Our Team
Meet our Team
Our professional team members are long-time experts in market research and brand consulting. Each of our experts works in an area of specialization, each of them being unique in their approach to a marketing issue. This is the reason behind our suitability to undertake your research and consulting needs.
Our team’s knowledge and experience are what make Mercaplan a highly qualified firm to offer both specific and detail-oriented studies, as well as multidisciplinary and complete solutions to address social or business research projects.
Jorge Martín Frech
Managing Director
Research Experience: 25 years
With more than 25 years of experience in both quantitative and qualitative market research, Jorge is responsible for leading the agency’s growth in Latin America and the Caribbean. Locally he is directly involved in accounts and projects, a fact that is highly appreciated by all his clients. Internationally, he actively participates in supporting global initiatives, such as the events hosted by ESOMAR – World Association of Market Researchers.
His areas of expertise include international business development, multinational coordination and regional brand building. Jorge holds a degree in Marketing from TEC de Monterrey, (Mexico) and an MBA from New York State University.
Christian Andrés
Client Management & Business Solutions Director
Research Experience: 23 years
Christian is an established market research professional with more than 20 years of experience in the field of market research. His main role as Client Management & Business Solutions Director is to provide and guarantee international clients with quantitative and qualitative solutions.
He has been mentioned in articles published in the Strategy and Business magazine and has been a member of the editorial board of Markets and Trends magazine, and is currently a representative of ESOMAR – The World Association of Market Researchers.
He has specialized in the management of multi-country studies, organizational climate studies and has broad knowledge in product and service category analysis.
Carlos Licona
Operations Director
Research Experience: 15 years
Carlos has a degree in Business Administration from the University of San Pedro Sula (USAP) Honduras and an MBA focused on Project Management from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia in Barcelona, Spain.
He has worked with MERCAPLAN Central America & the Caribbean team since 2005, and currently serves as Director of Operations with responsibilities that include data collection, data processing and quality management.
He also directs the Project Management team in charge of budget controls and assisting international agencies in carrying out studies with clear objectives and deliverables.
Jeanny López
Research Design & Management Director
Research Experience: 17 years
Jeanny completed a career in Marketing with a Master’s degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Marketing from the Francisco Vitoria University of Madrid. She leads a team of more than 40 executives, responsible for creating materials, coordinating projects and analyzing information to deliver action oriented insights to customers.
Has substantial experience coordinating multiple studies in Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Throughout her 17 + years in the research industry, she has conducted focus groups, in-depth interviews, observations, ethnographic interviews, accompanied visits to the point of sale, home visits, all in order to observe the use, consumption and habits of different products.
In the quantitative area, she has managed continuous studies of brand tracking, product and concept testing, brand equity, CUAS, market segmentation, corporate reputation, advertising performance and ad hoc studies, all of them for different categories such as: alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, lotteries, banks, cleaning products, food, casinos, courier services, education, automobiles, and personal care, among others.
Claudia Interiano
Administration Director
Research Experience: 26 years
Claudia Interiano has successfully worked for more than 26 years in the business. Throughout her experience she has become exceptionally knowledgeable in all processes related to market research projects and quality control.
Currently Claudia holds the position of Administration Director, responsible for overseeing the administrative operations of the company in Central America and the Caribbean.
She has vast experience in quality control procedures, quantitative and qualitative market research, both in commercial and social studies.
Her quantitative experience includes conducting concept testing studies, advertising evaluation, pre and post-test advertising and continuous brand monitoring. In the qualitative area, she has expertise in moderating focus groups concerning commercial and social content.
Kevin Oliva
Account Manager
Research Experience: 5 years
Kevin has a degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Marketing from the Universidad Francisco Marroquin in Guatemala. He holds a Master´s degree in Business Intelligence from OBS Business School in Barcelona.
He speaks fluent Spanish, English and German. He has expertise in the design, supervision and analysis of qualitative and quantitative studies in Central America, the Caribbean, Mexico and South America.
Kevin is also experienced in conducting in-depth interviews, ethnographies and focus groups. He has specialized in different categories including food, restaurants, pharmaceuticals, banking, vehicles and services.
José Luis López
Account Manager
Research Experience: 16 years
Jose became part of the agency in 2006. For over 17 years his experience has been enriched by managing several quantitative and qualitative projects in different countries of Central America, the Caribbean and South America.
He holds a degree in Marketing and International Business from Central American Technological University (UNITEC) and an MBA from Universidad Francisco de Vitoria in Madrid, Spain.
