ABASTO.- The clock is ticking. In less than a month, Miami will become the epicenter of Latin American consumption and retail. The 4th Latin Consumer Summit, organized by Grupo Ohla and Florida International University (FIU), will bring together 21 international speakers in 14 sessions on May 14 and 15, designed to transform the way industry leaders understand the Latin consumer.

A conglomerate, a vision

Behind the event is Grupo Ohla, now the largest marketing and sales conglomerate of Latin American origin, with a presence in 22 markets, including the United States.

"We were born from a process of integration between a Mexican group, a Colombian group, and a Chilean group," explains Antonio Monckeberg, CEO of the organization. The idea was clear from the start: to join forces to serve major mass-consumer brands with a truly regional perspective.

That same logic inspired the Latin Consumer Summit four years ago, in a context of major global turbulence. "We had just come out of the pandemic, the war in Gaza was underway, there were government changes, inflation," Monckeberg recalls. There was an urgent need to bring the industry together to understand how all of that was transforming the Latin consumer.

This is not just another event

One of the defining traits of the Latin Consumer Summit is its deliberately intimate scale. There are no exhibition halls or thousands of attendees wandering aimlessly.

"We did not want this to be a massive event that, in trying to bring together thousands of people, would betray what was most important to us," Monckeberg emphasizes. The result is a gathering of 500 selected executives, where access to speakers is direct and genuine.

"You can be having lunch two tables away from the former president of Colombia," the CEO says. That closeness is no coincidence: it is part of the design.

Thursday, May 14 agenda: big-picture thinking and a consumer in transformation

The first day begins with a macro view. John Price, CEO of Americas Market Intelligence, will open the conference with an analysis titled "The Future of the Americas: Opportunities and Challenges," including forecasts for the next 12 months.

Next, Athina Kanioura, CEO for Latin America and Global Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at PepsiCo, will present her vision on how to lead the next era of growth in the region.

Then comes one of the most anticipated panels: “Meet the New Latin Consumer”, with Álvaro Cárdenas, president of Diageo for Latin America; Gretel Lanner, regional vice president of Edgewell; and Felipe González, CEO of Nestlé Colombia. Three global perspectives to decipher a consumer who no longer behaves as before.

In the afternoon, Andy Murray, CEO of BigQuest Advisory, will explain how to turn consumer insight into real action. The day concludes with a special session with Latin American political leaders who will analyze the strategic future of the region, a type of conversation rarely seen in forums of this kind.

Friday, May 15: artificial intelligence, the Hispanic market, and expansion

The second day opens strongly. Jason Goldberg, Commercial Strategy Director at Publicis Groupe, will give his keynote titled “AI — Reimagining the Shopper Journey”. Artificial intelligence not as an abstract concept, but applied directly to the buying process.

After that, Isaac Mizrahi, co-president and CEO of Alma, will address the Hispanic market in the United States from data to cultural connection. A topic that Monckeberg considers central to this edition.

"The Hispanic consumer is now the fastest-growing population in all of the United States," the CEO notes. In addition, it is a diverse and young segment, with an average age of 30, mostly bilingual and bicultural.

Then, the panel “LatAm to the U.S.: Success Stories and Hard Lessons” will bring together Sonsoles González, founder and CEO of Better Not Younger; Sebastián Mejía, international vice president of Juan Valdez; Dan Calhoun, CEO of Cuervito Morado; and Joaquín Vilajuana, regional manager for North America at Agrosuper. Real cases of expansion into the North American market, with their achievements and setbacks.

The event closes with the session "Game On: From Stadium to Store," led by Pablo Cavallaro, brand director of Adidas Mexico, which will explore the intersection between entertainment, sports, and commercial strategy.

Content with three editorial pillars

The program is not a random collection of talks. It follows an editorial line defined by a content board made up of external executives who work throughout the year.

Monckeberg describes the three pillars that always structure the event: technological trends and artificial intelligence; the democratization of communications and its impact on brand building; and the transformation of Latin consumer habits in an unstable geopolitical environment.

"We always give the event a layer of analysis of the political macroenvironment," he explains. This is no small detail: previous editions have featured seven former Latin American presidents and one sitting president.

Genuine networking, not forced

The Summit is designed so that conversations happen naturally. The first day includes a themed breakfast for 70 people, a lunch with tables organized by areas of interest, and an outdoor cocktail reception on the FIU terrace.

The second day includes its own lunch and ends with a guided visit to the Inter Miami stadium. In addition, a group of executives will arrive on Wednesday the 13th to visit retail points, attend a talk at Meta, and tour Miami's Design District with a specialist.

"We wanted to make it as genuine as possible," Monckeberg says. "There is a conversation at a very macro level of vision and another more focused on business."

What will attendees take away?

Monckeberg's answer is direct: "A before and after, in terms of content, vision, and areas of opportunity."

The Summit is designed so that the CEO or marketing director who attends leaves with a comprehensive view: from the global macroenvironment to the specific marketing and sales trends aimed at the Latin consumer.

The event will be held in English and Spanish, with simultaneous interpretation. It will also be streamed live.

The talks can be followed at latinconsumersummit.com. Tickets are available on Eventbrite until May 10 at the regular price, before in-person rates go up.

The 4th Latin Consumer Summit will take place on May 14 and 15, 2026, at Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL 33199.