WorldCity Business Magazine

Sky Warrior

by Mary Dempsey

Just more than a year ago, Claudio Muruzbal took the helm of Neoris, the fourth-largest IT consulting firm in Latin America. He spends much of his time commuting between his hometown of Buenos Aires and the company’s global headquarters in Miami, but Neoris’ ongoing aggressive expansion means travel to even more far-flung destinations. The company recently announced new offices in Bogota and Budapest – and its staff has grown 40 percent in the last year to accommodate the expansion. How much do you fly in a year? I have accumulated close to 4 million miles in American Airlines and several hundred thousand miles in other programs. I probably fly 350,000 miles per year. How do kill time on flights? I use long flights to catch up on reading but also to think through strategic business topics. It is one of the few times you have minimum interruptions. For sanity purposes, a good movie and decent meal should also be part of the trip. Your most frequent destinations? Spain, Mexico, Argentina and Brazil. As a result of Neoris’ expansion in the U.S. and Europe, I am spending more time in Europe, mainly Germany and Hungary. I also travel more domestically. Any travel tips? No negotiation on baggage. It is always carry-on. Do you have any business hotels you recommend? The Renaissance in So Paulo, the Westin Palace in Madrid and the new Hyatt at Dallas-Fort Worth is also great. What about restaurants? Casa Lucio in Madrid, Fasano’s in So Paulo, Alfredo or Suntory in Mexico City and Pangea in Monterrey, Mexico. Azul in Miami and Caf Abracci in Coral Gables. The best part of all that travel? The food in Spain, the historic richness of Mexico, the warmth of the Brazilians. As an Argentine, I always appreciate the opportunity to visit my home country. Do you have a favorite airport or airport lounge? Dallas-Fort Worth is efficient. In Latin America, Santiago is always great. Schiphol in Amsterdam is easy to navigate. As for airport lounges, it’s difficult to compete with the Cathay Pacific lounge in Hong Kong or the British Airways lounge in Heathrow. LAN’s lounge in Santiago is a leader in Latin America. What’s the best service you’ve ever seen in an airport? The ground transportation system in Hong Kong is the best. It is the shortest walk from customs to the train and the most innovative combination of train and bus to get you to the hotel. Is there an airport you really dread? The list is long. Guarulhos in So Paulo is always complicated. Going through customs and immigration in Buenos Aires is never a pleasant experience. The strangest thing that’s ever happened to you on a plane? Many years ago on a U.S.- bound flight out of Buenos Aires – when the plane was still at the gate for departure – a passenger complained to the crew about how warm the cabin was. When he got no response, he took his clothes off to make a point!