Combining with his qualitive research, he has vast experience in conducting focus groups, ethnographic interviews and in- depth interviews by blending different methodologies that have helped him obtain a deeper understanding of the consumer. He has had the opportunity to manage studies for leading brands in the telecommunications industry (Internet, mobile phones, fixed-telephony, cable television), thereby obtaining a better understanding of consumer behavior and lifestyle marketing across Central America.
Jose has also perfected his management skills in financial studies (Qualitative & Quantitative) that measure advertising effectiveness and brand development. He has been continuously involved in concept testing, product testing, consumer behavior, preferences & habits, costumer satisfaction surveys and ad hoc studies. In recent years he has further expanded his skills and has been actively working in a wide range of projects that include: fast food, beverages, packaged goods, personal care, newspapers, alcohol and high risk groups.
Luis Mejía
Account Manager
Research Experience: 5 years
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Advertising and an MBA in Business Management with a specialization in International Trade. Luis has more than 10 years of experience in the area of communications and market research. He is responsible for maintaining an effective and direct costumer service experience with national and international clients, managing the coordination of various multi-country research projects, and involved in all the processes of each study as an active player in the analysis, review and follow-up of proposals and reports for different categories (beverages, food, banking, telephony and social, among others).
He is also responsible for ensuring compliance with all the requirements of his projects, as well as the appropriate follow-up to its client portfolio. Proven experience in moderating Focus Groups and conducting specialized interviews for various categories at a regional level.
Ileana Tejeda
Account Manager
Research Experience: 10 years
Ileana holds a Bachelor´s Degree in Marketing from the Pontificia University Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic with a Master’s degree in International Business with a concentration in global brands from the University of Salamanca, in Spain and with several degrees in Branding and Brand Management.
She has more than 10 years of experience in the world of market research which has led her to implement projects in Central America and the Caribbean. She has a vast experience in understanding consumer needs and has worked with different industries and sectors such as Banking, Mass Consumption, Retail, Quick Service Restaurant, among others.
In terms of qualitative research, Ileana has broad experience in moderating and conducting focus groups, in-depth interviews and participation in ethnographies, with objectives such as exploratory consumer knowledge for new market opportunities, advertising evaluation, proof of product and concept, understanding the what and why of categories, etc. With an analytical approach, Ileana provides a strategic look at solving business question for customers.
Maria Fernanda Jurado
Account Director
Research Experience: 17 years
Sociologist with a Master´s degree in Marketing, Maria has acquired 17 years of experience in market studies and consumer behavior. She has managed projects for clients in Latin America, the United States and Europe, providing strategic solutions to each of the brands in which she has participated as a consultant.
She has experience in the design and application of various qualitative and quantitative methodologies for the expansion of diversity in industries such as FMCG, pharmaceutical, construction and raw materials, energy, NGOs.
Has managed different types of studies all oriented to answer any business questions of her clients through equity studies, qualitative exploratory studies, innovation studies, brand repositioning, portfolio management, mystery shopper and satisfaction studies, among others.
Míriam Mestre
Account Director
Research Experience: 10 years
As a trained art director in Barcelona and with experience in advertising and marketing, Miriam brings a 360° vision of our clients’ business that leads her to analyze and recommend strategically.
She seeks to understand the consumers’ wants ands needs so that our clients can provide them. Passionate about her work and committed to each project, observation and intuition help her to discover and express insights relevant for the customer.
Also has experience in multi-methodological and multi-country projects. She is currently leading the Brand Guidance & Strategy team in the region. Miriam has a degree in Advertising and Public Relations from the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, in Barcelona; a certificate in Design Thinking by INCAE and is currently studying an MBA at Aden Business School.
Kathryn Viera
Account Manager
Research Experience: 5 years
Kathyrn is a marketing professional who additionally furthered her education obtaining an online Diploma in Human Resources Management. She speaks both English and Spanish, has more than five years of professional experience and is currently managing projects in Central America & the Caribbean.
She is our Solutions Expert of the Customer Experience & Commerce Domain in Kantar Mercaplan.
An expert in managing and understanding customers needs through effective communication skills, allowing her to have an in-depth exploration of their business and develop proposals that meet their expectations and add value to their companies.
Involved in the management of qualitative and quantitative market research projects, focus group moderation, ethnographies, in-depth interviews, exploratory studies of markets, image studies, product and concept testing, usage and awareness studies, advertising and communication.
Gabriela Silva
Account Director
Research Experience: 30 years
Having a degree in Industrial Relations and Social Sciences, specialized in statistics, she decided to further her studies in the field of psychology (with special emphasis on qualitative methodologies). Gabriela has 26 years of professional experience in project management in Central and South America and is an expert in presenting results with different clients and large audiences.
She leads the position of Development Director of the Creative & Media Domain.
