Q&A with Arguiró Elefteriu, Chief Governance & Sustainability Officer
Chief Governance & Sustainability Officer Arguiró Elefteriu shares her journey with Libra Group and advice for young professionals.
[October 21, 2024]
Tell us about your journey with Libra Group that led you to your current role today.
When I was in college, Libra Group was diversifying and investing in real estate and hospitality in Argentina, among other sectors and regions. I became the second employee of their new Argentinian subsidiary, now Amerisud – preceded by the CEO, who had also just been appointed. I started as his executive assistant in 2004, when we were just a team of 2 people, and I was empowered to take on more responsibilities as the team grew, becoming project coordinator and then project manager for one of our real estate developments.
In 2012, I was offered to relocate to New York City to work with the – at the time – Chairman and CEO of Libra Group at its global headquarters. In 2017, I moved back to Buenos Aires for personal reasons. I returned to Libra Group in 2020 as an Advisor to the Executive Team and was promoted to my current role in 2022.
How has your current role evolved and what are your responsibilities?
As Libra Group evolved from a family shipping company to an international business group with assets and operations in almost 60 countries, governance became the cornerstone to future-proof our group and allow for further innovation and growth. How we do things while staying true to our family values defines us. I work on the architecture of our systems, processes and reporting lines, creating protocols and policies that make us more efficient. In collaboration with other departments such as Risk and Compliance, People Operations, and Information Technology, we ensure our entrepreneurial DNA has a solid framework and follows best practices.
I also have the pleasure to work with other key areas within Libra Group to implement our holistic sustainability program aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
What advice would you give young people who are beginning their careers?
Work hard. Learn from failure. Be self-aware and resilient. Keep your feet on the ground. Be kind. Accept your fears but don’t let them paralyze you. Find a purpose. Never give up. Growth hurts, so rely on your tribe of loved ones for support.
How can someone grow and advance their career at Libra Group as you did?
I think emotional intelligence and soft skills are paramount to handling real life situations respectfully and efficiently. Work very, very hard. Accept that plans are subject to change, so be flexible and open-minded.
What keeps you busy outside of work?
I have two sons aged 2 and 6 who keep me happily on my toes. I exercise often and I’m a psychology student at heart.
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