AUSTIN, Texas —In a major speech at The University of Texas at Austin on Oct. 12, Mexican President-elect Vicente Fox unveiled his vision for a better Mexico, while urging U.S. businesses to renew investment in his country.
Speaking to corporate chiefs assembled on campus to kick-off the Fortune 500 Forum, Fox pledged a campaign against poverty, corruption, crime and despair.
“The Mexican economy is wide open for investment,” said Fox, who will take office Dec. 1. “Any remaining bottleneck will be removed.” Fox said his administration will bring dramatic change to his country. “On the first of December, the Mexican people will begin a great crusade in favor of free markets, jobs, opportunities, the environment, education and hope,” he said.
The three-day forum, which celebrated its 10th year, was kicked off with the UT event and included sessions at the Four Seasons Hotel and the State Capitol. It brought together about 125 CEO’s, presidents and chairmen from leading companies in the United States to discuss today’s most challenging business issues and strategies to ensure tomorrow’s successes.
Speeches and roundtable discussions ranged from corporate philanthropy to the restructuring of corporate America in the digital age. The theme of the forum was “Doing Business Different: Strategies from Maverick CEOs.”
The evening ended with a spirited performance by the Longhorn Band, a spectacular fireworks display and the lighting of the UT Tower.
The event was significant for the University, which is one of the nation’s leading centers of expertise on Latin America. UT Austin President Larry R. Faulkner identified leadership in Latin American programs as one of six strategic themes of his administration.
Under Faulkner’s leadership, the University has expanded its ties to Latin America in the form of new exchange programs, additional scholarships and increased interdisciplinary research.
UT Austin also offers a joint MBA program with Monterrey Tech in Mexico City and, in the past year, established an Argentine Studies Center. The University continues to expand its relationship with Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil and Chile, among other Latin American countries.
