R. Marcelo Claure

R. Marcelo Claure is the Chairman and CEO of Brightstar Corp., the world’s largest specialized wireless distributor and a leading provider of diversified services focused on enhancing the performance and profitability of the key participants in the wireless device value chain. Positioned at the center of the wireless ecosystem, Brightstar offers a full suite of more than 100 innovative services to Manufacturers, Operators, Retailers and Enterprises worldwide. Under Marcelo’s direction, Brightstar has grown into a multi-billion dollar organization in just fourteen years, and has expanded to over 50 countries and territories on six continents in the United States & Canada, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa.

Known for his entrepreneurialism and innovation, Marcelo is the recipient of numerous awards for his leadership and business acumen. He has received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and was inducted as a lifetime member into their Entrepreneur of the Year Hall of Fame. He was also named as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, a group which represents the future of world leadership, coming from all regions of the world and representing business, government, civil society, arts & culture, academia and media, as well as entrepreneurs. Most recently, he was named Hispanic Businessman of the Year by the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Brightstar has been recognized for many years as one of the largest privately held companies by Forbes Magazine, and was listed as #154 in 2010. Inc. Magazine has ranked Brightstar as the sixth largest in terms of companies by gross dollars of growth in 2009 on their annual Inc. 500/5000 listing. Of the more than three million Hispanic-owned companies in the United States, Brightstar was named as the largest company in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011.

Prior to founding Brightstar, Marcelo was active in the expansion of the U.S. telecommunications market through a number of entrepreneurial endeavors. He held an executive position at Unplugged Communications, a company engaged in the distribution and activation of wireless products. He also served as president of Small World Communications, and was president of Cellular Solutions, a successful wireless retailer in the northeastern United States.

Marcelo holds a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and finance, and an honorary doctorate degree of commercial science from Bentley University in Massachusetts. He has also been selected to participate in several prestigious forums and academic programs including Yale University’s Forum of Young Global Leaders at the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs and Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government’s prestigious Global Leadership & Public Policy for the 21st Century program. Marcelo also received an honorary doctorate degree from the Universidad Tecnica Privada de Santa Cruz (UTEPSA).

Additional Awards & Recognition:

• Global Telecoms Business “Forty Under Forty” Leaders
• Hispanic Business Magazine, Entrepreneur of the Year
• Hispanic Magazine, Top Hispanic Entrepreneurs
• LISTA, CEO of the Year
• América Economía, Award of Excellence
• PODER Magazine, Top Hispanic Entrepreneur
• BN Americas, Hall of Fame


Council/Board Memberships:

• Member, CTIA, Board of Directors
• Florida International University, Board of Trustees
• Bentley University, Board of Trustees
• Council of the Americas – Americas Society, Member
• Wall Street Journal, CEO Council, Member
• Foro Iberoamérica and Consejo Empresarial de América Latina (Latin America Business Council), Member
• The Group of Fifty (G-50), Member
• National Advisory Council on Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Member
• Council on Foreign Relations, Member
• FIFA Committee for Fair Play and Social Responsibility, Member