VISA - LA NACION Innovation Award: What Are the CEOs Who Dare to Break the Mold Like?

The VISA - LA NACION Innovation Award celebrates chief executive officers who dare to break molds and champion creativity, understanding that errors can be integral to growth. This distinction, established in 2024, specifically honors leaders who deviate from the status quo, recognizing the need for agile and flexible minds in the business world.

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Winning this award was an enormous pride because it recognizes something that is structural for us: innovation is in our DNA, it is the center of everything we do and the engine of growth. It is a recognition of a way of building business, where teams, science, technology, and creativity combine to generate truly superior value propositions.

In 2025, Laura Barnator, General Manager of Unilever Southern Cone and Home Care LATAM, received the award in the "Innovative CEO of a multinational company" category. Barnator, who holds a degree in computer science from the University of Buenos Aires and has over three decades of experience at Unilever, emphasized that innovation is structural to her approach. "Innovation from leadership means putting innovation at the center of decisions. It means driving value propositions that stem from a deep understanding of the consumer and are supported by science and technology. But above all, it means creating an environment where these ideas can scale and become concrete solutions," she stated.

Fabián Kon, the current CEO of Grupo Financiero Galicia, was recognized in the "Innovative CEO of an Argentine group" category. Kon, who began his career as an office boy and joined Grupo Galicia in 2000, rose through the ranks, eventually becoming CEO in 2016. Following the merger with HSBC in 2025, he now leads the holding company that encompasses Banco Galicia, Naranja X, Galicia Seguros, Galicia Asset Management, and Inviu. Kon expressed pride in the award, viewing it as validation of Grupo Galicia's efforts and focus over the years. "All these recognitions make us proud and show us that the market validates Grupo Galicia's effort and focus in recent years," he said.

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Innovating from leadership is putting innovation at the center of decisions. It is driving value propositions that are born from a deep knowledge of the consumer and that are leveraged by science and technology. But, above all, it is creating an environment where those ideas can scale and become concrete solutions.

Both Barnator and Kon exemplify leaders who integrate innovation deeply into their corporate DNA. Their success underscores a business philosophy where teams, science, technology, and creativity converge to generate superior value propositions, driving growth and adapting to the evolving demands of the global marketplace.

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All these recognitions make us proud and show us that Grupo Galicia's effort and focus in these years is validated by the market.