LLYC bolsters Latin American operations with strategic executive appointments

LLYC has appointed three new Managing Directors to lead operations in Latin America, effective January 2024. Maria Esteve will serve as Managing Director of Corporate Affairs for Latin America, Thyago Mathias will head the Latam Southern Region, and Flavia Caldeira will lead the firm’s Brazil office.

Maria Esteve will be based in the Bogota office and will report directly to LLYC’s Global CEO, Alejandro Romero. This position is part of LLYC’s efforts to bolster its Corporate Affairs practice, which integrates corporate communications, financial communications, public affairs, sustainability and ESG, crisis and risk, and talent engagement.

LLYC will further consolidate its structure in Latin America into two geographic areas: Latam Southern Region, led by Thyago Mathias, which comprises offices in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Ecuador, and Latam Northern Region, headed by David Gonzalez Natal, which includes Mexico, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and Colombia.

Flavia Caldeira will step in as director of LLYC’s Brazil operation. Flavia has previously served as Senior Director of Strategic Communications and Reputation and has more than 25 years of experience in the industry.

LLYC is adopting a matrix organizational structure that combines technical expertise, specialization, and project management skills with specialized practice areas headed by global leaders. This approach guarantees the growth of the business in all markets where the company operates and adds extra value to its clients.

“We aim to connect our top talent with clients’ challenges, geographically and by specialty,” said Juan Carlos Gozzer, Partner and CEO of LLYC Latin America. “These appointments demonstrate our value proposition in Latin America.”

“At LLYC, we are dedicated to nurturing our talent and building an organizational and strategic framework in Latin America that enables us to meet our client’s needs and help them overcome their challenges in the region,” commented Alejandro Romero, Partner and Global CEO of LLYC.

Executive profiles

Maria Esteve is a partner at LLYC and an active participant in expanding Latin America’s reach. With over a decade’s experience, she has led the relationship with some of LLYC’s largest clients in the region. She has been part of the defense teams for some of Colombia’s most high-profile commercial litigations. Maria’s expertise lies in communication, corporate diplomacy, and risk management, enabling business growth.

David Gonzales Natal is an LLYC partner. He has played a key role in creative transformations for brands such as BBK, BBVA, and Coca-Cola and has won multiple creativity and marketing awards. David holds a degree in Journalism from the Complutense University of Madrid and a Global CCO from ESADE. He has also been listed in the top marketing leaders rankings in Mexico and Spain.

Thyago Mathias has over 18 years of experience working on projects in Brazil and Latin America. He has worked on specialized projects in the areas of law, regulations, reputation, and crisis management. Thyago holds a degree in Journalism from PUC-Rio and in Law from Unirio. He also specializes in International Relations (PUC-Rio) and holds an MBA in Project Management from FGV.

Flavia Caldeira has over 25 years of experience in consulting and media companies. Her previous role was as the general director of MSL-Publicis Consultants, where she was responsible for the company’s operations in Rio de Janeiro during the Olympic Games.