Presidents of Grupo Empresarial Argos companies ranked among the business leaders with the best reputation in Colombia

• In the latest edition of the Merco Líderes ranking, Jorge Mario Velásquez, president of Grupo Argos, secured the 7th position among more than 100 Colombian leaders with the best reputation in the country. This marks the eighth time he has ranked in the top 10 of this index.
• Juan Esteban Calle, president of Cementos Argos, stood out in 18th place, recognized for his leadership in the SPRINT program, which has strengthened the company’s performance, driven the appreciation of its stock price, and advanced other strategic initiatives.
• Ricardo Sierra, president of Celsia, was also acknowledged in the 15th position, highlighting his role in leading the company to the forefront of Colombia’s and the region’s energy transition.
• The presidents of Grupo Argos, Cementos Argos, and Celsia also ranked first among the leaders within their respective industries, reflecting their exemplary leadership and impact.

The Corporate Reputation Business Monitor, Merco, released the results of its latest ranking, highlighting the most respected business leaders in Colombia. In this edition, Jorge Mario Velásquez, president of Grupo Argos, secured the 7th position, marking eight consecutive years in the top 10 of the country’s most reputable business leaders. His recognition reflects his efforts in implementing initiatives focused on delivering value to shareholders, such as the company’s share buyback program.

Juan Esteban Calle, president of Cementos Argos, also made the list, ranking 18th among over 100 evaluated business leaders. Calle’s inclusion acknowledges his leadership in executing strategic initiatives, including the SPRINT program, aimed at enhancing the company’s performance and driving the appreciation of its stock price.

Meanwhile, Ricardo Sierra, president of Celsia, earned 15th place, recognized for the company’s strategic transformation. Celsia now operates 19 solar plants, and by the end of this year, it expects to reach 350 MW of solar generation capacity. This sustainable portfolio positions Celsia as a leader in driving Colombia’s energy transition and advancing regional sustainability efforts.

Profiles of the Presidents of Grupo Empresarial Argos

Jorge Mario Velásquez:
A Civil Engineer from the Escuela de Ingeniería de Antioquia, with a specialization focused on the Cement Industry in England. He participated in the CEO’s Management Program at Kellogg School of Management and the Supply Chain Strategies program at Stanford University. Additionally, he is a graduate of the Senior Management Program at the School of Government of Universidad de los Andes.

He has spent his 41-year professional career within the organization, assuming the presidency of Grupo Argos in 2016.

Before taking on this role, he had a distinguished career as President of Cementos Argos, where he began as an intern in 1986. He held various positions, including Vice President of Logistics at Argos, General Manager of Cementos del Nare, President of Cementos Paz del Río, and Vice President for the Caribbean Region. In this capacity, he oversaw Cementos Argos’ operations in Panama, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Suriname, and island territories, as well as the company’s international trade operations.

Juan Esteban Calle:
A Business Administrator from Universidad Eafit with an MBA in Finance and Economics from the University of Chicago. Throughout his career, he has held roles such as Senior Associate in Investment Banking at Chase Manhattan Bank in New York, Secretary of Finance for the Department of Antioquia, Director of Foreign Investment at Proexport’s office in Canada, and Investment Advisor at the Bank of Montreal, among others.

Ricardo Sierra:
A Business Administrator from Universidad Eafit, with a postgraduate degree in Political Studies from the same university. He completed the TRIUM Executive MBA, a joint program between the London School of Economics (LSE), HEC Paris, and New York University.

His background is in the financial sector, where he held roles in credit analysis, planning, and brokerage between 1989 and 1994. He joined the investment banking division of Corfinsura in 1994 and remained there until 2005, when he joined the executive team at Cementos Argos S.A. as Vice President of Corporate Finance. In that role, he co-led the organization’s transformation process. In 2012, following the spin-off of Cementos Argos, he became Vice President of Corporate Finance at Grupo Argos, playing a key role in the company’s business expansion efforts.