Ms. Gina Diez Barroso / Businesswoman, Philanthropist and a Member of the Azcarraga Family

Her grandfather built the NYSE traded Spanish Television network, Grupo Televisa. After her Father tragically passed away, she joined the company’s publication division and made them start several magazines for woman – the first in Mexico – which to this day is one of the company’s strongest products. She then ventured into construction, building a 600-employee firm, and later opened Mexico’s best university of its kind.

Mrs Diez Barroso has been a pioneer in the fields of arts and education for over 20 years beginning in 1990, when she founded Grupo Diarq. Being one of the most prestigious real estate development and design firms in Latin America with over 500 employees, Diarq has completed over 650 residential and hospitality projects to date.

In 2004, Mrs. Diez Barroso founded CENTRO, which is the first university in Mexico City specialized in creative studies. CENTRO currently offers seven undergraduate degrees and several masters degree programs, as well as a broad range of continuing education courses in related disciplines. In just 9 years after opening its doors, the university has grown rapidly to its present student enrollment of 2,500 and is recognized as Mexico´s best university in its field.

In 1992, she founded Fundacion Diarq, a non-profit organization that works towards eradicating domestic violence and preventing bullying in schools. In 2004, she founded Fundacion Pro-Educacion Centro, a non-profit organization granting merit-based scholarships to deserving students pursuing degrees in creative studies.

Mrs. Diez Barroso sits on several international boards and is the only Mexican belonging to C200 (200 Women Business Leaders of the World). Also she has given lectures in business schools in the United States, Spain, South America, Mexico and Qatar. She is currently a member of the board of directors of the Americas Society, the Council of the Americas, Santander Financial Group and Laurel Strategies.

Gina Diez Barroso is part of the Azcarraga family and is the niece of Televisa owner Emilio Azcarraga