Manuel Lasaga is President and co-founder of StratInfo. He has more than 30 years experience as a business and financial economist advising entrepreneurs, multinational corporations, financial institutions, government agencies and professional services firms and as a senior executive.
As a Business Economist he has more than 30 years of experience advising entrepreneurs, multinational corporations, financial institutions, government agencies and professional services firms. He has nationally-recognized capability for independent analysis of the Florida, U.S., and Latin American economies and financial markets.
Lasaga is an advisor to banks in the areas of strategic planning and Asset / Liability management, helping banks optimize their risk-adjusted returns. He has assisted De-Novo banks through the organizational and approval process and during their initial operating period. He has developed a methodology to assist banks in determining the quality of their loan portfolio. He also has experience in management evaluations to assist banks in improving their performance.
Lasaga has held high-level positions with Wharton Econometrics in Philadelphia; Citicorp in New York, including member of the international Bank Advisory Group which managed the rescheduling of emerging markets' external debts during 1982 - 1985; and Southeast Bank in Miami, including member of the bank's Country Risk Committee. He has consulted for 20 years with the World Bank in Washington D.C., specializing in the evaluation of capital markets and development projects in emerging markets. He is also registered as an Investment Advisor.
Lasaga was a member of the Florida Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors. An active community leader, he has served for 20 years on the Board of Directors of Baptist Hospital of Miami, and is also on the Board of the Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute Management Company. He is also Chairman of the Advisory Committee of Miami Dade College’s School of Business.
Lasaga has a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania.
He is also a Clinical Professor in the Department of Finance at Florida International University.
Alicia L. Diaz (1945 – 2014)
Alicia Diaz was Vice President and co-founder of StratInfo and a leader in the development of the firm’s analytical services. She was a consummate professional who inspired friendship and respect and her loss is painfully remembered by those who knew her.
Ms. Diaz had broad experience in business research, in assessing international risks and identifying business opportunities in global markets. She had also done extensive research on the Florida economy. She was instrumental in the development of the Country Risk Rating services of StratInfo. Her professional career included founder and President of AD/vantage Point Inc., a business consulting firm, and Southeast Bank in Miami, where she assumed various positions in domestic and international banking, and she was also a member of the team that managed the bank’s global lending operations. Ms. Diaz collaborated with the North-South Center at the University of Miami on several research projects including as co-author of The Enterprise for the Americas Initiative: Its Impact on South Florida.
Ms. Diaz received her Bachelor's Degree in Finance from Florida International University, where she completed courses in the Graduate School Program for economics
