Carlos Hank González on the Gran Museum | Grupo Hermes

Transcript

Grupo Hermes was founded in 1977 with the purpose of promoting, developing, and investing in capital infrastructure projects within Mexico. Carlos Hank González, CEO of Grupo Hermes, discusses the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya de Merida: an award-winning, flexible museum space, dedicated to the history and present of the Mayan peoples.

World Finance: Tell us about Grupo Hermes; what kind of projects are you involved with at the moment?

Carlos Hank González: We have different industries that we participate in. For example we’re very focused in the infrastructure business – in not only building, but also the concessions and operating of different businesses.

We also are participating in the automative business; we have also big participation in a steam generation boilers company, which we’re partners with Mitsubishi in Austin. We also have a tourism development project in Cancun, and we participate also in transportation services.

“It was a huge construction. More than 20,000sq m, and we had to do it in under 12 months”

World Finance: Now, the Gran Museum has attracted a lot of positive attention; why do you think this is?

Carlos Hank González: It’s a very interesting project. It’s the first project that has been a PPP project, which is a private and public association project. And it’s very interesting because it’s the first museum in Latin America that has been developed that way. So it took a lot of challenges for sure, but it’s a very exciting thing that we participated in last year and we’re very proud of it.

World Finance: You mentioned the challenges involved; tell us about these and also the other considerations of the project.

Carlos Hank González: Sure. There were many challenges in this project because – as I mentioned – it was the first museum ever built in this type of association. So, first of all we had to convince the government of the benefits that this could have. And it was a big challenge, because this was the first time ever that a project like this has been a concession to a private company, and as you know we still have to manage it for the next 20 years.

But other challenges, for example: the way it was built, it was a huge construction. More than 20,000sq m, and we had to do it in under 12 months. So, there were big challenges, but we’re very proud of what we could achieve.

“The rate that we’re planning to grow, with all the reforms that are going to be passed, we need the infrastructure to go along with that”

World Finance: So how do you envisage the space being used in the long-term?

Carlos Hank González: It’s a very impressive construction, which allows the place to be used in many different ways. Not only as a museum, but for sure as an exhibition centre for the government to show the richness of the state of Yucatan and the city of Medina. We have a big IMAX theatre, which allows us to project a lot of movies, and they have projected a lot of movies, for example, of how the Myans live right now.

And they have also done a lot of big events, where the government has taken a lot of guests, and used it for increasing tourism. And they have a lot of different activities going on at the museum, so we’re very excited about what can be done and achieved in the next years.

World Finance: In the broader context, then, how do you see investment in infrastructure developing in the future?

Carlos Hank González: Very much. President Peña Nieto just announced a big plan to invest around $300bn in Mexico, and we need a lot of infrastructure in Mexico. I think the rate that we’re planning to grow, with all the reforms that are going to be passed, we need the infrastructure to go along with that. So I think these kinds of projects, with the PPP projects in Mexico, is something that will help us and allow us to keep those investment producing and get the growth that we’re looking for in Mexico.

World Finance: Finally, what’s next for Grupo Hermes in terms of projects and the strategic vision?

Carlos Hank González: We’re very excited. We’re very excited because, as I just mentioned, there was a big investment plan announced in Mexico, which is planning to get newer airports, water dams, ports, more highways, and those are all products that we know best, that we have been working on for the last 20 years, and we’re very excited and looking at the new projects to decide which ones we can participate in and be competitive at.

World Finance: Carlos, thank you.

Carlos Hank González: Thank you very much, Nick.