Jose Antonio Fernández Garza-Lagüera

CEO at Proximity and Health Division

Speaker

Jose Antonio Fernández Garza-Lagüera became CEO of the Proximity and Health Division in November 2023, where he leads a broad range of sectors and markets in America and Europe. Under his direction, FEMSA has expanded its presence in various retail formats, including convenience stores, discount stores, pharmacies, and gas stations. The company operates iconic brands such as OXXO, OXXO Gas, Caffenio, Farmacias YZA, Cruz Verde, Tiendas Bara, Gorditas Doña Tota, avec, kkiosk, Fybeca, and Sanasana, among others.

In 2022, Jose Antonio led FEMSA's Digital Division, where he developed three main business lines: Spin, the fastest-growing digital wallet in Mexico; Loyalty, the largest loyalty platform in Latin America; and B2B Finance, an ecosystem for micro, small, and medium-sized business (MiSMBs) in Mexico.

His career at FEMSA began in 2018 as Head of Strategic Planning for OXXO Mexico. Prior to joining FEMSA Comercio, he led the Central America Division of Coca-Cola FEMSA from 2015 to 2018. Previously, he served as General Director of FEMSA's Plastics Division and Sales and Operations Manager at HEINEKEN Mexico in Mexico City.

Before his tenure at HEINEKEN, he co-founded and directed Vestige Capital, a Mexico-based investment fund dedicated to acquiring and managing small and medium-sized companies. At Vestige, he co-led the acquisition of BOMI Group Mexico, a logistics service provider for the health care industry.

Jose Antonio is deeply committed to education and entrepreneurship, having taught entrepreneurship courses and serving as founding president of the Entrepreneurship Institute Council at Tecnológico de Monterrey. He holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from Tecnológico de Monterrey and an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business.