29 June 2011
The Florida International Bankers Association has elected a new president: Frank D. Robleto of BAC Florida Bank.
He replaces Dario Fuentes of Caja Mediterraneo Agency for a one-year term starting July 1.
Robleto is president and chief executive officer of Coral Gables-based BAC Florida Bank since 2005. He had been first vice president of FIBA’s board of directors before his election as the group’s president.
Robleto sees continuing challenges to international banking from increased regulation and the slow pace of economic recovery in the United States and Europe.
The combination of U.S. financial reforms and international Basle III reforms “will increase the cost of capital and lower the profitability of banks, as well as restrict the funds available to loan in the local community,” Robleto said in an acceptance speech.
To help overcome the challenges, Robledo plans to focus on five areas:
- Partnerships and Advocacy. Miami-based FIBA will continue to partner with other groups to boost economic growth in Miami-Dade County, Florida and internationally. Partners include Enterprise Florida, the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and the Latin American Federation of Banks known as FELABAN, among others. It also will boost advocacy on such issues as a U.S. Internal Revenue Service proposal that would require banks to report non-taxable interest income earned by people living outside the United States. FIBA believes the proposal would have a chilling effect on international clients keeping money in Florida banks.
- Key banking activities. Robleto plans to focus on International wealth management, international trade finance and business-related banking during his term.
- Communication. He aims to boost both internal and external communication to keep FIBA in the vanguard of the fast-changing banking industry.
- Conferences. Both local and international conferences remain essential for members, regulators and the larger financial community to come together and share best practices.
- Training. FIBA will continue to develop learning platforms to keep bankers up-to-date and develop the next generation of international bankers. It already offers e-courses and a new international trade finance specialist certificate, among many programs.
Other FIBA officers for the year starting July 1 include: Grisel Vega, BCI Miami Branch as first vice president; Alejandro Pereyra, JP Morgan Private Bank as vice president; Teresa Foxx, Barclays Capital as vice president; Camilo Patiño, Banco Davivienda S.A. as vice president and secretary; and Marcelo Coscarelli, Itau Private Bank as treasurer, the group announced.
FIBA is a non-profit trade association founded in 1979. Its members include some of the largest financial institutions in the world, especially foreign and domestic banks from Europe, the United States and Latin America active in international trade in the Americas.
For more information on the association, visit www.fiba.net