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Each week, Damian Fraser and Eduardo García dissect Mexico’s most important business stories with global impact—and bring on a guest to explore a subject the headlines missed
49 Episodes
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For our Christmas special, we interview Carlos Miguel Prieto, renowned Artistic Director of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería, about the business and current state of classical music in Mexico. We also speak with Verónica García de León about the smog crisis in Monterrey: what’s driving it, and why it persists. To kick off, Eduardo and I discuss Mexico’s 2025 corporate and market highlights, from Fernando Chico Pardo taking control of Banamex, to the rally in Pemex bonds, IPOs at Aeroméxico, Fibra Next, and Esentia, and a wave of new CEOs at Coppel, Alsea, Walmex, Femsa, Bimbo, and others. Finally: Bread Culture Wars. We reflect on the Green Rhino / Richard Hart controversy, and how intemperate comments on the alleged poor quality of Mexican bread rolls in an obscure 2024 podcast became a social-media firestorm 18 months later, and turned into a proxy for (some of) Mexico’s gentrification and anti-foreign anxieties.Try Whitepaper 30 days freeBuy your Whitepaper merch here
Jaime Guillen, co-founder and partner at Mexico Infrastructure Partners (MIP), joins us to explain how the firm became the country’s largest infrastructure fund, the strategy behind its landmark Iberdrola acquisition, and where MIP is heading next, from energy and digital infrastructure to industrial real estate and international expansion. For a sector that usually works under the radar, this is a rare look at the decisions shaping Mexico’s power and infrastructure future.We then turn to Bruce Boren, Partner at THR3 Media and former Televisa executive, producer of HBO’s hit Chespirito biopic. Bruce breaks down how the project came together, why it struck such a nerve, and what the looming Netflix and Paramount battle for Warner Bros. Discovery could mean for content creators in Mexico.Before the interviews, Eduardo and I run through the week’s business and economic headlines. We look at the impact of the hike on tariffs on imports from non-FTA countries like China, the latest inflation data and what it may signal for Banxico’s next moves. Then we discuss Alsea, which continues to reshape its portfolio, now bringing Raising Cane’s, one of the fastest-growing QSR brands in the U.S., to Mexico. The move pairs with its 2026 Chipotle rollout and follows recent divestments in Chile and Spain.Finally, we dig into the rising speculation around a potential AT&T México, Televisa and Izzi deal. If it happens, Televisa would take on many of AT&T’s challenges, including high spectrum costs, MVNO pressure and Telcel’s dominance, while gaining the scale of a national mobile operation along with the advantages of its broadband and cable network and the political muscle that comes with still being Mexico’s leading broadcaster.Try Whitepaper 30 days freeBuy your Whitepaper merch here
MexMoves interviews Salvador Rivero, the new Country Head of Binance Mexico, who lays out what the world’s largest crypto exchange plans to do in the country. We also speak with US-Mexico policy expert Duncan Wood for his take on the USMCA hearings in Washington — what’s at stake and what 2026 US trade outcomes are realistic for Mexico. To kick off Eduardo and Damian as always dig into the main corporate and economic stories of the week. Grupo Bimbo turns 80 and opens its new museum in Mexico City, which leads us to a broader question: why has Mexico produced so few large new companies in recent decades? Many of today’s corporate giants trace their origins to the Porfiriato or the WWII industrial boom — and unlike in USA, Brazil, Argentina, not many newer firms have joined their ranks. Finally, we look at the 13% minimum-wage increase for 2026 and the government’s plan to cut the workweek from 48 to 40 hours by 2030. Great news for workers with formal jobs — but with informality already above 50%, critics warn that steep wage hikes and shorter hours could unintentionally curb formal hiring and push more firms into the gray economy.Try Whitepaper 30 days freeBuy your Whitepaper merch here
