Spirits giant CEO warns of looming hurdles, wants action now

Santo Domingo.- The CEO of distiller Brugal& Co. on Wednesday raised the need for a true public-private partnership toexplore new approaches in education and innovation, for the country tosuccessfully face the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Augusto Ramirez Bonó warned that robotics andthe Web currently spur extreme automation levels in production processes which inhis view widen the gap between developed and non-developed economies.

He said that process could eliminate 5million jobs in the next four years, further increasing inequality, a situationthat poses a major challenge for countries like the Dominican Republic. "It’stherefore necessary to break the old molds, act with urgency and work in thesame direction."

The business leader stressed that rethinkingthe country’s development model must be priority, creating "a system that placespeople at the center of everything we do." He said he’s a standard-bearer fora new awareness based on the ethics and values ??of a shared destiny.

The CEO of the sprits giant stressed thevalue of a public-private partnership, which he affirms is needed to increase capitalknowledge, accelerate innovation and entrepreneurship, adapt the legalframework to the new reality, strengthen transparency and shared responsibilityamong all.

Ramirez, speaking during the 25th annual ‘BrugalCree en su Gente’ (Brugal Believes in its People) awards, said the country’s mostimportant recognition prizes solidarity and commitment to Dominicans’ wellbeing.

The executive called on Dominicans to pushfor transformations that can "create value, create a true public-privatepartnership and narrow the technology gap that we have today. We live in an agewhere patience is no longer a virtue; there’s no time to lose."