ALLOCATING RESOURCES
TBY talks to Pedro José Collado Gómez, former President of FCC Colombia, on mobility and water treatment projects for a better Colombia.
BIOGRAPHY
Pedro José Collado Gómez has a civil engineering degree from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. During his time at FCC he fulfilled various responsibilities. Before heading up Colombia, he was the Construction Manager in Central America in charge of the civil works department.How have FCC's operations in Colombia progressed in the past year?
Regarding the Toyo tunnel in Antioquia, we have completed all the construction designs and have received the environmental licensing in December 2017. The Salitre wastewater treatment plant project, meanwhile, is funded by the World Bank, and we are working on the design and construction plans now. We are working on the foundation of the plant and the design phase, which we will finish in September. While we work on the design phase, we are also preparing for construction. For this project, we have a five-year contract, with one year projected for design. Currently, we are about three and a half years into building, and then it will be another six months of development. In Colombia, we are selective with our projects and try to choose ones that we can better contribute our time and resources. We have a few projects that we are working on right now, though these are symbolic and large projects. We are interested in the recovery project for the navigability of the Magdalena River, the subway project in Bogotá, and the Canoas wastewater plant, which will be twice as large as the Salitre plant.
FCC has extensive expertise in metro projects around the world. What role will FCC play in the construction of Metro de Bogotá?
Bogotá has two significant problems: mobility and water treatment. Not addressing water treatment would be a problem. 75% of wastewater is disposed of directly into the river without any form of treatment. Regarding mobility in Bogotá, it is essential to have a massive transport system to help regulate the rest of the modalities that exist in the city. Having an overland subway in Bogotá could have an impact and would be similar to the TransMilenio concept. In this regard, we hired a team that is doing studies and designs. City Hall and the subway company of Bogotá will launch the tender before May 2018; 70% of this project is financed through national resources and 30% through local resources. The analysis of the presentation of offers will be seen in the second half of 2018, and the allocation will be decided at the end of 2018 or start of 2019.
Are you looking to expand?
We are executing projects in Canada, the US, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile. We are interested in Uruguay and perhaps Paraguay, though we are still analyzing the cases. Any activity in the company involves many resources. Profitability must be constant since it is the only way to make a business sustainable.
What legal change would you like to have in your industry?
I would like to have a reduction of the tax burden; Colombia has one of the highest tax burdens compared to other countries, and it hurts the economy and its competitiveness.
What are the main benefits and challenges of doing business in Colombia?
What we like about doing business in Colombia is that it has great needs, which we can address and create a large impact on. We like to focus our projects in Colombia better than in other countries because we can help enhance its development. We see great opportunities in Colombia, such as working on water treatment facilities, improving drinking water, and purifying sewage; helping communities and being a strong part of the community is exciting for us. In terms of challenges, as we are a foreign company, we would like to be recognized as a national company to help them better see us as contributors to development.
ALLOCATING RESOURCES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Guest Speaker
François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of International Trade, Canada
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Juan Gabriel Pérez, Executive Director, Invest in Bogotá
TBY talks to Juan Gabriel Pérez, Executive Director of Invest in Bogotá, on rounding a turning point, the opportunities for foreign investment in infrastructural PPPs, and finding the perfect investors for adding value on a local scale.
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Patricia Tovar, Executive Director, Colombian British Chamber of Commerce (Britcham)
TBY talks to Patricia Tovar, Executive Director of Colombian British Chamber of Commerce (Britcham), on finding new strategies in trying times, supporting Colombians investing in the UK, and the rising importance of ecotourism.
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Orlando Velandia Sepúlveda, President, Agencia Nacional de Hidrocarburos (ANH)
TBY talks to Orlando Velandia Sepúlveda, President of Agencia Nacional de Hidrocarburos (ANH), on Tax Refund Certificates, developing pedagogical programs, and the Territorial Strategy of Hydrocarbons.
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Diego León Vélez Velásquez, General Manager, Ingeniería y Gestión Administrativa (IGGA)
TBY talks to Diego León Vélez Velásquez, General Manager of Ingeniería y Gestión Administrativa (IGGA), on predial management, virtual technical file, and working with different economic models.
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Iván Herrera, Vice President , Business Solutions and Government of Huawei Colombia
TBY talks to Iván Herrera, Vice President of Business Solutions and Government of Huawei Colombia, and Cao Wei, Country Manager of Consumer Business Group of Huawei Colombia, on their growth plans for the country.
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Carlos Alberto García Montes, General Director, National Institute of Roads (INVIAS)
TBY talks to Carlos Alberto García Montes, General Director of the National Institute of Roads (INVIAS), on developing Colombia's road networks, linking intermodal transport, and establishing private partnerships.
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María del Carmen Araujo Grijalva, Executive President, Hidalgo e Hidalgo (HeH) Colombia
TBY talks to María del Carmen Araujo Grijalva, Executive President of Hidalgo e Hidalgo (HeH) Colombia, on contributing to productivity and growth in Colombia, working closely with local communities, and areas of opportunity.
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Santiago José Castro Agudelo, Rector, Universidad La Gran Colombia
TBY talks to Santiago José Castro Agudelo, Rector of Universidad La Gran Colombia, on providing first-rate affordable education, constantly innovating whilst remaining true to one's values, and changing Colombia's risk-adverse culture.
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Andres Hernandez, General Manager, Mareauto Colombia S.A.S,
TBY talks to Andres Hernandez, General Manager of Mareauto Colombia S.A.S, AVIS Colombia, on outgrowing the market by legions, providing customers with an unforgettable experience, and offering a timeless premium service.
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City of Gold
Colombia's regulatory policies are generally regarded as welcoming to foreign investment, as seen by the World Bank's 2018 Doing Business report, which ranked the country's business environment 59th globally. Chief among the country's appeal to foreign investors are its stable political and economic system, rich natural resources, and geographically important location at the crossroads of two oceans and continents.
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