Join us for a deep dive with Banco Azteca Chairman Alejandro Valenzuela on how Azteca really makes its money, why cash still refuses to die, and why a phygital model is the way forward for Mexican banks. Javier Treviño shares leadership lessons from his new book Silos, celos y círculos íntimos and what a more ethical, less “clubby” business culture in Mexico could look like. Eduardo and Damian break down the farmer and trucker highway blockades as corn prices, water rights and insecurity fuel nationwide protests; the details behind Fibra NEXT’s US$400m downsized follow-on; the US$100m wager on American football in Mexico under the NFL’s shadow; and the battle over credit and debit card related interchange-fees between the banks and authorities just as the government unveils the new financial inclusion strategy for 2025-2030.Try Whitepaper 30 days freeBuy your Whitepaper merch here
Desteia’s Diego Solórzano explains how real, operator-focused AI tools can ease Mexico–U.S. logistics bottlenecks. Journalist Steve Fisher recounts the unlikely recovery of a gold mine in Sonora that many had written off, detailing the operational, financial, and human factors behind its revival. We discuss Mexico surpassing Canada as America’s top export market for the first time, driven by tighter USMCA rules of origin, China-related tariff pressure, and decades of integrated US/Mexico supply chains. We review Esentia Energy’s IPO, completed but priced below range as investors weighed its exposure to CFE and the shadow of Aeroméxico’s post-IPO weakness. We also cover ASUR’s acquisition of 20 airports across Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Curaçao; Tiendas 3B’s standout quarterly results; and rumors Grupo Salinas is selling Mazatlán FC, potentially opening the door for Atlante’s return to Liga MX.’
We talk with Neri Tollardo, Plata’s co-founder and CEO, to understand how the fintech rocketed from zero to more than two million users and a $3 billion valuation in just over two years. We also explore the pros and cons of Mexico City as a potential home for U.S. sports teams, the stakes behind Esentia’s planned gas-pipeline IPO as Mexico and the U.S. both benefit from the decade-long boom of gas imports Texas to Mexico, and how Kimberly-Clark’s acquisition of Kenvue (Tylenol, Listerine, etc.) could affect its separately listed and managed Mexican business.Try Whitepaper 30 days freeBuy your Whitepaper merch here
Octavio Camarena, CEO of KIO, Mexico’s leading local data-center company, talks to us about the company’s ambitious expansion plans, power bottlenecks, and why a successful data-center build-out is relevant to Mexico’s AI competitiveness. Then French-owned Natixis explain their local asset-management push, driven by rising savings and pension assets. Eduardo and Damian analyze GAP’s purchase of CBX from its controlling shareholders and the move to internalize technical assistance; dilution now, potential gains later. They also cover ASUR’s bid for a South American airport bundle, and how Aeromexico priced its IPO despite tough U.S.–Mexico travel conditions. Finally, they dissect the current investment slump which suggests Plan Mexico is not working - and why U.S. business is pressing Mexico for clear, predictable investment and tax rules.Prueba Whitepaper 30 días gratisCompra tu gorra o ilustraciones de Whitepaper aquí
This week on MexMoves, Uber’s top Mexico executives break down their strategy and why the country has become one of Uber’s biggest global markets. Juan Guerra, CEO of Revolut Bank Mexico, discusses how the fintech will be adapting its European model to Mexico (ie, credit will be a bigger part of the story). We examine the U.S. route bans hitting Mexican airlines, the government’s controversial plan to slash credit card fees and impact on FinTechs, and the wildly divergent fortunes of Mercado Libre, Oxxo, and Walmex in 3Q25 amid a slowing consumer backdrop.Try Whitepaper 30 days freeBuy your Whitepaper merch here
