Economy Minister Jose Luis Machinea has appointed Javier Tizado, one of Argentina’s most influential and respected businessmen, as secretary of industry and trade in an effort to jumpstart the economy out of a two-year recession. Tizado left a high-powered job as chief executive of Siderar, the nation’s No. 1 steelmaker, to take over the post on August 30. He replaces Debora Giorgi, who was shifted to head the secretariat of energy and mines.

With the shuffle, Machinea hopes to communicate to consumers and executives that he is focusing on achieving economic growth by implementing policies that create business opportunities, boost production and generate jobs. Before, the government had concentrated on fiscal policies.

Tizado is already pushing ahead with measures to make industry more competitive and to promote investment. He will focus on ways to reduce domestic costs as well as new alternatives to assure Argentine firms a broader access to international markets. He will also focus on trade talks with Argentina’s top trading partner, Brazil.

Tizado comes to the job with years of experience in the industrial world. Under his leadership, Siderar grew into Argentina’s leading producer of hot and cold rolled steel sheets for the agriculture, automobile and construction industries. Tizado was also vice-president of Techint, the powerful industrial group founded in 1945 by Italian industrialist Agostino Rocca. Siderar is part of the Techint group. Techint, which rakes in $3.5 billion in annual revenue, is one of a few Argentine companies with a strong overseas presence.

Source: Consulate of Argentina, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.