Milady Garcés Arboleda
Economic and Business Development Leader
she, her, hers, ella
“I imagine a world where women, ethnic and rural communities, and our youth are recognized and valued as key players in wealth creation. I envision development models that are relevant and tailored to the realities of their territories.”
Milady Yineth Garcés Arboleda is an Economic and Business Development Leader, whose former roles include director of the Buenaventura Chamber of Commerce in Colombia. She works to address the historical exclusion of women and Afro-Colombian, Indigenous, and rural communities in the Colombian Pacific from economic and social decision-making that affects them. This includes closing structural gaps in access to opportunities and fostering these groups’ participation in business and commercial ecosystems to ensure that economic growth is inclusive and representative of the Buenaventura municipality’s full diversity.
In her diverse roles, Milady focuses on designing and implementing programs that encourage economic development, innovation, and social entrepreneurship. Her approach challenges traditional development models in the Colombian Pacific while expanding opportunities for historically excluded people. She holds a degree in business administration from the Universidad del Valle, Pacific Campus, and she received a master’s degree in governance from ICESI University.
Milady believes that ethnic communities, which have long faced systemic inequality and exclusion, possess a unique ability to lead change, and that their representation is a strength that must be valued in economic and social structures. By empowering these communities so they are active leaders in creating solutions that leverage their strategic assets, she aims to build a future where social justice and collective well-being are the foundation of all progress.