Vistage builds on CEO peer advisory success in Chile with new owner and CEO

CEO coaching and peer advisory organization grows its presence in Chile

San Diego, CA (February 28, 2024) — Vistage, the world’s largest CEO coaching and peer advisory organization for small and midsize businesses, today announced new ownership and leadership in Chile as it continues to work to bring peer advisory groups to more business leaders across the globe. Vistage, which was founded in the U.S. in 1957, first launched in Chile in 2007.

Fidu Gonzalez, who currently owns Vistage Paraguay and Vistage Brazil, will be the new owner of Vistage Chile. Luis Palma, Vistage Chile’s previous owner, will stay on as a Vistage Chair.  Julian Castro has been appointed  the CEO.   The board of directors includes Carolina Altschwager, Bruno Defelippe, Federico Gonzalez, Juan Pablo Larenas and Josefa Monge.  

Vistage brings together groups of high-performing CEOs through a proven leadership experience that delivers results both personally and professionally. When leaders come together in their confidential Vistage private advisory board meetings, they gain the perspective, clarity and support to become better leaders and accelerate their company’s growth. Vistage’s 45,000+ members worldwide have access to expert speakers, personalized coaching sessions and international networking. Under the guidance of their Chair – an accomplished former CEO dedicated to helping others grow – members come together to share expertise and challenge one another to think critically and arrive at better decisions.

Vistage Chile’s new owner, Fidu Gonzalez, co-founded social enterprise Koga in 2012, helping entrepreneurs and providing education to business executives. In 2017, he co-founded Vistage Paraguay, and then took ownership of Vistage Brazil in 2022. Today, he serves on the board of Teletón, Techo, Teach for Paraguay, the Red de Inversores Ángeles del Paraguay and the Universidad Comunera. He holds a degree in Economics from the Catholic University of Asunción, a Master’s degree in Marketing and Business Management from the American University and has studied Marketing Events at New York University.

Vistage Chile’s new CEO Julian Castro most recently served on the leadership team at Betterfly, an employee benefits platform. Prior to that, he worked at LATAM Airlines, where he successfully navigated through an altered travel experience during  the pandemic. He also previously led the operations team at BAC Credomatic. Castro received his degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Costa Rica UCR and his MBA from the University of Chile. 

Fidu Gonzalez said, “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to bring Vistage peer advisory groups to more business leaders here in Chile. Under Julian’s leadership, we see increased opportunities to help more leaders tap into diverse perspectives to grow their businesses.”

Rob Ristagno, Vistage President of International Operations, commented: “Fidu’s proven track record with Vistage Paraguay and Vistage Brazil showcases his deep commitment to supporting Vistage’s purpose of helping high integrity leaders make great decisions that impact their families, companies and communities. We know he will bring that same level of dedication to Chile. Luis Palma has built a strong foundation of extraordinary Chairs and members over the past 17 years, and we look forward to building upon that to meet the needs of leaders in Chile’s dynamic business environment.”

If you are interested in becoming a Vistage Chair or member in Chile visit https://vistage.cl/ to learn more.

About Vistage Worldwide, Inc.
Vistage is the world’s largest CEO coaching and peer advisory organization for small and midsize businesses. For more than 65 years, we’ve been helping CEOs, business owners and key executives solve their greatest challenges through confidential peer groups and one-to-one executive coaching sessions. Today, more than 45,000 members in 35 countries rely on Vistage to help make better decisions for their companies, families and communities. The results prove it: Vistage CEO members grew their annual revenue on average by 4.6% in 2020, while nonmembers with comparable small and midsize businesses saw revenue decrease by 4.7%, according to a study of Dun & Bradstreet data. Learn more at vistage.com.

Media Contact
Katie McWeeney | Vistage
858.523.6875 | katie.mcweeney@vistage.com