Alfonso Bustamante

After studying in the United States, Alfonso Bustamante returned home to find that Peru was experiencing constant blackouts. He thought crumbling infrastructure was holding the country back and saw the potential of investing in clean energy and natural resources. Determined to become an entrepreneur, Bustamante launched CFI, a private holding company that invests in energy, agriculture and real estate projects.

CFI embarked on a project to turn desert into sustainable farmland by using hydroelectricity to build an irrigation system. The company also built a thermoelectric power plant, which recovered unwanted natural gas that was being burned offshore. After a lawsuit threatened the business, Bustamante refocused CFI on clean energy and sustainable food production. Today, the company has hydroelectric and solar operations north of Lima and a business that produces, packs and exports avocados, grapes, asparagus and blueberries from extensive farmland.

Bustamante believes that a company’s main responsibility is to the well-being of its employees and the local community. CFI provides a rigorous training program for its workers and trains local farmers on agricultural techniques, including the efficient use of water. The company has also built two primary schools in Peru and is working to eradicate anemia in local children.