Members of Covington & Burling’s Public Policy and Government Affairs Practice Group were in Mexico last week for the 12th annual Mexico Business Summit, which convened heads of state and business leaders from around the world to engage in discussions about Mexico’s future economic development and tapping into Mexico’s new sources of growth.  Over the last two years, President Peña Nieto’s Administration has implemented an aggressive reform agenda, aimed at boosting economic growth.  The 11 targeted structural reforms enacted in Mexico have opened up new business opportunities and generated foreign investment interest in energy, telecommunications, and other sectors.

Arturo Valenzuela, Sebastian Vos, and Paula Uribe were engaged in the panel and keynote presentations that took place in Querétaro, Mexico.  Dr. Valenzuela, Senior of Advisor for Latin America at Covington & Burling, moderated a panel discussion with Juan Orlando Hernández, President of The Republic of Honduras, and Salvador Arriola, Secretary for IberoAmerican Cooperation, SEGIB, Spain, which focused on  the recent free trade agreement between Mexico and five Central American countries.  He also moderated a discussion (pictured below) on the prospects for the Pacific Alliance with Ildefonso Guajardo, Secretary of Economy in Mexico, Luis Miguel Castilla, Former Minister of Economy & Finance in Peru, Felipe Larraín Bascuñán, Former Minister of Finance in Chile, and Vanessa Rubio, Undersecretary for Latin America and the Caribbean in Mexico.  Dr. Valenzuela also held private meetings with two members of the Mexican cabinet who are leading the country’s far-reaching reform efforts.

Sebastian Vos, Partner and Head of European Public Policy & Government Affairs at Covington & Burling, participated in a panel regarding the new European Commission and its potential impact on global business.  Mr. Vos also moderated an important discussion on the implications of the economic crisis in Europe and the opportunity it presents to strengthen the economic ties between Europe and Mexico.  Participating in this panel with him (and pictured below) were Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Secretary, José Antonio Meade Kuribreña, the Deputy Prime Minister of Portugal, Paulo Portas, Airbus Group CEO Tom Enders, and SAFRAN CEO Jean-Paul Herteman.

Covington hosted a private breakfast for select business executives interested in the implications of political developments in Brussels and Washington for their international operations.

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Photo of Allan Topol Allan Topol

Allan Topol is a resident in the firm’s Washington office.  While practicing law with Covington, he has written ten novels of international intrigue and numerous articles dealing with foreign policy issues in The Huffington Post, The New York Times, The Washington

Allan Topol is a resident in the firm’s Washington office.  While practicing law with Covington, he has written ten novels of international intrigue and numerous articles dealing with foreign policy issues in The Huffington Post, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Military.com.

Mr. Topol’s law practice has involved extensive civil and criminal litigation, with an emphasis on water, air and major hazardous waste enforcement cases, as well as international environmental law and toxic torts.  He has also advised clients on many of these environmental issues assisting them in dealing with immediate problems as well as developing long term strategies.