Carlos Jaramillo (Eng)

THE NEW TIJUANA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL’S PRESIDENT

I am Carlos Jaramillo, I was born in Tijuana in 1975. Like many Tijuana residents, my parents are migrants. My father from Escuinapa, Sinaloa and my mother from Xochitepec, Morelos. I declare myself a faithful lover of my city; I carry her in my heart and that is why I accepted this challenge, because deep inside there is a very romantic part of wanting to contribute to our city, of wanting to build something positive. I have been in promotion and economic development all my life.

I have known DEITAC since I was 18 years old. The person who invited me and gave me the opportunity to get involved was Mr. Enrique Mier y Terán, a visionary man, a great human being who also had a deep love for our city. When I was going to study at the university I approached my father and told him that I wanted to do something, I had so many concerns. My dad who worked in a bank, gave me a business card and said: “Go see this man. Give him a call ”. It was Don Enrique’s card.

As a young man, I came up with a lot of ideas and he listened to me. Those were the times when the signing of the NAFTA treaty took place in the administration of Carlos Salinas de Gortari. That was my period of academic training; when the commercial opening of Mexico to other countries started, as well as the Maquiladora Program, SECOFI, etc.

I talked to him and he did two things. First, he took me to his plant Mabamex; we parked outside and observed all the people leaving work. The first thing he taught me was the human side of the work we do. Yes, we are generating an economy, but we are also generating jobs and improving the quality of life for the families. That is why we are in Deitac. Because, at the end of the day, we have a great social function that has to do with the impact we create when we bring investment to this region.

Later, he hands me some keys and says: “I have an organization called Industrial Economic Development of Tijuana, why don’t you take care of it.” I was an 18-year-old boy, with zero experience and he makes me a director.

I continued with my academic studies. I have a degree in International Business from Cetys, then I entered the San Diego State University, where I got my Dual degree. I also spent some time in Washington, DC on a program with the Mexican Embassy ​ but always returning to Tijuana, always involved with Deitac.

Now I return as president of the organization and contribute my experience on attracting investments, I have always committed myself to this. Professionally, I’m in real estate development of industrial parks. That’s my day to day task.

Photo by Víctor Balcázar

3+3 Strengths & Inhibitors

STRENGTHS

LOCATION

OUR PRIVILEGED GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION IS A MAIN FACTOR. BEING A CALIFORNIA NEIGHBOR.

SPECIALIZATION

WE HAVE A SPECIALIZED WORKFORCE IN VARIOUS SECTORS WHICH GENERATES HIGHER QUALITY PRODUCTS AND HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY.

SUPPLY

A STRONG SUPPLY BASE. THE SUPPORT INDUSTRY IN TIJUANA IS VERY IMPORTANT.

INHIBITORS

ENERGY

THE SHORTAGE OF ELECTRICAL FLOW IS AN INHIBITING ISSUE THAT WE HAVE TO SOLVE.

REGULATORY TIME

THE TIME IT TAKES TO SET UP AND START AN OPERATION.

COSTS

THE HIGH COSTS OF THE CITY: INFRASTRUCTURE, WATER AND ENERGY ARE FACTORS THAT COUNT WHEN IT COMES TO COMPETING WITH OTHER REGIONS.