Improved representation of Hispanics on corporate boards is the goal of the Latino Corporate Directors Association (LCDA). 

They hope to achieve this through helping Latino professionals build networks and get associated with seasoned experts through programs and conferences they exclusively offer to members. 

One of those events is LCDA’s Annual Board Leaders Convening, which is scheduled to have its sixth annual meeting from Nov. 3 to 5. 

LCDA made sure to have an extensive list of relevant leaders present at this rendition of the conference.

“We are also joined by our corporate, private equity, and search firm partners, as well as others that influence board placement. The panels feature leading authorities and focus on timely corporate governance topics and thought leadership to promote board diversity,” the announcement of the event read. 

CEO fireside chats and director’s insights are part of a wide range of networking activities for attendees to enjoy at the gathering.

Last year’s event was fully virtual, but the 2021 conference will be hybrid. Members can visit San Francisco, CA to attend the three-day event, but there is also the option to stream it. 

The hosts will be TPG Co-Founder & Executive Chairman, Jim Coulter, and TPG CEO, Jon Winkelried.

TPG is a global investment firm that started in California and now has more than $91 billion in assets under its management. 

KPMG, a multinational professional service network, will be the presenting partner for this year’s conference. 

They recently appointed Roel Campos, chair of the LCDA board of directors, to serve as an independent director on their U.S. board. 

An LCDA/KPMG report revealed that despite an increase in representation shown in the first quarter of 2021, Latinos only make up 3% of Fortune 1000 board seats. 

Numbers like these concern the association because Latinos represent nearly a fifth of the U.S. population and a greater percentage of them are enrolling in higher education every year. 

An online LCDA Board Tracker also found that 73% of 2020 Fortune 1000 companies lack a single Latino director on their board. 

Esther Aguilera is the president & CEO of the LCDA, and she has been outspoken about these disparities. 

“A more diverse board makes smarter decisions and has better outcomes. We’ve seen that. At the same time, I think there is a business case around the marketplace that is value added for the boardroom,” Aguilera said. 

Both her and other LCDA have made the argument that if companies do not bring in Latinos to executive boardroom positions now, they might regret it later. 

The Latino Donors Collaborative found that the group now contributes over $2.6 trillion to the U.S. economy, which nearly rivals the gross domestic product of countries like India and France. 

With the Latino population expected to nearly double by 2060, they will only continue to have a greater influence on the world's largest economy.