Alberto Vallarino Clément
Alberto Vallarino Clément | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 2, 1951 Panama City, Panama |
| Occupation(s) | Engineer, entrepreneur, politician |
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Known for | President and CEO of Grupo VerdeAzul; Minister of Economy and Finance of Panama (2009–2011) |
Alberto Vallarino Clément (born April 2, 1951, in Panama City) is a Panamanian engineer and entrepreneur who has held the position of president and CEO at Grupo VerdeAzul, S.A. since 2011.
Biography
Originating from Panama City, Vallarino descends from a distinguished family historically connected to Panama's independence. In 1981, he wed Adriana Lewis Morgan, with whom he has three children.
Education
He completed his secondary education at Colegio La Salle in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science degree, followed by an Industrial Engineering degree in 1973 and a Master of Business Administration in 1974, both obtained from Cornell University.
Professional Experience
Vallarino's professional journey commenced at Citibank in 1974. Subsequently, he directed Industria Nacional de Plásticos, S.A. from 1975 to 1988 and was Executive Vice President at Metalforma, S.A. during 1979–1988. In 1988, he assumed the role of Executive Vice President at Banco del Istmo and its affiliated companies.
For twenty years, he served as CEO of Grupo Banistmo until its acquisition by HSBC in 2007. In 1999, he expanded his business portfolio by founding Buenaventura Tourism Development.
His governance roles include board memberships at Cable & Wireless Communications Panama, Caja de Seguro Social, Banco Nacional de Panamá, and Empresa de Transmisión Eléctrica S.A. Since 2013, he has been a member of the Panama Canal Authority board for a nine-year term.
Leading Grupo VerdeAzul since 2011, Vallarino has concentrated on diversified investments across major sectors within Panama.
Political Involvement
In 1984, Vallarino acted as General Sub Coordinator for Arnulfo Arias's presidential campaign. He engaged in the Cruzada Civilista movement in 1989 through corporate channels to resist the military regime.
During the May 2, 1999 elections, he was the presidential nominee representing Acción Oppositora, a coalition formed by four opposition parties including the Partido Demócrata Cristiano.
Between 2009 and 2011, Vallarino was appointed Panama’s Minister of Economy and Finance under President Ricardo Martinelli. His administration saw Panama attain Investment Grade status from three leading credit rating agencies in 2010: Fitch Ratings granted this status in March—the first ever for the country; Standard & Poor's followed in May, highlighting moderate deficit forecasts and anticipated economic expansion; and Moody's conferred the rating in June, acknowledging notable fiscal reforms and robust growth.
Additionally, during his ministerial term, Panama was removed from the OECD’s tax haven list in July 2011 due to enhanced fiscal transparency and cooperation efforts. This development aligned Panama with compliant nations such as Mexico, France, and Italy.
Philanthropic Activities
Alberto Vallarino has held prominent leadership positions within industrial and export sectors, including presidency of the Unión de Trabajo Industrial de Panamá (1981–1982), Asociación de Industriales Latinoamericanos (1982), and Asociación de Exportadores Panameños (1983). He founded the Instituto de Competitividad Infantil de COSPAE and retains life membership there. Furthermore, he actively contributes to Fundación para el Desarrollo Económico y Social de Panamá (Fudespa) and the National Centre of Competitiveness. He also presides over Fundación Por Un Mejor Panamá.
He created Fundación Vallarino Clément to advance projects focused on education, economic progress, and cultural development.
While leading Banistmo, he initiated Valores del Istmo, the bank’s corporate social responsibility program—a commitment he has maintained at Grupo VerdeAzul through Fundación Por Un Mejor Panamá since 2007.