Tell us a little about yourself and how long you’ve been with AmSpec.
I’m a Uruguayan agricultural engineer with more than 30 years of experience in certification and sustainability across Latin America. I joined AmSpec in February 2024 and currently lead Business Assurance & Sustainability for the region.
I believe in putting passion into everything I do, both professionally and personally. I’m motivated by developing businesses and opportunities, building committed teams, and leading with purpose and determination to achieve our goals.
In the world of Testing, Inspection, and Certification, how does your role specifically help accelerate the global transition to renewable energy?
Energy is a key cost for many businesses, and Latin America offers significant opportunities to develop renewable energy alternatives. The agricultural sector and urban consumption centers generate biomass and waste that can be converted into energy through the right technologies. These opportunities are complemented by the region’s potential in solar and wind power, as well as green hydrogen.
My role is to connect these region opportunities with AmSpec’s technical expertise, providing inspection, verification, and certification services that help projects move forward with confidence and gain access to new markets.
How has the concept of sustainability in the TIC industry evolved since you started your career?
When I started out, many companies viewed quality, food safety, and certification as long-term priorities. In my experience, the forestry sector was a pioneer in integrating sustainability into its management practices through initiatives such as Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, in response to the loss of native forests and the challenges posed by climate change. Over time, market demand from consumers, along with government initiatives and regulations, helped extend this approach to other industries.
Today, we look at the entire value chain and seek opportunities to do things better. In the textile industry, for example, understanding how a fiber is produced helps identify environmental improvements, protect people and animals, and make use of materials that would otherwise be discarded.
At AmSpec, we help companies turn these improvements into tangible, demonstrable value that they can bring to new markets. This way of thinking creates business opportunities and makes sustainability practical and actionable.
How do you navigate the differences in renewable energy regulations and sustainability standards across different regions?
I rely heavily on the expertise of local professionals in each country. Latin America is incredibly diverse, and listening to people who understand the local context is essential.
From a regional management perspective, we aim to share knowledge and maintain consistent technical standards. It’s important to know and also understand the regulations and how to apply them in each operation, while respecting local requirements and specific circumstances.
What specific skills or mindsets do you look for when hiring for a sustainability role in a technical TIC environment?
Beyond a strong technical foundation, I value dedication, commitment, and loyalty. I look for people who take ownership, show initiative, and are willing to think beyond the obvious.
To foster these qualities, we need to give people room to contribute and make sure they feel heard, especially younger professionals: new generations bring different perspectives and ways of looking at the world than those I grew up with. They challenge established thinking, help us stay up to date, and encourage us to adapt to change something I consider essential.
At AmSpec, we aim to bring experience and fresh perspectives together, learning from each other to discover opportunities and achieve better results.
What is the most important piece of advice you’ve received, and who gave it to you?
I’ve had many mentors throughout my career, and it would be difficult to name them all. In the field of sustainability, Eng. Michal Brink profoundly changed the way I look at things in 2003. Today, I’m fortunate to work with him and his company, CMO Supply Chain Integrity.
At AmSpec, two people have had a particularly positive and direct influence on me: Juan Giorgetti, initially, and Gillian Dagan, more recently. Both have been important mentors and sources of guidance since I joined the company. From Juan, I value his energy, his deep understanding of the business, and his globally minded strategic approach. Gillian combines technical expertise with exceptional interpersonal skills: she empowers others by giving them trust and room to work, recognizes their efforts, and helps shape the future of Business Assurance & Sustainability by bringing teams and capabilities together.
If I had to choose one lesson, it would be to learn to listen. Every client visit, whether an audit or a business meeting, offers something to learn. Over the years, these experiences help us develop the judgment needed to make sound decisions and take on new challenges responsibly.
How do you promote a culture of sustainability within AmSpec?
At AmSpec, we’re strengthening an integrated company culture in which every department contributes, and everyone shares responsibility for the results. Sustainability is one of the pillars of this growth: guiding our decisions as we work to build a strong, responsible, and economically viable business. AmSpec is an excellent place to work, grow, and achieve meaningful goals.
Through meetings with teams across different departments, I’ve seen genuine commitment and tangible progress driven by their leaders. My contribution is to bring a broader, global business perspective, connect capabilities, and help turn ideas into action.
I’m motivated by helping every person understand how their work contributes to AmSpec’s future and encouraging them to take ownership with passion and pride. Ethics and confidentiality are the foundation of the trust we need to move forward together.
Can you share a story about a project where our certification directly led to a client making a significant positive environmental impact?
There are many examples. One is our work with rubber producers in Brazil, where we combine management tools for both field operations and industrial facilities with traceability systems to help producers prepare for forest certification and meet regulatory requirements.
This approach helps verify the origin of raw materials and organize producer information to support responsible practices. For me, the real value lies in building lasting capabilities and helping producers, workers, processors, and traders sustain these improvements over time.
If you could give one piece of advice to a young professional entering the renewable energy field today, what would it be?
Build a strong technical foundation and get out into the field to see how operations work. Visiting a plant or talking with a producer helps you understand challenges that you won’t find in textbooks or manuals.
In a world that encourages instant results, I would tell young professionals to keep their ambition and desire to grow, but to take things one step at a time: experience and professional judgment take time to develop.
Before moving on to the next challenge, make sure you’ve consolidated what you’ve learned. Put passion into your work, ask questions, and accept that you won’t have all the answers. Making the most of every stage of your career will give you the tools and experience to go far.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I like staying active, changing my surroundings, and enjoying life’s simple pleasures. I enjoy playing sports, going to the beach early in the morning, and dedicating time to my livestock farming project in Uruguay, where there’s always something new to learn and improve.
My daughters’ field hockey and rugby are important parts of my life, but my greatest sporting passion is following my beloved Peñarol (soccer team).
My daughters, their families, and my grandchildren inspire me to become better every day. I believe there’s no better education than hard work and the drive to keep improving—and those values are demonstrated through what we do every day.
Watching them grow gives real meaning to my work in sustainability and strengthens my desire to contribute to a better world for future generations.
Tea or coffee, and how do you take it?
It depends on the time of day. In the mornings, I enjoy tea—especially mate, Uruguay’s traditional herbal infusion—and a cup of cappuccino.