Juan Esteban Mejía: Leadership that is inherited and built

Juan Esteban Mejía holds a position that many would only achieve after decades of experience. For this Paisa, leadership isn't about the title but about the purpose: connecting inherited discipline with a clear vision for the country.

Today, he is the Vice President of Corporate Affairs and the President of Grupo Argos, one of the most influential companies in Colombia. There, he champions a way of doing business that doesn't ignore the social context, one that understands that corporate success cannot be disconnected from collective progress. He speaks passionately about sustainability, public trust, and business purpose, but also about family, learning, and the doubts that accompany any difficult decision.

In this conversation, we share the story of a young man who inherited a legacy and decided to build his own, confronting prejudices, leading historic processes, and seeking to leave a mark that transcends balance sheets and boardrooms.

I'm 32 years old. And although I may sound young, the truth is that over these years I've had to live through experiences and take on responsibilities that usually come later. Each stage has brought different challenges and enormous learning experiences.

My role models have always been at home. I come from a business-minded family that taught me discipline and rigor, but also a very clear idea: businesses exist to generate collective well-being. My parents, both entrepreneurs, instilled in me from a young age that success isn't measured solely by numbers, but by the positive impact we leave on society.

Overall. My grandfather, Adolfo Arango, is another defining figure. He presided over Argos for 35 years and worked there for four decades. He's someone who taught me that integrity is never negotiable and that the most important decisions are those made with the long term in mind. Although today Argos is a public company with more than 40,000 shareholders and our family has a minority stake, I feel it's part of my history. Working here is, for me, a way to honor his legacy.

I was always very curious. In school, I was fascinated by business case studies, stories of companies that transformed communities, and leaders who dared to think differently. While others read fiction, I immersed myself in biographies of entrepreneurs, seeking to understand how they made decisions that changed entire regions. I studied engineering at EAFIT University and discovered that numbers were a language for understanding the world. I connected with the idea that behind every piece of data are people, opportunities, and realities that we can transform. From then on, I knew I wanted to be in places where the country's future was defined.

It's a role that allows me to be at the intersection of strategy, sustainability, corporate governance, and institutional relations. It requires me to make impactful decisions, but also to listen a lot and learn every day.

The hardest part has been earning trust, which isn't something you can decree; it's something you build. I've had exceptional mentors who have supported me, challenged me, and taught me. I joined ten years ago as an intern, worked in several areas, experienced operations firsthand, and specialized in finance and investment banking. When you're young, you have to prove every day that you're there because of merit, not because of a surname. I learned to talk less and listen more, to recognize the value of others' experience, but also to trust my voice when I had something to contribute. Each project has been a test of rigor, commitment, and ethics.

Yes, and it still happens. It's natural. There will always be those who think, "What can a 32-year-old teach me?" I know I come from a family close to the company, and that also creates prejudices, but I've learned that the important thing is to let your work speak for itself.

That's right. For example, when I took on this position, I was the youngest manager in the company. Later, I was appointed to the board of directors of Mineros and was probably the youngest member of the entire Colombian Stock Exchange. But my experience in complex processes, such as eight public acquisition bids and negotiations with groups like Gilinski and IHC, allowed me to contribute real value. At the tables I've been at, I try to ensure that my ideas are not influenced by my age, but by the quality of what I can offer.

Being part of the "unbundling" process between Grupo Argos, Grupo Sura, and Grupo Nutresa. For decades, these companies had cross-shareholdings that provided them stability and growth, but over time, these investments became a barrier to competing in global markets. The unbundling was a lengthy and highly complex process. We had to protect value for more than 40,000 shareholders, guarantee jobs, safeguard the reputation of three iconic companies, and think about their future. Since 2017, we had been studying scenarios, making projections, and assessing risks. It took years of meetings, technical analysis, negotiations, and consensus-building. Participating directly in a historic process of this magnitude is one of the professional milestones that fills me with the greatest pride.

I believe it's a profound error to think that private enterprise is the enemy of the public sector. Businesses don't just generate jobs and taxes: they create opportunities, transform territories, and build the nation. At Grupo Argos, for example, the cement we produce enables thousands of families to build their homes and schools and hospitals to be built. The energy we generate connects communities, enables infrastructure projects, and transforms regions. The public and private sectors should not walk separate paths; their partnership is key to facing the country's most pressing challenges.

I would tell them that working in a large organization can be just as transformative as starting a business. Not everyone needs to start a company to make their mark: you can also generate impact from within. When you're part of diverse teams, with high-impact projects, you have the opportunity to grow professionally, learn every day, and contribute real solutions to complex problems. Companies are powerful platforms for fulfilling personal and collective goals.

Several, but one in particular left a mark on me: the "Juntos por Urabá" project, which we led at the Grupo Argos Foundation. In Nueva Colonia, near Puerto Antioquia, we found a community without sewage systems, with precarious housing, and young people without spaces to study or play sports. Today we are building a new high school, soccer fields, parks, kitchens, bathrooms, and more than a thousand home improvements. Seeing how the lives of an entire community change reminds you that every business decision can have a direct impact on people's lives. That learning stays with me every day.

I hope we find a way to work together. That we stop seeing each other as enemies across sectors and learn to build on our differences. Colombia needs agreements, dialogue, and collective purpose. I'm optimistic. This country has been through very difficult times and has always found ways to move forward. I'm convinced that if we work together, we can do it again.

Hmm… good question. I would like my legacy to be one of work ethic, commitment, and respect for people. I deeply believe in conscious capitalism, in companies that create economic and social value simultaneously. Those of us who have had privileges have a responsibility to open up opportunities for others. If I can ensure that someone, wherever they are, has better options to build their future, I will feel worth it.