Juan Verde

POLICY EXPERT AND CORPORATE STRATEGIST.

ADVOCATE FOR THE GREEN ECONOMY.

Juan Verde conferencias, speaker, economía verde
English · Spanish

Juan Verde is an internationally renowned strategist for both the public and private sectors, with a particular focus on sustainable economic development. His specialty is designing innovative strategies to attract investment, accelerate economic development, and support strategic alliances.

 

In 2023, Juan Verde has been appointed by the President of the United States Joe Biden, as a new Member of the Export Council (President’s Export Council).

 

In the public sector, Mr. Verde served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasia at the United States Department of Commerce under President Barack Obama. In this capacity, Mr. Verde led the Department’s efforts to solve trade policy and market-access issues faced by U.S. firms seeking to grow their business operations in Europe and Eurasia. Additionally, he was responsible for developing and recommending policies and programs to support U.S. economic and commercial relations with 52 countries in the region.

 

Mr. Verde previously served in the Department of Commerce during the Clinton Administration as an international trade analyst, coordinator, and consultant, working first in the Office of Latin America and later in the Minority Business Development Agency.

 

In the private sector, Juan Verde has served as a consultant for a variety of prestigious companies, such as Google, Cisco, SAS, American Express, and Banco Santander Investments US. He has also collaborated with institutions such as the Inter-American Development Bank, Harvard University Kennedy School, and the World Bank. He founded and led the Canary Islands and Gibraltar chapters of the American Chamber of Commerce and is a current member of the Board of Directors of the American Sustainable Business Council, the leading business organization in the U.S. serving the public policy interests of sustainable responsible companies, their customers and other stakeholders.

His policy and private sector experiences have dovetailed in Mr. Verde’s efforts to promote sustainable global business practices and leadership development. He was a key advocate of Vice President Gore’s “The Climate Reality Project” and helped create its Spain and Argentina branches. More recently, he was selected as one of the “World’s 100 Most Influential Latinos in the fight against Climate Change” in 2019 and 2020, and was featured at the UN Climate Conference, COP25, in 2019.

 

He also currently presides over the Advanced Leadership Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. that seeks to identify and develop the next generation of business, social, and political leaders from around the world.

 

Mr. Verde is a doctoral candidate in Economics at the Universidad Camilo José Cela in Madrid, Spain, where he is investigating green economy strategies for small island nations. He holds a master’s degree in Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Relations from Boston University, and was elected to the Alumni Board of Directors at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. In addition, Mr. Verde has been decorated as a knight by the Sovereign Order of the Ecumenical Knights of Rhodes and Malta, and his work has been recognized by Pope Francis.

Within the political arena, Mr. Verde was a Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Fellow during his early career and has worked with some of today’s most relevant political figures, including former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Al Gore, the late Senator Ted Kennedy, and former Secretary of State John Kerry. In the public sector, he has worked with the governments of Lithuania, Gibraltar, and the United States, as well as numerous governors and mayors in Latin America.

Currently, Mr. Verde lives in San Juan, Puerto Rico and travels to Spain and Washington, D.C.

Sustainability, circular economies, and making the transition toward a new economic model.

Green Economy: A Unique business and investment opportunity.

We are witnessing unprecedented growth in the use of green technology and innovation, which will lead to historic business and investment opportunities for companies that know how to make the most of the moment. We’ll be more environmentally responsible not just because it’s ethical and the right thing to do, but especially because of the huge economic opportunity and competitive advantage it poses. — Juan Verde.

Juan’s belief is that we find ourselves amid a transition to a zero-emissions economy, which is proving to be the catalyst for rapid and unprecedented innovation.

This is creating tremendous investment and business opportunities for companies, institutions, governments, and entrepreneurs alike.

Juan’s vast experience in the public and private sectors, his extensive consulting record with prestigious international organizations and multilateral entities, and his work with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore have all helped develop his unique vision for business and investment opportunities in a post-carbon global economy.

The world must be prepared for the fourth industrial revolution in sustainability, as it is the most likely source of both investment and profitability in the future.

Innovation, leadership and an entrepreneurial spirit: Innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit as keys to competitiveness in the 21st century.

“The best way to boost competitiveness and survive is to constantly innovate. Innovation is no longer an option. It’s a must.” — Juan Verde.

As economies continue to globalize, businesses must constantly re-design and re-define their strategic models to adapt to the needs of an ever-expanding consumer base.

In this speech, Juan talks about his vision regarding the importance of innovation for companies as the key to economic growth and competitiveness, the relevance of an entrepreneurial spirit as the force of innovation, and the role the entrepreneur must play within an organization.

From his perspective as a founder, majority shareholder, executive, and strategic consultant to global businesses and institutions, he identifies these described elements as requisites for any company to have a competitive advantage in today’s evolving and ever-changing economic landscapes.

Internationalization, exports and global economy strategies.

Why companies should be looking for new markets outside of its country – business opportunities in the United States.

“Internationalization is within the reach of every company, but not without first carrying out a process of analysis and preparation. Nowadays, internationalization is more of a necessity than an option, since it is mandatory to create projects that can be adapted to diverse markets.” — Juan Verde.

In this presentation, Juan highlights his experience as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Europe during Barack Obama’s administration, and as an international trade consultant for numerous companies and governments.

Juan’s extensive knowledge from his career as a consultant for the internationalization processes of several companies such as The Inter-American Development Bank, The International Finance Corporation (World Bank), Santander Bank, Cisco, Google, and ABB, enable him to provide a broad vision on how and why companies should internationalize.