Juan Carlos Pinzón was Ambassador of Colombia to the United States of America and Chief of Staff to the President of Colombia during President Santos tenure. During nearly 13 years of public service (both locally and internationally) he led and managed policies with strategic impact for Colombia.
His expertise in security and international relations, has been decisive to carry out international cooperation projects, as well as to strengthen bilateral relations with the United States. He has represented Colombia in meetings with US Congress members, senior staff of US Departments of State and Defense, NATO representatives and members from the European Parliament. As Minister of Defense, he designed the Democratic Security Consolidation Policy. He was also responsible of designing and managing the largest investment program in the armed forces to enhance the capabilities to confront drug trafficking and terrorism, achieving the transformation and modernization of the military forces.
Pinzón has vast experience in the private sector. He was the Vice President of Investment Banking at Citibank Colombia, Vice President of Asobancaria (Colombian Banking Association), worked at the National Federation of Colombian Coffee Growers, and was Senior Advisor to the World Bank Executive Director for Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Philippines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago (2004-2006).
He holds a bachelor in Economics and a master’s in Public Policy from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International affairs at Princeton University. He has teaching experience in economics at Universidad de los Andes and Universidad Javeriana (in Bogota).
Pinzón has several international recognitions including: Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and the Distinguished Civilian Service Medal granted by the US Department of Defense.
