CFI.co Meets the VP of Banco de Corrientes: Alejandro Enrique Abraham

Alejandro Enrique Abraham was born in Corrientes on October 13, 1951, to Alexander Abraham and Maria Raisa Jasid. Together with his parents and his three brothers, he formed a family that progressed in the region thanks to the constant efforts of each of them.

The example set by his father left its mark. It was his father who founded one of the first insurance companies in the area. An experienced entrepreneur, he became vice president of the historic Bank of Commerce.

Mr Abraham was raised in a family with good values and grew up surrounded by examples of effort, sacrifice, and an irrepressible drive to progress. These early influences shaped Mr Abraham’s personal and professional life.

It was at that time that he understood the importance of private commercial activity – the engine that drives employment, energises society, and helps it develop. Mr Abraham married Graciela del Carmen Zaimakis and the couple were blessed with five children – Alejandro, María Raisa, Victoria, Marcos, and Juan Francisco. Family values, firmly rooted and handed down the generations, constitute a central pillar of their lives.

Mr Abraham completed high school in 1968 in Argentina. A year later, now in the United States on the AFS exchange programme, he received another high school degree. He had the opportunity to pursue an academic career and graduated as a lawyer at the prestigious National University of the Northeast, the foremost academic institution of northern Argentina.

Mr Abraham complemented his academic studies at the emblematic Harvard University in Boston with numerous specialist courses such as negotiation, business administration, and corporate management. He had the opportunity to occupy a number of posts in the public sector but dedicated most of his life to private business activity. During his career he has initiated and developed important businesses in different areas.
Recognised for producing excellent results as a manager, Mr Abraham was asked by the shareholders of Bank of Corrientes to shape and lead the recovery process of the institution in 2009. The invitation involved a huge challenge. To meet that challenge, Mr Abraham assembled an extraordinary management team that included successful entrepreneurs and recognised experts in various areas. This allowed for different points of view which in turn facilitated the corporate recovery of the bank.

His experiences in both the public and private sector have allowed Mr Abraham to adapt quickly to changing situations and environments. He believes in building bridges between the government and the private sector. Much of what has been accomplished since Mr Abraham’s arrival at the bank may be ascribed to his understanding of permanently regenerating markets and his innovative approach to development – one that involves not just the company but the surrounding society as well and leverages the strength of private initiative.