Mr. Jorge E. Sequeira Picado
General Manager
The Foreign Trade Corporation of Costa Rica
Born in San Jose, Costa Rica, Mr. Sequeira obtained a BSE degree in Computer Science and Applied Math, Magna Cum Laude, from Tufts University, in Boston, MA, in 1983. He then obtained a Certificate of Special Studies in Administration and Management from Harvard University's School of Extension, also in Boston, MA, in 1985; a title equivalent to one year of an MBA program. Mr. Sequeira has also participated in executive education programs from prestigious schools such as Stanford University, in Palo Alto, CA.
After 3 and a half years working for Burlington, MA-based Strategic Information, a Ziff-Davis software development subsidiary, Mr. Sequeira returned to his native Costa Rica in 1986. There he co-founded SPS Software, which later became Exactus Corporation, a leading ERP company. Under his leadership, the company grew from a garage operation into a multinational company with over 200 employees in 4 regional offices (Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Dominican Republic). Exactus was the pioneer in enterprise software development in Latin America, releasing the first regional ERP in 1991. In 1996, Mr. Sequeira successfully raised US$1M of venture capital for Exactus, becoming the first company in Central America's history to receive a formal investment from a regional VC fund; in this case from London-based CDC Capital Partners' regional subsidiary. Other strategic investors included Intel Capital and Darby Technology Ventures, a Franklin Templeton subsidiary. Exactus achieved strong market leadership in Northern Latin America, with over 1,000 customer sites in 12 different countries. Its commitment to quality and customer satisfaction won Exactus the National Excellence Award three years in a row, and in 2003 Exactus became the first CMM Level 3-assessed company in Central America, and one of only 0.26% of software companies in the world to achieve such a distinction.
In 2007, the Spanish software group, Softland, acquired 100% of Exactus Corp.'s operations and assets. Mr. Sequeira remained as Managing Director for Softland Central America & Caribbean, reporting directly to the CEO. The company was rapidly and successfully merged into Softland and has since established new subsidiaries, expanded its product offering, and continues its market leadership. After 3 years with Softland, Mr. Sequeira, stepped aside from the day-to-day operations of the company and ended his term as regional president.
In August 2010, Mr. Sequeira decided to take a new challenge in his life working for the Costa Rican Goverment and accepted the General Management of The Foreign Trade Corporation of Costa Rica (PROCOMER), an entity created for the promotion of the Costa Rican products and services exports. In this new position he is in charge defining and developing the policy directions of the institution, following the instructions of the Board of Directors.
In addition to his position at PROCOMER, Mr. Sequeira has been a founder / investor in several other entrepreneurial ventures, and served as Vice-president of the Board of Directors of the Costa Rican Chamber of Industries, as well as GS1 Costa Rica, the local representative of the Brussels-based organization responsible for establishing global barcode and supply chain. In 2006, Mr. Sequeira was chosen as one of 100 Most successful businessmen in Central America by the prestigious business magazine Summa.
