The most powerful business families are found in the diversification of their businesses and their markets, that is the master key to success. From Juan José Gutiérrez Mayorga’s family in Guatemala, to the Vallarinos in Panama.
These families have made their foray into different economic sectors and in the various countries of the region a fundamental part of their investment strategies. Another feature is the broad influence they exert on public life in their countries and the proximity to political power.
Meet the 5 most influential families in Central America.
- Gutiérrez Bosch family
- Clan Leader: Dionisio Gutiérrez
- Country of origin: Guatemala.
- Pollo Campero Restaurants in America, Europe and Asia: 300.
- The group employs more than 40,000 people.
Companies and sectors: The Multi-Investment Corporation (CMI), coordinating entity of the companies of the Gutiérrez Bosch family. Is the main economic group in Guatemala and one of the largest in Central America.
Presence in Central America, Mexico, the United States, the Dominican Republic, and through the Pollo Campero franchises, in the United States, Europe and Asia.
- Aizenman family
- Clan Leader: Jacobo Aizenman
- Country of origin: Costa Rica.
- Car brands represented in Costa Rica by the Aizenman brothers: 11.
- The Danissa, Veinsa and Quality Motors Groups employ 1,000 people.
Companies and sectors: The Danissa Group, owned by Samuel and Jacobo Aizenman Pinchanski. Is a distributor of the Nissan and Audi brands, and has the concession of the car rental company Avis.
His brother Salomón, head of the Veinsa Group, is a dealer for Mitsubishi, Geely, JMC, Fuso, Brilliance, Citroën and Ssang Yong. The youngest of the clan, Israel, is the representative of Kia and Mazda through Quality Motor.
- Poma Family
- Clan Leader: Ricardo Poma
- Country of origin: El Salvador.
- Annual Group Sales: $ 1.8 billion.
- Grupo Poma employs 18,000 people in Central America, Colombia, Mexico and the United States.
Companies and sectors: It has four divisions: Grupo Roble, which operates 20 shopping centers in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. Have built 60,000 homes.
Real Hotels & Resorts, which operates 28 hotels with 3,600 rooms in the United States, Mexico, Colombia and the isthmus, and Grupo Solaire, an industrial unit that produces equipment for the construction sector.
- Castillo Family
- Clan Leader: Jorge Castillo
- Country of origin: Guatemala.
- Annual turnover: $ 1,500 million.
- The group employs 22,500 people.
Companies and sectors: The Castillo Hermanos Corporation is a Guatemalan family conglomerate that controls more than 90 companies in its country, Honduras and Nicaragua.
Its flagship company is Cervecería Centroamericana, a leader in the Guatemalan market, and has investments in real estate, the food industry, banking, the agricultural sector, tourism, transportation, restaurants and commerce.
- Vallarino Family
- Clan Leader: Alberto Vallarino
- Country of origin: Panama.
- Assets of the Verdeazul Group: 1,200 million dollars.
- The group employs 850 people.
Companies and sectors: The Verdeazul Group of the Vallarino family is a consortium focused on the development and management of real estate, tourism projects and logistics solutions, as well as the management of investment portfolios and venture capital.
All these activities are linked to the nature of the economy of Panama, a country that has had an unusual real estate boom in recent years and a tourist boom that this family has taken advantage of to grow their companies.
