Gaston Taratuta from Argentina named EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2022

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09 Jun, 2022, 23:31 GMT

EY also honors fashion icon Stella McCartney with the EY Social Entrepreneurship Award 2022 for Sustainability
Guests also joined an inspiring session with artist and activist Bono, talking about entrepreneurial leadership

MONACO, June 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Gaston Taratuta, Founder and CEO of Aleph Group, Inc. was this evening named EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ at an award ceremony held in Monaco's Salle des Etoiles. Gaston was selected from among over 350 program participants that included the 50 country winners from 41 global jurisdictions vying for the title. He is the second winner from South America in the award's 22-year history. The event celebrating entrepreneurship, which was able to return to Monaco for the first time since 2019, featured a diverse set of voices and perspectives including special guest, lead singer of U2 Bono. The artist and activist joined EY Global Chairman and CEO, Carmine Di Sibio, on stage to talk about the people, places and possibilities that have shaped his life and the importance of collaboration in his work.

This image opens in the lightbox — Gaston Taratuta from Argentina named EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2022

Taratuta, 49, first founded his company Internet Media Services (IMS) in 2005 with an ambition to deepen the digital ecosystem in his native Argentina and help grow the global technology industry across the region. He would go on to combine IMS with strategically acquired businesses to form Aleph Group, Inc., a distinguished global advertising holding company with a presence in 90 markets across four continents. As of last year, Aleph Group had EBITDA of over US$70m while employing more than 1,000 people.

Stella McCartney is the recipient of the EY Social Entrepreneurship Award 2022 for Sustainability

During the two-day celebration EY also named British fashion designer Stella McCartney CBE, as the winner of the EY Social Entrepreneurship Award 2022 for Sustainability. The honor recognizes her career-long commitment to sustainability and innovation in fashion design, and her non-profit, Stella McCartney Cares. The charitable platform is aimed at creating positive change in the fashion industry and the world at large by inspiring others to embrace sustainable practices.

Carmine Di Sibio, EY Global Chairman and CEO, says:

"After two years away, I am very excited that we have been able to return to Monaco for an in-person celebration with so many incredible entrepreneurs. I'm especially proud to recognize this year's World Entrepreneur Of The Year winner, Gaston Taratuta. Gaston embodies the passion, leadership and resiliency of what being an entrepreneur is all about and is a worthy winner of this year's award."

Di Sibio added: "I'm also privileged to be able to put a spotlight on the important work being done by entrepreneurial leaders around sustainability. In continuing the tradition of the EY Social Entrepreneurship Award for Sustainability, this year's winner, Stella McCartney, truly has an unsurpassed commitment to forging the next generation toward creating a more sustainable future. Congratulations to both on this evening's honors."

Gaston Taratuta, Founder and CEO of Aleph Group, says:

"Being an entrepreneur is more than just building a successful business, it's about creating and seizing opportunities where ones don't readily exist or aren't easily attainable. Few industries have experienced more evolutions over the past two decades than digital advertising and that's exactly why I'm so passionate about forging its future. I approach each day as a chance to tap into the next big idea that will galvanize the space and reimagine what's possible. Critical to any success is surrounding yourself with the right people, and this award is a testament to my amazing team, including my exceptional friend and business partner, Ignacio Vidaguren. I'm truly grateful and humbled to be named the 2022 EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year and I hope to be able to use this platform to empower the entrepreneurs of the future".

Rosaleen Blair CBE, Founder and Chair of AMS, and Chair of the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year judging panel, says:

"The judging panel is honored to award Gaston with this year's title. He's revolutionized the digital advertising industry on a global basis and made it possible for many entrepreneurs in emerging countries to enter markets that were previously inaccessible. His story is one of perseverance, having overcome enormous adversity early in life to reach the heights he's at today. Throughout his journey he's focused on bringing others along with him by leveling the playing field and opening countless new doors. He is exactly what we look for in the World Entrepreneur of the Year."

Stasia Mitchell, EY Global Entrepreneurship Leader, says:

"Gaston's journey has been forged by an innovative mindset and a willingness to take on big challenges with bigger ideas. Through Aleph Group, he has transformed the future of digital advertising, paving the way for the next generation through training programs and building connection points between talent and brands. Gaston is a perfect example of the unstoppable ambition that each of this year's class of entrepreneurs possess and I'm excited to watch how all of them will continue to drive disruptions that build a better future."

About Gaston Taratuta, Founder and CEO of Aleph Group

Gaston's journey began while working for Brazil's largest media company where among his primary roles was the responsibility to connect Brazilian advertisers with customers in the United States. That was when he started to identify a gap that would drive much of his success down the line – so many digital platforms were overly focused on the top performing markets while overlooking the future opportunities of emerging ones.

In the mid-2000s, he went out on his own and founded Internet Media Services (IMS) with the goal of increasing the representation of digital platforms in under-served markets. After partnering with Twitter to provide operations in Latin America, Gaston went on to win partnerships with other digital giants such as Spotify, Waze, LinkedIn and Snapchat. Over the course of the next decade, he began acquiring companies that had similar business models to IMS, diversifying into new markets while staying true to the core philosophy. In 2021, he formed Aleph Group as a corporate brand, connecting digital platforms with advertisers from emerging countries and creating a situation in which everyone has a fair and equal chance of succeeding for companies looking to compete in the global digital ecosystem.

Today, Gaston and Aleph are committed to make digital advertising accessible to all and help under-served markets reach a global audience while helping the companies and talent who face endless barriers of entry become part of one of the most exciting industries in the world.

About the judging panel

Our diverse panel of independent judges was composed of entrepreneurs from around the world who have demonstrated astonishing purpose and drive throughout their careers.

Chair of Judges: Rosaleen Blair, transforming talent management with AMS
Girish Jhunjhnuwala, reinventing the hotel experience with Ovolo Group
Hernan Kazah, co-founder of the largest technology fund in Latin America, Kaszek Ventures
Susan Chong, a pioneer in sustainable packaging with Greenpac Pte Ltd.
Naomi Whittel, a leading nutritional professional and founder of OMI Nutrition
Noëlla Coursaris Musunka, Founder and CEO of Malaika and winner of the Nelson Mandela centenary award for educating girls in Africa
Dr. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, of Biocon Limited, developing affordable drugs to treat diabetes, cancer and COVID-19
- 2020 EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ winner
Brad Keywell, of Uptake Technologies, Inc., who is leading the way through innovations in artificial intelligence (AI)
- 2019 EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ winner

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About EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™

EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ is the world's most prestigious business awards program for unstoppable entrepreneurs. These visionary leaders deliver innovation, growth and prosperity that transform our world. The program engages entrepreneurs with insights and experiences that foster growth. It connects them with their peers to strengthen entrepreneurship around the world. EY Entrepreneur Of The Year is the first and only truly global awards program of its kind. It celebrates entrepreneurs through regional and national awards programs in more than 145 cities in over 60 countries. Winners go on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ title. www.ey.com/eoy