General News

Foreign Direct Investment in Medellin tops US$821 Million; USA Biggest Source: ACI

Medellin Herald December 21, 2015

The Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellin and the Metropolitan Area (ACI) announced December 16 that Medellin nabbed US$821.6 million in foreign direct investment (FDI) from 2012 to 2015 — with FDI investments in 2015 alone breaking all previous records. In 2015 alone,

Opportunities

IBM, Microsoft, Acciona, Altran Latest to Seek High-Tech Applicants in Medellin

Medellin Herald December 21, 2015

Medellin continues to attract more multinational companies seeking high-tech job applicants, with U.S.-based computer giant IBM, Spain-based engineering-construction outfit Acciona and Spain-based tech giant Altran among the latest to post “Linkedin” listings. According to one such posting this month, Acciona is seeking a Medellin-based controller for its construction

Volunteering

U.S.-Based Foundation in Medellin Expanding High-Tech Aid for Poorer Farmers

Medellin Herald December 11, 2015

Washington, D.C.-based non-governmental organization (NGO) Grameen Foundation announced December 1 that it just hired former Colombian Corporation for Agriculture and Livestock Research (Corpoica) planning director Fernando Henao Velasco as its new, Medellin-based director for all rural-aid projects in Colombia. Henao’s “deep knowledge of Colombia’s agricultural sector and

General News

Zero-Emissions Medellin Metro, ‘EnCicla’ Public-Bike Combo Nabs Global Award

Medellin Herald December 11, 2015

The Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellin and the Metropolitan Area (ACI) and the Medellin Metro public transit agency announced December 10 that Medellin just won the global “Mobiprize Award” for a novel combination of zero-emissions metro-rail public transport with the growing “EnCicla” public bicycle system. “This is a recognition that confirms the efforts

General News

Medellin Mayor, Antioquia Governor ‘Best in Colombia’

Medellin Herald December 2, 2015

Medellin Mayor Anibal Gaviria (photo, above) and Antioquia Governor Sergio Fajardo took the top prizes for “Best Mayor” and “Best Governor” in all of Colombia for the period 2012-2015 in a competition organized by the non-profit organization, Colombia Lider. Colombia Lider’s core leadership includes Findeter (the Colombian government’s development funding agency);

General News

National Government: Medellin Best-Managed City in Colombia

Medellin Herald November 24, 2015

The latest annual study by the National Planning Department (DNP in Spanish initials) finds that Medellin is the best-managed city among Colombia’s 1,102 municipalities. Behind Medellin’s 93.8 top score for over-all management – best in Colombia – was the 91.9 score for the Medellin suburb of Itagui, second-place in the DNP study. Other cities in […]

General News

Antioquia Competitiveness Index Continues to Improve: CPC 2015 Study

Medellin Herald November 20, 2015

The just-released 2015 edition of Colombia’s national private-sector competitiveness council (Consejo Privado de Competitividad, CPC) “competitiveness index” (CI) study shows that Antioquia’s CI continues to improve. While the over-all national index shows that Bogota still occupies the number-one spot among Colombia’s various departments (states), Bogota has been

Congresses & Conferences

FISE 2015 Electric Power Conference Surpasses Expectations

Medellin Herald November 19, 2015

The just-concluded Feria Internacional del Sector Eléctrico (FISE) electric-power conference November 25-27 in Medellin surpassed expectations as more than 16,000 delegates attended a show that included 145 technical presentations, three expert panels featuring leading power-company executives, nearly 300 exhibitors and more than US$67 million in signed business deals. In

Opportunities

High-Tech Job Opportunities Expand in Medellin; IBM, Dassault among Recruiters

Medellin Herald November 18, 2015

Job opportunities in high-tech sectors in Medellin continue to expand, with major global companies including IBM and Dassault among those seeking information technology (IT) specialists. Among Medellin jobs posted this month to LinkedIn web sites include these opportunities: 1. IBM: Project Manager (first position, see here) and Business Architect (second position, see

General News

Metro Medellin to Host Colombia’s Biggest Shopping Mall: Viva-Exito

Medellin Herald November 16, 2015

Medellin-based chain retailer Grupo Exito announced November 12 that it will build Colombia’s biggest shopping mall – not in Bogota, but rather in the Medellin suburb of Envigado. The COP$600 billion (US$195 million), 300,000-square-meters “Viva” mall will host 240 other retailers in addition to an Exito supermarket, which combines a food market, clothing, electronics and