Agenda
Panel discussion
- Investing in Costa Rica: Reaching the triple bottom line for MedTech in people, planet, and prosperity.
- Resilient Supply Chains: The Success of Developing local suppliers to avoid disruption.
- Achieving Efficiencies: Discover Costa Rica’s enabling capabilities and growth ecosystems.
- Enabling R&D: Opportunities and key factors to innovate from Costa Rica
- Converging technologies: How is Costa Rica emerging in the new MedTech?
Q&A
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Pilar Madrigal is the Head of Investment Advisory, at the Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency (CINDE). She joined CINDE in 1998 and during her 20-year career at CINDE, she has been instrumental in leading the organization's international promotion efforts. In her current role, she is responsible for developing strategies, activities and programs to promote foreign direct investment into Costa Rica as well as overseeing the long-term growth of the companies already established in the country.
Prior to joining CINDE, Pilar was appointed as Third Secretary to the United Nations. It was during that period that Costa Rica held both the Presidency of the Group of the 77 (G-77) and of the United Nations Security Council.
Pilar studied marketing at the Universidad Internacional de las Americas.
Dr. Merz has been serving Bayer Pharmaceuticals as the Senior Vice President of Product Supply Medical Device Operations since July 2021. In his current position, he oversees management of supply of Medical Device products and components, with product lines including Radiology Systems, innovative Women’s Health products, ancillary devices to support drug and Biotech products, Sterile Disposable devices, and information technology applications. Prior to this he has worked for over 25 years in the Pharmaceuticals industry in various manufacturing operational and strategic roles.
Isaías graduated in 1990 as Licentiate in Industrial Engineering from the University of Costa Rica. In 2002 was certified in Production and Inventory Management by the “American Production and Inventory Control Society” (APICS).
During his career he has developed significant experience in manufacturing environments and operations management with a specialized focus on Supply Chain. Before joining the Life Sciences Sector in 1999, he served in the Textile, Agricultural and Retail/Wholesale industries.
Isaías joined Abbott/Hospira/Pfizer/ICU Medical in 1999 and was initially responsible for starting up and managing several Supply Chain roles as Warehousing, Production Control and Planning. In 2002, became the Purchasing Manager of the Shared Services organization in Rocky Mount NC. He returned to Costa Rica in 2004 to assume the Materials Manager position and then to run the Manufacturing Operations. In 2008 Isaias became the Site Director and General Manager of the Costa Rican operation.
Al Nasci leads the Procurement organization for Philips’ Image Guided Therapy Devices (IGTD) business responsible for developing procurement strategies, supplier performance and cost optimization projects. Al has over 20 years of experience across strategic sourcing, purchasing and supply chain operations serving Medical, Automotive and Consumer Electronics market segments. He currently lives in California with his family.
Jorge Oguilve Araya serves as Senior Manager of Research and Development at Boston Scientific. He leads teams headquartered in St. Paul and Maple Grove, Minnesota, USA and in Heredia, Costa Rica.
Jorge is a private pilot who holds a bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Costa Rica and a master's (cum laude) in Modern Manufacturing Systems from the Technological Institute of Costa Rica. Additionally, he is a graduate of the National System of Scientific Colleges of Costa Rica-Pérez Zeledón campus.
He has extensive experience in the technology sector, specifically in the industries of semiconductors (Intel), medical (Baxter and Boston Scientific), and aerospace / energy. He was responsible for the launch of Ad Astra Rocket Company-Costa Rica, as Director of Operations from 2006-2014; during this period, Costa Rican newspaper El Financiero selected Jorge for their 2012 "40 under 40."
Early in his career, Jorge was one of the first Costa Rican participants in NASA internships, which he completed at the Johnson Space Center Advanced Propulsion Laboratory in Houston, Texas. Later, he formed part of the Liberia, Guanacaste-based leadership team that achieved first thrust for the VASIMR plasma-based engine; he is also a pioneer in Zero Gravity (NASA) flights carrying the Costa Rican flag.
In the academic realm, Jorge has served as professor at the University of Costa Rica (Guanacaste campus) and at the Technological Institute of Costa Rica. In the community arena, he acted as vice-president of the Liberia Community Support Association, led by Dr. Franklin Chang Díaz.
On May 14, 2019, Carlos Alvarado Quesada, the President of Costa Rica, swore him in as a new member of the Board of Directors of the National Council for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICIT).
Alvaro Soto-Monge is from Costa Rica and has worked for the biopharmaceutical company Roche for more than 28 years. Currently, he is the general manager for Central America and the Caribbean (CAC), where he leads the company’s commitment to be a partner in the evolution of healthcare ecosystems, driving the transformation of Roche’s portfolio to ensure that innovation reaches patients as soon as possible, and positioning the company as a benchmark for sustainability in the pharmaceutical industry.
He is a visionary and catalyst leader, who inspires purpose-driven teams to think innovatively and achieve new goals for the well-being of patients.
His extensive experience at Roche has allowed him to assume responsibilities and develop the necessary skills to work in markets with different situations and needs.
In his first steps at the company, he worked in the treasury and controller area. Later, he was a corporate auditor at Roche’s headquarters in Basel, Switzerland. From this position, he implemented several projects for Latin America. Years later, he took on a new professional challenge as Finance and Administration Director in Belgium. After this role, he returned to the American continent as CFO for Roche Mexico; in this same country, he later assumed the Oncology Business Unit.
This innate leader of the pharmaceutical industry decided to return, 10 years ago, to Costa Rica and assume the general management for Central America and the Caribbean. Afterwards, his vast capacity and knowledge allowed him to serve – during four years - as president of the Roche sub region for Latin America, where he oversaw operations in Central America and the Caribbean, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Bolivia, Paraguay and Venezuela.
His professional motivation is to be part of a multidisciplinary, dynamic team that is willing to take risks aimed at making innovation available to improve the quality of life of patients in the region. Working in a company focused on innovation and the patient, presents a unique opportunity to work in areas such as cancer, hematology, multiple sclerosis and hemophilia, among others.
He currently holds the presidency of the Central American Federation of Pharmaceutical Laboratories (Fedefarma), which represents 18 pharmaceutical research and development companies present in the region.