Convinced that the region’s SMEs have great opportunities to compete in foreign markets, such as Latin America, Cristóbal Herrera Gazale took over as director of ProChile Ñuble -after a public contest-, a position that until last week was replaced by Cristian Pavez from the resignation of Ingrid Quezada, in July 2022.
Chillanejo and entrepreneur, Herrera (33) is a commercial engineer trained at the School of Administration and Business of the University of Concepción (EAN UdeC) Chillán campus, with experience in the public and private world, having worked six years as a product manager in the packaging company Empack, in Chile and Peru; and in the last two years of the Piñera administration he was head of the Real Estate Division of the Ministry of National Assets in Santiago.
“I am very excited about strengthening SMEs, working a lot in the Latin American market, going to find supplier companies in already consolidated markets, empowering women who lead companies to help them export,” he said.
He affirmed that “my expectations are to help the progress of the region, I am super regionalist, I participated in some tables when I was a student leader, with the creation of Ñuble region; For this reason, my expectation is to make SMEs grow in the export field, to go find those SMEs that at some point exported and that for some reason are not doing so today and take them by the hand so that they become constant exporters”.
He stated that “we have to get the Ñuble matrix out into the world and diversify ourselves. ProChile is seen as the great agency that sells wines from the Itata Valley; And the truth is that we have countless industries, we are an agri-food region with great potential, in fresh fruit, in frozen fruit, we are a forest region, where we have very interesting suppliers, manufacturers of doors and finished products, and we have the creative industry.” .
Latin America
Herrera added that “the Latin American market is the natural impulse for SMEs when exporting. I see a lot of potential in Mexico, not only because we do not have a language barrier, but also because there are logistical advantages and it is a tremendous market that we have to look at and place our efforts; but also Brazil, which is an important consumer of Chilean wine, lately we have also been present with the Itata Valley in commercial missions; and well, our obvious trading partner, which is Peru”.
He stated that, in addition to wines, there is a great opportunity for the export of services to countries like Peru, for example, in the cultivation of blueberries or cherries, or in irrigation systems; or to Brazil, taking advantage of the knowledge of the forest sector.
He pointed to the importance of qualified human capital, the role of educational centers in the training of technicians and professionals, to curb the migration of talents and attract those who have already left Ñuble, to the extent that the region takes advantage of its advantages. , such as its strategic location, for example, using the ports of Biobío, but also, addressing the gaps in competitiveness.
He complemented that, from the public world, coordinated work is essential in all the links of the chain, from Indap or Sercotec, passing through Corfo, until reaching ProChile; and “that Ñuble businessmen see international markets as a great option.”
