Bernardo Ordás Guardia

Manager of Culture and Community @ Ciudad del Saber Foundation

About

I work at the intersection of cultural strategy, institutional leadership, and public value, helping organizations strengthen their long-term identity, relevance, and impact through strategy, communications, partnerships, programming, and cross-sector collaboration.As Manager of Culture and Community at Fundación Ciudad del Saber in Panama, I lead initiatives connecting public programming, institutional positioning, community engagement, and campus activation within one of Latin America’s leading innovation ecosystems. My work contributes to positioning Ciudad del Saber as Panama’s leading hub of knowledge, strengthening the connections between research, entrepreneurship, culture, education, and society. As a Board Member of Fundación IFF Panamá, I contribute to the governance and long-term development of the country’s film ecosystem.My experience spans the cultural, corporate, and nonprofit sectors, combining institutional leadership with expertise in strategy, marketing, communications, partnerships, stakeholder engagement, business development, and ecosystem building.Alongside my executive work, I am developing a long-term research programme at the intersection of Latin American cultural studies, film studies, and cultural sociology. My research explores how cinema and cultural institutions shape national imaginaries, and how certain cultural narratives acquire legitimacy, visibility, and representative authority.My perspective is informed by business training and sustained engagement with media, culture, film, and institutional strategy:• MBA in Marketing and Social Impact — University of Notre Dame• MA in Media and Creative Industries — Erasmus University Rotterdam• Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders — Stanford University• Diploma in Film Studies (in progress) — Pontificia Universidad Católica de ChileI am also developing De Bardo, a long-term platform integrating cultural strategy, research, and selective Latin American film production.I am committed to strengthening cultural institutions, advancing research on cinema and society, and contributing to more ambitious cultural ecosystems across Panama and Latin America.

Country

Panama

City

Panama City

Industry

Non-profit Organization Management

Skill

Stakeholder Management, Board Level, Leadership, Narrative Thinking, Strategic Cultural Design, Curatorial Insight, Institutional Business Development, Social Impact, Creative Industries, Community Engagement, Cultural Management, Operations Management, Content Strategy, Managing Agency Relationships, Film Marketing, Film, Public Speaking, External Relationships, Entertainment Marketing, Film Festivals

Experience

Manager of Culture and Community

Ciudad del Saber Foundation

2025-4 - Present · 1 yr 6 mos

Panama

Leads institutional cultural strategy within a multidisciplinary innovation campus, integrating programming, governance and partnerships to strengthen positioning and generate long-term public value.

Board Member

International Film Festival of Panama, IFF Panama.

2023-5 - Present · 3 yrs 5 mos

Panama

Contributes to governance and long-term strategy of a leading Latin American film institution, supporting cultural programming, international positioning and financial sustainability within the global film ecosystem.

Director

International Film Festival of Panama, IFF Panama.

2022-10 - 2023-4 · 7 mos

Panama

Directed IFF Panamá, leading year-round institutional operations, financial restructuring and multi-stakeholder coordination. Oversaw the 11th edition while advancing strategic initiatives and strengthening the festival’s regional and international positioning.

Co Director

International Film Festival of Panama, IFF Panama.

2021-8 - 2022-9 · 1 yr 2 mos

Panama

Co-directed IFF Panamá during the pandemic, overseeing institutional continuity, cost restructuring and recovery planning. Led the 10th edition while developing a multi-year strategy and expanding partnerships, including collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank.

Regional Sales Manager

Copa Airlines

2017-9 - 2020-6 · 2 yrs 10 mos

Panama

Led regional commercial operations across Central America and the Caribbean, overseeing multi-market performance, structural optimization and stakeholder coordination. Advanced expansion initiatives while cultivating high-performing teams, receiving divisional recognition for leadership and workplace culture.

Brand Manager

Copa Airlines

2015-4 - 2017-9 · 2 yrs 6 mos

Panama

Oversaw brand and institutional positioning across national and regional markets, aligning destination expansion, strategic sponsorships including cultural partnerships, and cross sector collaborations with corporate growth objectives. Managed agency relationships, budget allocation and major campaigns within a complex regional aviation network.

Account Director – Publi4 Ogilvy

Star5

2013-5 - 2015-4 · 2 yrs

Panama

Led senior client strategy for Claro, then Panama’s leading telecommunications advertiser, overseeing high visibility national campaigns and coordinating cross functional teams across creative, media and production. Translated business objectives into structured communications strategy and measurable execution.

Business Consultant – Star Communications Holding

Star5

2013-1 - 2013-5 · 5 mos

Panama

Delivered operational and structural improvement initiatives across multiple agencies within the holding group, including Publi4 Ogilvy, Cerebro Y&R and Wunderman. Streamlined workflows, strengthened inter agency coordination and increased productivity through standardized processes and clearer performance frameworks.

Account Executive – Publi4 Ogilvy

Star5

2011-6 - 2012-12 · 1 yr 7 mos

Panama

Managed a portfolio of accounts across travel, retail and hospitality sectors, supporting strategy development, client governance and campaign delivery. Built early expertise in stakeholder management, structured communications planning and multi project coordination.