The rocketeers: four companies in Latin America that can power-up your resume - Best Employers - Best Employers survey

Latin Trade, Dec, 2002 by Greg Brown

Citibank does this by building people from inside with quick rotations from radically different business units--from commercial side to operations, then to staffing, for example--early in the career. "Of course, we support them, but I see a lot of young people learning on the ropes," says Eduardo Comella, Citigroup's human resources director for Latin America and a 15-year employee.

On top of internal challenges, competitive international banking now undergoes nearly constant change, recruiters say, so the pressure comes from inside and out. "You tend to get tested to your limit pretty soon, and if you don't make it, you're gone pretty quick," says J. Steven Bartley, director of Seeliger y Conde International in Miami.

Ignacio Jasminoy, country head for Citibank in the Dominican Republic, joined the bank 17 years ago. When Argentina launched pension funds in 1994, Jasminoy developed marketing plans there for what was then an unknown financial product.

In February, the Dominican Republic will do the same, so Jasminoy is looking forward to applying his learning from Argentina. Teamwork is very important, he says, but the level of challenge means that meeting your personal responsibilities is all the more essential. "You have to know how to manage yourself," Jasminoy says. "It depends on your push and your attitude."

Coca-Cola People First

The world's No. 1 brand didn't get that way on fizzy water alone. Making Coke second only to water takes people.

Coke meets the people goal by setting aside daylong meetings among the top brass every quarter to hash out who gets promoted and why. A week per year, on average, is dedicated to figuring out how to take advantage of the talent on hand. "One of the things we see as critical is international development of our folks." says Ben Cardoso, vice president of human resources for Coca-Cola in northern Latin America.

The right person matters. Executives are expected to plug into their markets, get the lay of the land and work hard to make a relatively generic product--a cola drink--seem culturally indispensable, no matter who in the world is buying it. It's a commitment only a few can master, but being that person can lead to an interesting career.

Executive recruiters agree on that point--Coke's shadow is long around the world and in Latin America, too. "They've been a partner of the region for 60,70 years and they'll continue to make investments for decades, and that's an important part of any career development." says recruiter Jean-Dominique Virchaux, a partner at Spencer Stuart in Coral Gables, Florida.

Javier Meza, a senior brand manager for the southern Latin America Division, has spent the last five years at Coca-Cola. "It has been five years of constant challenge, but also of development and responsibilities." says the Ecuadoran executive based in Argentina.

Coca-Cola is unique in part, says Meza, because ideas move quickly around the company. Using internal company Web sites, he can peruse plans elsewhere in the world and take what he wants for his region. Quarterly meetings around the world encourage intellectual transfer and informal sharing among colleagues, wherever they are.