Her expertise includes social and market research, information analysis, follow-up on clients’ requests, creation, design and implementation of qualitative studies through phenomenological and hermeneutic methods. Regarding quantitative projects, she performs multivariate and segmentation methods that allow a more strategic data approximation.
Broad experience in managing and directing focus groups, in-depth interviews and ethnographies.
Has managed market research studies especially in the category of cigarettes, environmental analysis, competition, strategic planning, and exploration of new market opportunities for important brands.
Expert in managing studies for different categories such as financial services, mass consumption, telecommunications, steel, oil industry, hygiene and personal care.
Asís Arechavaleta Pinto
Director - Public & Social Development
Research Experience: 15 years
He holds a Law degree from CEU San Pablo University, and an MBA from the School of Industrial Organization (EOI), both in Madrid (Spain).
He has strategic experience in the areas of business, social, political and market research. During the last 15 years he has worked as Regional Project Manager, Director of the Department of Public Opinion or Director of Business Intelligence.
His areas of expertise include customer service, team leadership, project management, strategic consulting, business development, but mainly as head of research projects (quantitative and qualitative), specifically public opinion (elections, candidate image, political situation), as well as human and social development (health, education, public policies, agriculture and finance).
He is also an expert in sectors such as entertainment, catering, tourism, banking and logistics. He has participated in various industry forums through conferences, panels, media and segment groupings. Overall he is considered a good connoisseur of Latin American markets.
Jorge Martín Frech
Christian Andrés
Carlos Licona
Jeanny López
Claudia Interiano
Maria Fernanda Jurado
Gabriela Silva
Julia González Treglia
Asís Arechavaleta Pinto
Cristimaría Salgado
Kevin Oliva
Kathryn Viera
José Luis López
Luis Mejía
Ileana Tejeda
Lucia Gálvez
Francia Vallecillo
Aurora Reyes
Gonzalo Martínez
Mauricio Grez
Claudia Centeno
Miguel Marin
Evelyn Rodríguez
María Fernanda Rodríguez
María Fernanda Márquez
Christiane Rodriguez
Karina Molina
Emma Bonilla
Carolina Guardado
Jasmine Navas
Gloria Pérez
Andrea Ochomogo
Marcia Cifuentes
Jose De Rojas
Edgard Aguilar
Eduardo Castillo
Julieth Obando
Tatiana Riofrío
Guadalupe Zet
Josué Víquez
José Álvarez
Hugo Yépez
Sarahí Pavón
Anyela Orellana
Yuri Estrada
Juan Saúl Gómez
Karina Molina
Research Design Manager
Research Experience: 15 years
Karina is a psychologist with expertise in market research and consumer behavior. Having more than 15 years in the field, she has led and executed projects in the USA, Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. She initiated her professional career as a qualitative project analyst and later had the opportunity to lead the qualitative department for the Central American region.
She has significant experience in negotiation, consulting and project closure. She has moderated more than a 1000 focus groups, conducted in-depth interviews, ethnographies, qualitative studies through digital platforms, co-creation workshops and business diagnostics focused on hiring skills.
She has used tools focused on generating insights, identifying the brand essence, evaluating creative ideas, developing concepts and new products. She has led several projects about food in mass consumption, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, personal care, banking, logistics, shopping malls, real estate, hotels, flour mills, automotive and agriculture industry, NGOs, among others.
Lucia Gálvez
Senior Research Executive
Research Experience: 15 years
Lucia holds a Bachelor´s degree in Psychology from Universidad Francisco Marroquin (UFM) in Guatemala. She has more than 15 years of experience in market research, during this period she has been involved in the design, coordination and analysis of research studies for diverse clients in the region.
She also specializes in brand equity and qualitative studies and has extensive experience moderating focus groups, in-depth interviews, as well as conducting ethnographic studies.
Julia González Treglia
Director Sustainability & Consulting
Research Experience: 25 years
Sociologist with an outstanding thesis on the impact of new technologies in the workplace. She also acquired several Diplomas, in Sustainability Management (UN Global Compact), in Inclusive Business (Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, Argentina) and leadership (Master course and Empowering for Growth for leading Woman course, WPP). Additionally she is a speaker in internal and external forums (events of IAB Internet Advertising Bureau, MMA Mobile Marketing Association, Google among others), a columnist in Marketers Magazine (Ad Latina) and a guest lecturer in Universities on marketing issues, innovation, market research and sustainability; Jury of the Effie Argentina and Latam awards (Advertising Effectiveness) since 2012. Face-to-face jury of the first Effie Latam in 2026 ??? (Miami).
