Board of Directors

He holds a degree in Industrial Civil Engineering from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, as well as a master’s degree in Technology and Policy and a PhD in Engineering Systems from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

He currently serves as Associate Professor of Engineering at UC and Director of the Master’s in Innovation. His academic and research career has focused on innovation, entrepreneurship, technology transfer, collaboration between companies and universities, and public policies in science and technology.

He has been a member of the Conicyt Council, a visiting professor at Cornell University and the University of Technology Sydney, and a member of UNESCO’s network of experts on the ethics of artificial intelligence.

Between 2018 and 2020, he led the Future Economy Unit at the Ministry of Economy, Development, and Tourism, promoting initiatives related to digital transformation, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Subsequently, between 2020 and 2022, he served as Undersecretary of Economy and Smaller Enterprises.

She is a Public Accountant and Auditor from Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana. She holds a postgraduate diploma in Public Management and a Master’s in Government and Public Management from the University of Chile.

As of April 1, 2022, Alejandra Pizarro Guerrero—current Deputy Director of Cross-cutting Areas—assumed the role of Acting National Director of the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID). She is a professional with more than five years linked to the institution and nearly 20 years working on public management and administration issues. Together with a group of professional, technical and administrative staff, she contributed to the process of creating the new institutional framework, transforming CONICYT into a new Agency.

In recognition of her valuable career and commitment as a public servant, she was proposed by the new authorities of the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation—Minister Flavio Salazar and Undersecretary Carolina Gainza—to take on the challenge of ensuring the institution’s operational and strategic continuity until the new person to lead it is appointed, to be selected through the Senior Public Management system.

Alejandra Pizarro’s mission will be to keep the agency operating, ensuring that its planning and administration are carried out properly; meeting the goals set, in addition to the important task of contributing to the Ministry’s challenges and to strengthening Chile’s STI system.

An electrical civil engineer from the University of Chile with a diploma in Business Management from the same university, Mariano Pola has specialized in the development of technology products in countries such as Chile, Brazil and Taiwan. Pola is co-founder, partner and director of Empresas Electrónicas Micrológica S.A., a leading company in the design, development, execution, installation and operation of M2M telematics applications for sectors such as finance, health, retail, energy, mining, industry, transport and retail.

Mariano Pola is also a faculty member at the University of Chile School of Engineering; a director of technology companies such as Debtcontrol S.A., Livebtusglobal S.A., Telediagnósticos SpA, Reciclajes Industriales S.A., and MAP Energy SpA; an advisor to the Santiago Chamber of Commerce; director of the Santiago Chamber of Commerce Business Training Center; and a member of the Business Advisory Council of DUOC’s School of Informatics.

Executive Vice President of Corfo.

A business engineer from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and an MBA from INSEAD. He worked at Banco Santander México between 2002 and 2003. From 2008 to 2026, he was part of Ameris, most recently serving as Chief Executive Officer.

Cecilia Azar holds a degree in Economics and has postgraduate studies in project management and sustainability. She is a professional with more than 20 years’ experience in the banking and mining sectors. She joined BHP in 2007 and held various roles in areas related to Finance, Risk, Investments, Planning and External Affairs. Cecilia is currently Director of Social Value for the Americas and is responsible for creating, overall developing and maintaining a cohesive Social Value vision and strategy for the organization, while also embedding Social Value as a central priority in BHP’s culture, processes and decisions.

She is passionate about integrating cultural change, strategic planning, divergent thinking and economic evaluation to create a holistic approach to long-term challenges focused on maximizing positive impact. In 2006, she received a UNDP scholarship to study India Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development.

She has led various initiatives from BHP, such as certification of sustainable management practices, human rights and governance, and, during the pandemic, a social investment program that supported vulnerable communities by strengthening public health systems in the regions of Santiago, Antofagasta and Tarapacá. In addition, she is Director and Treasurer of the Chilean-Australian Chamber of Commerce.

She is a journalist from Universidad Finis Terrae and holds a master’s degree in Political Studies from Universidad de Los Andes. She has more than 25 years of experience in strategic communications, corporate reputation, and public affairs. She is a founding partner of E-press Comunicaciones, a consulting firm specialized in corporate communications and sustainability.

Throughout her career, she has advised national and international companies on reputation management, strategic communications, sustainability, crisis management, and engagement with different stakeholders. She has also participated in various boards, councils, and initiatives linked to the country’s public-private dialogue.

Bracey Wilson is a business engineer with extensive experience in marketing and business development, and is currently a faculty member at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez and Director of its Multinational MBA.

René Muga has held several senior roles in national and international organizations, in both the public and private sectors.

He has extensive professional experience linked to the mining and economic sectors. He was Chief Executive Officer and manager at Barrick; Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Permits and Environment at Anglo American; as well as economic advisor at Chile’s mission to the European Union in Brussels; Minister-Counsellor for Economic Affairs and Director of ProChile in London between 1993 and 1996; and Director of Negotiations with Europe from 1996 to 2000 at the General Directorate of International Economic Relations.

Over his long career, he has also been a university professor of Economics, Macroeconomics, Political Science, Public Policy, International Economics and International Economic Relations at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.

René currently serves as BHP Vice President of Corporate Affairs.

A business engineer from the University of Chile and a Master’s in Business Administration and Management from ESADE, Barcelona.

He has served as a director of various companies such as Anglo American Sur and Collahuasi, as well as an advisor at Enami, Mitsubishi MCI Chile, among others.

He has extensive experience in the mining industry, holding executive positions in general management, project management, operations control, business improvement, strategic planning and finance.

He is recognized for his strategic vision and knowledge of ESG factors.

An education specialist with extensive experience in school leadership, advising on the implementation of classroom innovations, and optimizing the financial operations of educational institutions.

A primary education teacher from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, she holds a PhD in Education from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. She completed a postgraduate program in Senior Executive Management at ESADE, Barcelona, and a Master’s in Finance at Universidad de los Andes, Chile.

Celia recently retired from the General Management of Dunalastair Schools, where she led the growth and development of an innovative educational project. She also managed the process of selling the schools to the UK investment fund Cognita.

She has served on the boards of charitable institutions that work for the educational rights of children. Between 1999 and 2006, she was Executive Director of Fundación Chile’s Education Program.

She has also worked as an international consultant evaluating projects for the Inter-American Development Bank and the Ministries of Education of several Latin American countries.

An Aquaculture Engineer from the University of Antofagasta, she holds a Master’s in Aquatic Microbiology and a PhD in Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology from Kyoto University, Japan. She also completed a postdoctoral program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and a postgraduate diploma in Technology, Innovation and Business at UAI.

Currently, in addition to being CEO of Domolif, she is Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Universidad Alberto Hurtado.

Pamela developed her academic career for nearly a decade at the University of Antofagasta and at the Tarapacá Biotechnology Institute.

In 2008, as a partner of Aguamarina S.A., she devoted herself exclusively to developing technologies for the mining industry. Her innovation is reflected in various products and services that address biocorrosion, bioleaching, bioremediation, particulate matter control and water treatment through microbes.

Pamela serves on various boards, including Fundación Minera Escondida, the Association of Biotechnology Companies, the Association of Entrepreneurs of Chile (ASECH), and the National Innovation Council for Development (CNID).