This week we interview Sebastián de Lara, Chief Regulation and Expansion Officer at Finsus, one of Mexico’s few profitable fintechs, to explore its path toward regulated scale. We then preview Aeroméxico’s upcoming IPO, highlighting its impressive post-COVID recovery powered by higher fares and sharp efficiency gains. In M&A, GE Vernova’s $5.3 billion purchase of Xignux’s remaining 50 percent stake in Prolec underscores investor appetite for electricity-infrastructure assets amid the AI-driven energy boom and highlights the valuation gap between Mexican industrials and U.S. buyers—echoing the Grupo Herdez joint-venture sale earlier this year. We also unpack Mexico’s insurance VAT truce, where firms like Qualitas and AXA avoid massive retroactive tax bills but accept higher costs from 2025 onward. Meanwhile, GM’s strong Q3 results show Mexico’s tariff exposure easing more than expected, though new investment flows are shifting north as the automaker doubles down on U.S. production. Finally, Revolut secures its long-awaited banking license in Mexico—after four years of waiting—and now faces the ultimate challenge: how to compete and profit in Latin America’s toughest fintech market without offering credit.Try Whitepaper 30 days freeBuy your Whitepaper merch here
We interview Pedro Latapi, CEO of HR Ratings, on the firm’s growth in Mexico and now the U.S. and its rating outlook for both markets. Bernardo Cordero, founder of Mexico Tech Week, joins to discuss Mexico’s startup and tech ecosystem. Plus: Mercado Libre challenges the government over planned withholding taxes on third-party sellers, Orbia jumps on divestiture rumors, Plata’s valuation climbs to $3.1 billion after another $250 million raise, and AFORES’ influence keeps growing across Mexico’s capital marketsTry Whitepaper 30 days freeBuy your Whitepaper merch here
We interview Jean-Michel Enríquez, partner at Creel, García-Cuellar, Aiza y Enriquez SC, on the impact of the judicial reform on dealmaking, arbitration as a workaround, the amparo debate, and the business of corporate law in Mexico. Eduardo and Damian cover Chico Pardo’s apparent win over Grupo México in the battle for Banamex; potential disruption in the brokerage market after Bitso’s move to offer free U.S. stock trading; the paradox of splashy foreign investment announcements versus declining fixed investment; and fresh USMCA risks.Try Whitepaper 30 days freeBuy your Whitepaper merch here
Nikolaj Lippmann, Latin America equity strategist at Morgan Stanley, explains how realistic it is for Mexico to develop a domestic robotics manufacturing industry over the next decade. What policies would the government need to implement to attract investors? Could the USMCA help—or hinder—Mexico’s chances in this growing sector? Capital One’s investment plans in Mexico, not in finance, but in tech hub; Carlos Slim’s expanding relationship with Pemex after Grupo Carso secured a $2 billion drilling contract; and President Trump’s controversial decision to charge $100,000 for H1-B visas, which could open new opportunities for Mexico to lure small and mid-size tech firms. Plus, the latest on tequila in the business headlines—and a few items more.Try Whitepaper 30 days freeBuy your Whitepaper merch here
Estephany Ley, Head of Retail Banking at BanCoppel, lays out the bank’s strategy to broaden its client base and product offering—from its traditional retail financing to car loans, credit cards, mortgages, payroll loans, and more. She argues that branches, scale, trust, and technology working together will prove a winning formula. Daniela Dib explains how Querétaro is booming for data centers, but the electricity grid isn’t keeping up. We look at Fernando Chico Pardo’s purchase of a 25% controlling stake in Citi’s Banamex for US$2.3bn at 0.8x book. Banamex now must grow loans and revenues, cut costs, better use its cheap deposits, and lift ROE before the upcoming IPO. Carlos Slim—through Carso and FCC—wins a big Saltillo–Monterrey passenger railway contract. Finally, Tito’s takes a majority stake in LALO Tequila as the US tequila market cools—too many brands, price hikes that stretched consumer budgets, and Gen-Zs binge drinking less.Try Whitepaper 30 days freeBuy your Whitepaper merch here
This week on MexMoves, we speak with Roberto Rocha and Germán Losada, Co-Founders of VEMO, the Riverstone-backed Mexican clean mobility startup, about their recent US$250 million equity raise and the company’s rapid growth in EV leasing and infrastructure. We also ask about the threat to VEMO of increased tariffs on Chinese EV imports — subsequently confirmed.René Lankenau of Whitepaper breaks down Grupo Herdez’s spin-off of Nutrisa and the US$750 million sale of part of its McCormick joint venture — moves that are reshaping one of Mexico’s most iconic food groups.Ricardo Kumar Dadoo of Clarendon Group explains how US/Mexico cross-border transport and logistics networks are holding up under Trump’s new trade and immigration regime.We also cover FEMSA’s new CEO, the Aeroméxico–Delta joint venture facing U.S. regulatory pushback, and take a closer look at the motives behind Mexico’s move from Free Trade Bastion to Fortress North America, via the planned big hike in tariffs on Chinese imports.Try Whitepaper 30 days freeBuy your Whitepaper merch here
