He is the 56th Ambassador of the Argentine Republic to the Federative Republic of Brazil (2016-19), appointed by President Mauricio Macri (2015-2019) with the unanimous agreement of the Senate.

His public career, which spans more than a decade, began when he was recruited for the position of National Director of Foreign Trade (1991), by opposition and records, through the National System of the Administrative Profession (SINAPA, by its Spanish acronym).

He held the Undersecretary of Industry (1992/3) and, later, was appointed State Secretary of Industry (1993/6). In December 1995 he added the portfolio of Mining to become State Secretary of Mining and Industry.

From these key positions he participated, between 1991 and 1996, in the most serious and lasting process of stabilization and growth of the Argentine economy since the country regained democracy in 1983.

His tenure continue as Argentine Economic and Commercial Representative in Washington DC, with the rank of Ambassador and State Secretary (1996/7).

He would only leave office when was elected Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization.

Measures adopted while serving at the public sector

in force for decades

Automotive Regime

Designed to overcome the problem of the standard industrial plant in Argentina (small size on a world scale combined with a production mix too open), it multiplied local production and exports – especially to Brazil, a country with a particular trade agreement with Argentina. It attracted numerous new investment in the automotive sector and the return of brands that left the country during previous economic crisis (Toyota, General Motors, Fiat) The domestic market went from 90,000 to 500,000 units.

Creation of the Under Secretariat of Small and Medium Enterprises

It was established to design a specific regulatory framework to support this sector of activity. The Undersecretariat drafted and sent to Congress the first integrated legal body with financial provisions (see below), tax, labor and technology regulations for small and medium enterprises.

Establishment of regional delegations at the National Institute of Industrial Technology (INTI)

National System of Standards, Quality and Certification

Provision of infrastructure for standardization and accreditation to promote voluntary certification of products, services, processes and quality systems of companies with the aim of improving the access of Argentine products to new markets in compliance with international regulations

Capital Goods

The elimination of import duties and a tax refund system for local capital goods manufacturers was established with the goal of lowering the costs of capital goods and stimulate the restructuring, competitiveness and equipment of the industrial sector.

Subsidy on the interest rate for small and medium enterprises

The scheme adopted consisted of a system of bonus on interest rates offered by the private financial entitites that participated in the program. In basic terms, the Treasury takes charge of four percentage points of the interest rate that SMEs must pay for credits taken for investment, working capital, capital goods and technology acquisition and export financing