INTERVIEW considered us to be temporary managers of our businesses. We work to reinvest because the experience of the businessman is so important InterviewVIEW to solving social problems. In 1986, we created a foundation to focus on our philanthropic activities. It’s clear we can and should do many things. I don’t see this as INTER A Conversation an option; I see it as a social responsibility. With so much need, how do you de- cide which areas to support? Our focus is on health and education. Many years ago, when we were analyzing what with Carlos Slim we should do, we decided to begin with the nutrition and health of a pregnant mother. We looked to reduce mother and child mortality by making sure the baby is born in the best pos- sible conditions. There are many lifelong issues for the child that can be prevented by having a FOUNDATION BRIEF The Carlos Slim Foundation But in Mexico, foreign direct investments proper birth experience. (www.carlosslim.com) was created in 1986. in recent years have been very active, so the po- Our focus is also on the nutrition of the With strong social and high impact programs tential for more in the near future is very strong. baby in the fi rst two years of life, which is an focused on the most vulnerable population, the For your businesses, do you see growth important time in the child’s development. foundation has directly benefi tted more than coming mainly from within Mexico or from I spoke with Mexico’s President at the 29.7 million people. The foundation’s focus is international markets? time, Ernesto Zedillo, informing him that we on the following areas: education, health, nutri- We have strong growth in Mexico. In the had already worked with a public children’s tion, social justice, culture, human development, mining business, there are many Canadian com- hospital to create nutrition programs in two cit- aid in natural disasters, economic development, panies and national Mexican companies in- ies. These programs increased the baby’s birth Carlos Slim Helú during the Carlos Slim Awards in Health ceremony Carlos Slim Helú protection and conservation of the environment, volved. We have to invest around $70 or $80 weight by 15 percent. President Zedillo en- and aid to Latin America and sister nations, as billion a year in infrastructure and that will cre- dorsed the program in 1996 and it was taken on people in the skill sets that will be required for rooms are contaminated with dangerous gases EDITORS’ NOTE Carlos Slim Helú studied Civil well as to public and private institutions. ate a lot of opportunities. by the government as public policy. these jobs in fi elds such as information technol- and contaminants. We support a program called Engineering at the National Autonomous There is also potential growth in housing In terms of education, we need to move from ogy, tourism, health care, and education. Some of Healthy Home to teach people how to build better University of Mexico School of Engineering, where In light of economic challenges, is this and real estate. Mexico is a place with millions traditional methods to education of the 21st cen- these programs can also be taken to other coun- stoves that vent gases out of the house. he also taught Algebra and Linear Programming a time of opportunity or is your outlook of people in many areas that have great poten- tury using today’s technology. We’re working with tries in Latin America and elsewhere. We also conduct something called Outdoor while studying for his degree. In 1965, at 25 more reserved? tial for growth and development. the Khan Academy to fi gure out how to give free In areas like education, we can have a na- Surgery, where we provide surgery in rural areas years of age, he began to build the foundations We have a long-term vision, resources, and Is the government working closely education to everyone in Mexico, no matter where tional impact. A few years ago, we developed that do not have access to traditional hospitals. We of Grupo Carso. Since the 1980s, Slim has been a a healthy company so there are always oppor- with the private sector to encourage pos- they live. Khan Academy offers many programs digital libraries. Instead of lending books, we work with the Mexican Academy of Surgery; they noted businessman in various industrial, real es- tunities to be found in diffi cult times. itive economic activity? that we are looking to translate into Spanish. We lend laptops; instead of going to the library to give free time and teach doctors in rural areas and, tate, and commercial fi elds. He currently serves as With problems in many developed coun- Yes. Mexico has instituted a new law re- are also working to create new programs not only read, patrons go to navigate. We have locations with the health center of the government, we mo- Chairman of the board of directors of Impulsora tries now, the private sector will seek out pos- garding public/private partnerships that has for academic purposes but also for labor retrain- with high-speed Internet access and laptops bilize to make it happen. The program currently del Desarrollo y el Empleo en América Latina, S.A. sibilities for investment. been very successful. Many investments have ing. We are focused on the jobs that will be in and PCs that we lend out, which people can take provides more than 150,000 surgeries a year in de C.V. (IDEAL); Chairman of Fundación Telmex, In terms of what is going on in Europe and gone in this direction over the past 10 years demand over the next 10 years and on educating home for 15 days at a time. Mexico. We also support this program in Peru with A.C.; Chairman of Fundación Carlos Slim Helú, the U.S., with big fi scal defi cits and so much and, each time, with more intensity. In the fu- We also have digital the Clinton Global Initiative and have vowed to do A.C.; Chairman of the Executive Committee of unemployment and lack of economic activity, ture, there will be even more growth of this classrooms and through 50,000 surgeries there within three years; in the fi rst Consejo Consultivo de Restauración del Centro governments need to defer to private investors, type of investment. this work, we can give two years, we have completed more than 40,000. Histórico; and Chairman of Fundación del who can create the economic activity and jobs In all areas, public/private partnership is universal access to edu- We are always looking at programs that Centro Histórico, A.C. Slim continues to be ac- that countries need. the best way to use private investment for pub- cation and the Internet have national impact and do not duplicate ac- tive in business although his work is primarily Economic activity for the business commu- lic service. Mexico has a to many people. tivities that others are already undertaking. focused on education, health, and employment nity is signifi cant, especially with such low inter- In terms of these issues, what is the In health care, we We have an art museum, for instance, that in Mexico and Latin America through the foun- est rates. The private sector can create a lot of public sector role? healthy banking system, are trying to innovate. we make accessible at no charge to young peo- dations he chairs and companies in the infra- projects that have better returns. With very low- The only way the public sector can cor- During the last fi ve years ple and families of any income to enjoy. We structure arena. His three sons have taken over cost fi nancing and substantial resources in the rect a fi scal defi cit is by increasing revenues or of life, 80 percent of the have already had 1.2 million visitors there. the reins of his businesses. Slim has lectured at banking system, a long-term vision is needed decreasing expenses. healthy macroeconomics, total lifetime health care We don’t put any limitations on the pro- public and private institutions as well as at in- for economic activity in many countries. To increase revenues, you can increase cost of an individual is grams we support. Our approach is that all we ternational organizations such as the Economic Is there a good understanding of the taxes, which is tough for people because taxes expended. We need to can do, we will do. Commission for Latin America (ECLA). He was the opportunities for foreign investment in are already high and further increases crunch and a good labor pool – our fi nd new solutions, which We have another program called Help Me fi rst Chairman of the Latin American Committee Mexico? a society. we believe lie in genom- To Arrive. In rural schools, it takes many chil- of the board of directors of the New York Stock Many people focus on the BRICs without Part of the solution is also selling assets ics, so we are doing basic dren as much as two hours to get to school. Exchange. In December 2008, Slim was nomi- looking at the bigger picture. A country like and inviting the private sector to make the in- people have proven they research in this fi eld. By providing bicycles through this program, it nated a member of Research and Development Mexico has strong potential and we have seen vestments necessary to increase the economic Also, in schools, takes them only 20 minutes.