This week on MexMoves we interview Sigfried Eisennmeier from DiDi on the company’s remarkable expansion in Mexico, with context from Whitepaper’s Daniela Dib. Eduardo and Damian look into Klar’s acquisition of Banorte’s digital bank Bineo, the upcoming Esentia Energy IPO, and Mexico’s decision to impose tariffs of up to 50% on imports from countries without free trade agreements such as China and Korea. We also unpack the 2026 budget, which raises taxes on soft drinks, cigarettes, and gambling but avoids structural tax reform, keeping the deficit at around 4% of GDP while Pemex debt grows off balance sheet. Finally, we discuss Amazon’s new US$25 million convertible note investment in Rappi, which could give it up to a 12% stake in the Colombian delivery company. Don’t forget to comment and rate the podcast to help spread the word and grow the audience.Try Whitepaper 30 days freeBuy your Whitepaper merch here
We interview Alejandra Palacios, former president of COFECE, for a clear-eyed take on Mexico’s new competition framework - one that may not end up as bad as first feared. We also speak with Fernando Sandoval, CFO and cofounder of Kapital, on how a small and mostly unknown fintech has quickly grown into a regulated bank now reportedly valued at $1.3 billion, fresh off a $100 million raise and the acquisition of Intercam’s assets. Beyond the interviews, we look at the rumored soda tax already shaking KOF and Arca investors, recap BIVA Day in New York, examine Pemex’s so-called “not-fracking” plan, and review the government’s new anti-dumping tariffs on Chinese shoes.Try Whitepaper 30 days freeBuy your Whitepaper merch here
In this episode, we sit down with Valeria Moy, director of Mexico’s leading think tank, the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO), for a reality check on the government’s plans to jumpstart the economy. We also break down reports on possible Mexican tariffs against Chinese imports—from cars to textiles. Plus: Nutrisa’s push to list shares on the Bolsa, the latest on Fibra NEXT, and how crypto platform Bitso is betting big on stablecoins.Try Whitepaper 30 days freeBuy your Whitepaper merch here
In this episode, we interview academic Andrew Paxman on the history of U.S.–Mexico business ties. Daniela Dib of Whitepaper discusses how the JAC/Giant Motors alliance is emerging as an attractive model for making affordable EVs in Mexico. We break down McCormick’s $750M deal with Herdez and its impact on the food sector, analyze the banking shake-up involving Intercam, CIBanco, Kapital, and Multiva, and cover the CEO change at Nu México. Finally, we take a cautious look at the ambitious Taruk electric bus project led by Megaflux.Try Whitepaper 30 days freeBuy your Whitepaper merch here
As Mexico moves to dismantle its telecom regulator, we speak with Ernesto Piedras — one of the country’s leading consultants and experts on the digital economy — about what’s at stake. We also cover Western Union’s purchase of rival Intermex, the fallout for Mexican beverage giant Cuervo from Canada’s rejection of U.S.-made spirits, the potential takeover of a controlling stake in Banamex by Chico Pardo, the latest on Mexican fintechs, and the storm over Adidas’s alleged cultural appropriation.Try Whitepaper 30 days freeBuy your Whitepaper merch here
We interview Carlos García, President of AmCham México, to discuss the current state of U.S.–Mexico business relations heading into the critical 2026 USMCA review. We also speak with Raúl Livas, former COO of Pemex, who breaks down the government’s new rescue plan for the struggling oil giant. In the headlines: AT&T is said to be looking to exit Mexico after sinking over $10 billion into its mobile business. Meanwhile, MercadoLibre posts a strong rebound in Mexico during Q2, Walmex makes a surprise CEO change, and remittances dropTry Whitepaper 30 days freeBuy your Whitepaper merch here
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