Yale School of Management - Martín J. Blaquier '87

"When I came to Yale SOM I was sure I would get a top management education in one of the most prestigious Universities in the world; but what I could never have anticipated was the continuous positive influence it has had on my career in Argentina for the more than 20 years that have gone by since my graduation. The latest example: I met my U.S. partner, who made it possible to start AGG, while we both attended a meeting of Yale University's President's Council on International Affairs in New Haven."

Martin started AGG in 2007 when he acquired three gaming operations in Argentina. AGG runs the existing operations and has the responsibility of identifying new opportunities in the Latin America gaming market. In November 2009 AGG, in partnership with the Spanish gaming corporation Codere, won the bid for the Hotel and Casino Carrasco in Montevideo, Uruguay. AGG and Codere will jointly run the gaming operations and Sofitel will be the hotel operator when the works are completed at the end of 2011.

Martin was previously the chief executive officer of Camuzzi Argentina, a holding company with investments in gas distribution, power transportation and distribution, and water supply, which is the Argentine subsidiary of the Italian conglomerate Camuzzi Group. Previously, he was the vice chairman and chief operating officer of Sideco Americana, a firm focused on public sector and infrastructural projects in Argentina and the Mercosur, and before that he was chief financial officer with Molinos Rio de la Plata, the largest food producer in Argentina.

Martin earned an industrial engineer degree from Argentine Catholic University and a Master in Private and Public Management from the Yale School of Management. He serves on the Yale University President's Council on International Affairs and the Advisory Board of the Yale School of Management. In Argentina he has actively served as a member of the advisory boards of FIEL (Fundación de Investigaciones Económicas Latino-Americanas), IDEA (Instituto para el Desarrollo Empresarial de la Argentina), ADESPA (Asociación de Empresas de Servicios Públicos de Argentina), ADIGAS (Asociación de Distribuidoras de Gas de la República Argentina), CAC (Cámara Argentina de Comercio); CASBA (Cámara Argentina de Salas de Bingo y Afines) and Universidad de San Andrés for its graduate programs.