Juan Andrés Panamá

Regional General Manager Latin America @ DiDi

About

In 2018, I became DiDi’s first employee in Mexico. Today, I lead the company’s Spanish-speaking Latin America region — 10+ countries, ~500 people, and a $5B+ operation built from zero trips, zero drivers, and zero revenue. Along the way, we turned DiDi into Mexico’s leader in ridesharing with profitable and comparable margins. We launched and scaled markets across South America, Central America, and the Caribbean, each time rebuilding the playbook for driver economics, consumer behavior, and team-building across very different cultures. In Mexico, I worked alongside government and industry to help design and implement the country’s landmark labor reform for platform workers — helping formalize protections for millions of drivers and delivery partners. Before DiDi, I spent a decade in mobility strategy and management consulting across eight countries. I studied engineering at the University of Michigan and earned my MBA at INSEAD. I think a lot about what it takes to build and scale technology businesses across fragmented, high-regulation Latin American markets — and I’m always open to conversations with founders, operators, and investors working in the region.

Country

Mexico

City

Mexico City Metropolitan Area

Industry

Internet

Skill

Strategy, Business Intelligence, Project Management, Process Improvement, Management Consulting, Financial Analysis, Data Modeling, Business Analytics, Business Process Improvement, Design Thinking, Product Development, Financial Reporting, Requirements Gathering, Quality Assurance, Business Process Design, Financial Modeling, Cross-functional Team Leadership, Analytics, Finance Analytics, Financial Planning

Experience

Regional General Manager Latin America

DiDi

2021-12 - Present · 4 yrs 10 mos

P&L and strategic leadership across DiDi’s Latin America region — 10+ countries, ~500 employees, 15 direct reports. Expanded market coverage across South America, Central America, and the Caribbean while driving the business to sustained profitability. Worked alongside government and industry stakeholders to help shape Mexico’s landmark labor reform for platform workers.

General Manager - Mexico & Argentina

DiDi

2020-1 - 2021-12 · 2 yrs

Mexico / Argentina

Led DiDi’s two largest Spanish-speaking markets. Grew Mexico into the leader in ridesharing and launched operations in Argentina from scratch — building the team, regulatory strategy, and go-to-market from zero. Oversaw business continuity and driver support programs during COVID-19.

Territory Manager - North & South Mexico

DiDi

2018-1 - 2020-12 · 3 yrs

Mexico

DiDi’s first hire in Mexico. Built foundational city operations across the country’s northern and southern territories — driver onboarding, local partnerships, and market expansion playbook that became the template for subsequent LatAm launches. Stood up DiDi’s food delivery vertical in Mexico — product localization, merchant acquisition, operations, and launch execution across initial cities.