Julia has earned several awards: Distinguished as Leading Woman Argentina by Ad Latina & Advertising Age, recognition for women who have left their impact in the world of marketing, advertising and communications. Winner of the first prize at the second congress of Saimo (Argentinian Society of Research and Opinion Companies) with a paper on Advertising Saturation prepared jointly with Mindshare. Kantar Knowledge Database Award for Unilever Media Mix Optimization. Through her varied and extensive participation in different activities she has become an expert consultant in Brand Value, Communication, Media Performance and Sustainability, collaborating with local, regional and global brands in all types of mass consumption and service categories. Management of different types of audiences, including C-Suite level and strategic partner of major brands.
Analyst with extensive management of databases and complex statistical models. Integration of primary, secondary and passive data. External data management for contextualization.
In combination with more than 25 years of experience in qualitative and quantitative Market Research projects, Julia leads areas of customer service, New Business, Neuroscience, Media Performance & automated and artificial intelligence methodologies.
Estrella Pérez
Account Manager
Research Experience: 6 years
Master´s degree in International Business, specializing in Marketing and Psychology. She is fluent in English and has gained more than five years of experience in project management for Central America & the Caribbean.
She has experience in managing different qualitative studies including in-depth interviews and ethnographies for different targets, conducting and analyzing focus group moderations as well as face-to-face moderations with simultaneous translators and digital platforms.
She also has experience in quantitative studies involving consumer health brand studies, product and concept testing, advertising campaign evaluations and ad hoc solutions. Furthermore, she has managed exploratory studies, pre-testing, post-testing, concept evaluations and product testing.
Estrella is an expert in project management related to mass consumption, telecommunications, alcoholic beverages, financial and insurance sectors, automotive industry, healthcare industry, among others.
Gonzalo Martínez
Senior Research Executive Public & Social Development
Research Experience: 9 years
Social communicator graduated from the Central American University “Jose Simeon Cañas”, El Salvador. This degree enabled him to study communication and gender at the Fundacion Puntos de Encuentro Nicaragua. He is proficient in English.
Gonzalo has accumulated 9 years of experience in social research, carrying out studies in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, related to social communication, gender, local development, food and nutrition security. He is an expert in conducting in-depth interviews and focus groups, with ludo–pedagogical methodologies, with populations in a state of vulnerability such as children and adolescents, men and women in rural areas and LGBTQ+ population.
Additionally, he has designed several reports for social projects about topics on economic empowerment, youth, gender violence, migration and communication, development of baselines with populations at risk in Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras.
He also has experience in designing, validating and implementing social communication campaigns, facilitating training in gender transformative processes, undertaking marketing and public relations in Central America.
Eugenia Durando
Senior Research Executive Public & Social Development
Research Experience: 5 years
Bachelor in Psychology with an emphasis in organizational contexts, possesses a course in organizational anthropology and strategic planning. Her mother tongue is Spanish and is fluent in English and Italian.
With 5 years of experience in market research (B2B and B2C), leading multidisciplinary teams in different sectors such as: energy, education, NGO’s, FMCG, restaurants, banks, insurance, supermarkets and many other.
In the years of experience, she has led multi-country research projects in Central America & Caribbean and Colombia. Coordinating, executing, and monitoring quantitative and qualitative projects, as well as reviewing reports and presenting to different stakeholders. At the same time, she has experience managing different type of clients and stakeholders.
Additionally, has experience conducting in depth interviews, ethnographies and moderating focus groups. As well as using psychological projective instruments.
Emma Bonilla
Research Design Manager
Research Experience: 8 Years
Emma received a Master’s Degree in Marketing Research and Neuromarketing from the University of Barcelona, has a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and is fluent in Spanish and English.
She has 8 years of experience in market research, leading projects for Central America and the Caribbean.
Her experience involves executing ad hoc studies and solutions such as advertising testing, concept testing, name, logos, packaging and product testing, as well as exploratory studies like: U&A, shoppers and brand image. She is an expert in designing, leading and analyzing qualitative projects with standard (mass consumption) and specialized targets such as: vulnerable populations, doctors, patients and key opinion leaders.
This also includes moderating sessions, conducting interviews and accompanied shops, as well as conducting ethnographies.
Responsible for providing feedback to new talent when conducting interviews and moderating focus groups and also offers her skills in the management of projective techniques (metaphor analysis, needs and motivations understanding, etc.).
She collaborates with clients in the retail sector, mass consumption, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, healthcare, banking, logistics, real estate, energy, steel and other big industries, NGOs, among others.
Mauricio Grez
Senior Research Design Executive
Research Experience: 28 years
Bachelor´s degree in Administrative Sciences, with a post-graduate degree in Advertising and Marketing, specializing in Behavior Modification Techniques.
