He leads a group that has recorded a turnover of USD $2.0 billionand has a staff of approximately 8.000 employees. He plans to open upAeropuertos Argentina 2000 equity to the Stock Exchange. Besides, he ismaking progress with new regional destinations. However, TelecomCompany appears as the main bet for Eurnekian’s group. What do youthink when you are pointed out as a pro-Kirchner company and why do youensure Argentina is undergoing a
political crisis and not an economicturmoil?
Some of Julio Ernesto Gutiérrez Conte’ his passions coexist succeed incoexisting in his office. The screensaver in his computer lets us see“wave-hunting” in Hawaii, where he surfs every year. His three cellularphones on his desk show the different communication levels he maintainseveryday, while the pictures behind his large armchair portray him amidthe major world leaders. They go from the Kirchner couple, BillClinton, and José María Aznar, to Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva, just tomention a few examples. The map that hasbeen strategically hanged on the wall gives him an open view of the newglobal destinations where business opportunities are waiting. “A goodpractice or a good business in Argentina can be replicated elsewherearound the globe,” he says. This is why he is not merely competing inthe airport field, but also in the agricultural, industrial, biofuels,infrastructure, and roadwork areas. Julio Ernesto Gutiérrez Conte does not avoid anyquestion, but he is certainly very careful with his answers. He alsoadmits that the Argentina of today is undergoing a political crisis,and not an economic one, where divisions and the lack of a continuousdirection and guideline are reflected on both politicians and thebusiness executives who fail to harmonize their discourse. Moreover, hedoes not evade the businesses of the moment. He talks about his movesconcerning Telecom and anticipates they are not alone in suchcompetition. These are some of the secrets of a business executive whousually chooses to surf not only the waves of Hawaii but also the wavesof the competitive world of business.
What is your view of the Argentine economy today?
- I analyze it from two different viewpoints. One of them is how weare beginning to be seen from overseas, where certain elements exertmore pressure on the Argentine bonds and produce the fall of thecountry-risk factor. This, in turn, brings about an influx of capitalsthat are precisely the result of an assessment from the internationalsector, where Argentina has no chance of being in default. Thesituation is just the opposite, as the political scenario in Argentinais changing. It is trying to gain access to the IMF again. Moreover, itis trying to reach an agreement with the Paris Club and is planning torenegotiate the holdouts, thus clearing the new road to take.
Are you worried about the lack of confidence and unbelief in the statistics?
- One can cast a doubt on anything, and once the doubt is floating,reestablishing certainty takes many, many years. I think that if doubtsare translated into reality, they do not show any significantindication because discussions under such parameters or figures are notextensive. In my view, discussing whether the inflation rate is 0.50per cent or 1 per cent higher or lower in an Argentina that has managedto survive with inflation rates of up to 3,000 per cent is not aproblem. On the other hand, the point of departure for such distrust isgiven by the fact that the INDEC itself casts a doubt on the otherfigures provided by the State. I think it is really bad if this happensbecause from then on, anything published by the State could create moreand more doubts. And there are other elements such as the Central BankReserves or the GDP ratio with respect to Argentina’s indebtedness thatare now recording their best performance in their history. Besides,they are a really good option. The unemployment rates are also goodwhen compared with those recorded in other times in Argentina.
And so, do you believe in the public indexes?
- The elements that could cast a doubt are likely to have vanished.Yet, there is a sounding board that is magnifying them day after day.As an Argentine and as an Argentine business executive I do not like tosee the Argentine economy in a bad situation due to politicallyassociated reasons when it is actually doing well.
What are you precisely referring to?
- When I compare the current economy with the economy in otherperiods, we are undergoing a good time, even though we may have thoughtthat a wave that was rising from the horizon of the globalized worldwas about to destroy our country. Yet, it did not happen. Evidently,the economic structure was strong enough or was at least strategicallyguided to rise and resist that wave. As far as unemployment rates areconcerned, Argentina is even better than other countries such as theUnited Stated or certain European countries.
