Meet the Club: Latin American Business Association

First row (L to R): Lucia Jimenez (’15), Ignacio Silva (’14), Bruno Guzman (’15), Humberto Solovera (’15), Elizabeth Pratt (’15). Second row (L to R): Alex Contreras (EMBA ’14), Joaquin Drewanz (’14), Arturo Goldberg (’15), Guilherme Ferreira (’14), Rodrigo Fernandez (’14), John Paul Fischer (’15). Third row (L to R): Matías Machado ('15), Nicolas von Wuthenau ('14), Mario Calderón (’14), Alan Kerbel (’14), Jorge Bromberg (MBA/MPP ’14), Cristobal Behrens (’15).

For more than 10 years, the Latin American Business Association at UCLA Anderson has brought together students, faculty and alumni who have ties to, or an interest in, Latin America. Its 49 members hail from Latin America, the United States and Europe.

“If you take it per capita, it’s a big percentage of Latin Americans that come here,” Rodrigo Fernandez (’14), co-president of LABA, says of the Latin American population at Anderson. “They want to be able to network, so the club is like a hub.”

LABA helps students looking for jobs in Latin America connect with Anderson alumni and interns abroad. The group also works with the Parker Career Management Center to connect students with recruiters from Latin American companies that have U.S. offices, as well as to connect them with U.S. companies looking to hire Latin American MBAs.

In addition to organizing its annual Latin American Business Conference (taking place Feb. 28 in Korn Hall), LABA also hosts quarterly barbecues for LABA members and their families, “Dine and Learn” events with Latin American faculty, an annual Brazilian party, a welcome mixer and a “Days on the Job” event in Miami.

“It’s fun to be a LABA member, but it’s not only about the fun,” says Jorge Bromberg (’14), co-president of LABA, adding that the group hopes to broaden the perspectives of students who are set on staying in Los Angeles. “Los Angeles has to focus more on Latin America—we’re just on the other side of the border. It’s a huge zone of opportunity and the best way to tap that zone is to talk to us, so we can introduce them to alumni and folks in Latin America.”

Bromberg says the group hopes to educate others about the diversity found across Latin America, as well as within LABA. “The club is not only for Latin Americans, it’s for anyone with the slightest interest in Latin American culture, business and even language,” adds Fernandez.

Head here for more on LABA, and here for details on this year’s Latin American Business Conference.

Comments

[Regina Regazzi]

Los Consentidos!!!!!!