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Key people at CINDE - Costa Rica Investment Promotion Agency.
CINDE - Costa Rica Investment Promotion Agency is a private, non-profit organization based in San José, Costa Rica, that attracts foreign direct investment and advises multinational companies on establishing local operations. The agency focuses on strategic sectors including smart manufacturing, knowledge-intensive corporate services, life sciences, health, and advanced medical devices. Over its history, the organization has successfully guided more than 400 high-tech companies and attracted over 300 multinational businesses to the Central American country. These investment initiatives have generated approximately 90,000 direct jobs and 43,000 indirect jobs, alongside securing 75 distinct investment projects during the 2019 calendar year alone. The agency's current leadership and board include Managing Director Marianela Urgelles, Director of Investment Advisory Pilar Madrigal, Vice President Rosalía Morales, and Secretary Shannon Music. CINDE - Costa Rica Investment Promotion Agency was officially founded in the year 1982.
CINDE (Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency) is a private, non-profit organization founded in 1982 to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to Costa Rica, contributing to economic development and social progress by creating quality jobs and fostering a favorable investment climate.[1][2][3] Its mission centers on promoting socioeconomic growth through FDI in strategic sectors like life sciences, smart manufacturing, knowledge-intensive services, and health & wellbeing, while its vision positions Costa Rica as a sustainable, globally connected hub for high-tech industries.[1][2][3][5] CINDE operates via public-private partnerships with entities like the Ministry of Foreign Trade (COMEX) and PROCOMER, having attracted over 300 multinational companies that generate 120,000 direct jobs and 60,000 indirect ones.[3][4][5]
Established in 1982 as a private, non-profit for public interest, CINDE has collaborated with 10 different Costa Rican government administrations over four decades to attract FDI and strengthen the investment climate.[1][2][4][5] Key leaders include Managing Directors like Jorge Sequeira and Marianela Urgelles, who emphasize people, planet, and prosperity as core pillars.[1][2][4] Its evolution reflects a shift toward high-value sectors—starting with general FDI promotion and maturing into targeted strategies for life sciences, IT, and advanced manufacturing, achieving international recognition for positioning Costa Rica as a top FDI destination.[3][4][6]
CINDE rides trends in nearshoring, sustainability, and high-tech manufacturing amid global supply chain shifts post-COVID, positioning Costa Rica as a resilient hub for life-centered solutions leveraging advanced human talent and converging technologies.[2][3][4] Timing aligns with multinational demand for stable, IP-respecting destinations in Latin America, bolstered by OECD standards and a proven ecosystem that has drawn 11x FDI projects relative to economy size.[4][5][6] It influences the ecosystem by fostering multisector collaborations, talent upskilling for life sciences and IT, and productive linkages that drive inclusive growth and SDG alignment (e.g., decent work, innovation).[2][3][5]
CINDE will likely expand FDI in emerging areas like AI-driven health tech and sustainable manufacturing, prioritizing talent pipelines, business climate improvements, and regional diversification.[1][2] Trends such as global sustainability mandates and tech talent shortages favor Costa Rica's model, potentially amplifying its role as a Latin American FDI leader through deeper public-private synergies. This builds on its foundational success in job creation, evolving influence toward a talent-promoting powerhouse that sustains economic resilience.
Key people at CINDE - Costa Rica Investment Promotion Agency.
