At the LR Forum 'The great transformation; The power of capitals', business leaders highlighted how innovation and sustainability have become strategic investments. Panelists from the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce, Autogermana, and Roche Colombia shared experiences from their sectors. The need for trust and dialogue between public and private sectors was emphasized.
The panel 'Leading companies in innovation and sustainability' took place as part of the LR Forum 'The great transformation; The power of capitals'. Participants included Ovidio Claros Polanco, executive president of the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce (CCB); Andrés Fuse, general manager of Autogermana in Colombia; and Marieli Alfonzo, general manager of Roche Colombia.
Andrés Fuse explained that 'innovation and sustainability have stopped being a cost; they have become a strategic investment'. In the automotive sector, where Autogermana has represented BMW for 44 years, vehicles have evolved from those with hard manual transmissions to self-parking cars. However, innovation brings challenges such as the final disposal of lithium batteries. Fuse mentioned initiatives for second-life use of these batteries as energy accumulators in remote areas and the need for more charging infrastructure for electric and hybrid vehicles.
Marieli Alfonzo highlighted innovation in health: 'Roche is a company that looks at health in an integral way'. The company invests $16,000 million in clinical research in Colombia, where developing a new drug can take up to 15 years. She emphasized the role of vaccines and innovative medicines in increasing life expectancy. Additionally, she presented the 'Consultorio Rosado' program, with 12 national clinics that reduce breast cancer diagnosis time from 93 to 39 days, saving more than 41% of the time.
Ovidio Claros Polanco discussed CCB initiatives, such as the Uniempresarial university and the under-construction center for science, technology, and innovation. He also mentioned the cluster for the silver economy targeting the third age. He stressed the importance of trust: 'The invitation is to generate trust, sit at the table with a common interest to build business'. Alfonzo added that 'in this moment of polarity we need more conversations' to align innovation and regulation, especially in health with technologies like artificial intelligence.
