’s business and economy

Welcome to the 2022 edition of The 500 Most Influential People in Latin America. This year, economic conditions have changed with inflation, as have the prices of commodities, which are critical to some of the region’s economies.The war in Ukraine created bottlenecks in supply chains, affecting the distribution of commodities, while another factor impacting the region’s economies has been the rise in interest rates by central banks, affecting the cost of capital and access to credit. 2022 has also been a nightmare for many startups, as the so-called ‘tech winter’ has reduced available capital. Even so, Latin America has witnessed the emergence of new unicorns, proof that optimism in the sector remains.

Latin America's 500 chart the path toward recovery. The 2022 edition includes business leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, artists, and athletes. Almost 200 people make their debut on the list and besides the fact that more than a third of them are women, Latin America’s diversity push is also reflected here. The list is not a ranking, and is not related to the fortune of the 500 people included. Our motivation is more to do with the value they generate in their sectors, whether through job creation, their weight in local economies, or their support for important initiatives.

Select a country to see who made to the list in 2022

How we selected the Latin America’s 500

Bloomberg Línea's editorial team researched in more than 20 countries in the region to highlight business leaders, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, athletes, activists, public officials and scientists.

The editors took into account factors such as job creation, investments and innovations that helped spur economic activity.

The 2022 list includes a growing percentage of women who have led initiatives to advance their countries' economies in key indices.

This year we include some markets that are new to the list, but whose economic activity is part of the region's economic development. Thus, we feature personalities from Cuba, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, and a selection of Hispanic executives in the US who lead companies with a presence in the Americas.

If you want to propose a person for the next editions, please reach out: contact@bloomberglinea.com