Marta Viegas is director of corporate governance at IDB Invest, based in Washington, D.C. Before joining IDB Invest, she practiced law for almost 20 years in Brazil and in the United States and received recognition as a leading lawyer in the most important legal rankings such as Chambers, Latin Lawyer and Legal 500. She held two consecutive terms at the Brazilian Institute of Corporate Governance, where she coordinated the creation of the Brazilian Corporate Governance Code. She served on the audit committee and fiscal council of one of the largest private pension companies in Brazil, with more than $60 billion worth of assets under management. She has a law degree from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de São Paulo and a master's degree in law and business from the Pritzker School of Law at Northwestern University and the Kellogg School of Management.
To achieve their development goals, Latin America and the Caribbean must create an attractive investment environment for the private sector. Transparency and fairness to shareholders are key to building trust in emerging markets.
How can multilateral development financial institutions break the low-level equilibrium that prevents the full unleashing of Latin America and the Caribbean’s potential?
The most prevalent ownership model in the Latin America and the Caribbean region is, by far, the family-owned firm. By formalizing the different roles of its members, family-owned firms can greatly enhance their sustainability and performance.
Good corporate governance is fundamental for the sustainable development of the region.