Having more than 28 years of experience in market research, he has acquired extensive experience in the layout, execution and analysis of market studies with notable emphasis on qualitative research. He is a certified focus group moderator and has conducted sessions for different companies throughout his career.
He has had the opportunity to work for several market research agencies occupying positions such as Trade Marketer, Insights Manager, Marketing Intelligence, Regional Consumer Insights for mass consumption products and services, personal care products, consumer goods, among others.
Ana Ochoa
Senior Research Executive
Research Experience: 10 Years
Ana is a psychologist, graduated from Central University of Venezuela. She is fluent in Portuguese and English.
During the 10 years of experience in the corporate world, in the areas of Market Research and Human Resources, she has been able to thrive within the company. She has conducted workshops and work spaces to build action plans and generate data analysis based on findings and insights of the environment and the consumer.
She has experience leading ethnographic research for food categories; especially with the consumer at pyramid base. As well as in building and developing corporate initiatives for leaders and key business figures in Consumer Connection and Consumer Insight.
Alberto Arana
Senior Research Executive
Research Experience: 10 years
Business Administrator, post-graduate degree in Digital Marketing & Social Networks, English language management.
He began his career in market research as a pollster, then takes on more challenging roles becoming manager of qualitative and quantitative research in agencies and as an individual consultant, his strength is centered on studies of Customer Experience, Satisfaction, U&A, Perception and Public Opinion.
Experience in different types of studies for banks, mass consumer products, NGOs and government institutions, work with homeless people, travel maps for new public spaces, contraceptive methods, national environmental survey, investment, academies, market study for the artisanal fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
Design of research methodologies, moderation of focus groups, in-depth and specialized interviews, data processing and reporting.
María Fernanda Rodríguez
Senior Research Executive
Research Experience: 4 years
María has a Bachelor´s degree in Marketing from Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE), with an specialization in Neuromarketing from the University of Barcelona, Spain.
With more than 4 years of experience in market research, she has been leading and executing projects in Central America and the Caribbean, mainly using qualitative methodologies.
She has worked with different industries and sectors of mass consumption, banking, insurance, technology, pharmaceuticals and retail, among others.
In terms of qualitative methodologies, she has a broad experience in moderating focus groups, in-depth interviews, triads, ethnographies, immersions and communities of long and short duration, face-to-face and through digital platforms, both in English and Spanish.
Christiane Rodriguez
Research Design Manager
Research Experience: 13 years
Christiane has a Degree in Marketing and International Business from the Central American Technological University (UNITEC), in Honduras and is currently pursuing an MBA at Aden Business School.
With more than 13 years of research experience, she has been in charge of the management and simultaneous coordination of multiple studies in different countries of Central America and the Caribbean. She has conducted quantitative studies (brand monitoring, brand equity measurements, advertising and post-testing, volumetric analysis, taste testing, ad hoc) and qualitative (advertising pre-testing, product testing and packaging evaluation).
For the past 3 years she has been part of the team leading innovation solutions, helping clients to maximize their business practices by prioritizing strategies based on market opportunities, new product development, portfolio optimization and pricing strategies.
Marcia Cifuentes
Senior Research Design Executive
Research Experience: 19 years
Marcia studied Business Administration and furthered her education in data studies and tools for information analysis.
She has more than 19 years of professional experience in market research, leading projects in Central America and Mexico.
Extensive experience in the design, implementation, monitoring and analysis of ad hoc research, product and concept evaluation, product testing, satisfaction studies, U&A studies, telephone tracking, image evaluation and positioning.
She has managed qualitative studies with standard targets focusing on the general public and in the business sector and specialized targets such as governmental entities. She has conducted focus groups, in-depth interviews, dyads, triads and mystery shopper.
Her market research experience covers the food, beverage, advertising, real estate development, telephony, banking, personal hygiene, health, government organizations, education, customer management and experience in specialized B2B studies, governmental entities and non-profit organizations.
Carolina Guardado
Research Design Manager
Research Experience: 7 años
Marketing graduate and Cum Laude graduate from the Dr. Jose Matias Delgado University. She is currently pursuing an MBA at ADEN Business School.
She has 7 years of experience in market research, has been in charge of the management and simultaneous coordination of multiple studies in different countries of Latin America, from Central America to South America. She conducts quantitative studies (Brand Dynamics™, pre-test and post-test advertising and Ad-Hoc) and also qualitative (group sessions for the evaluation of new concepts, category exploration and PreLink).
Carolina has been involved in the management of continuous studies that measure advertising effectiveness and has also been involved in different studies of mass consumption, higher education, fast food and in the area of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
Eduardo Castillo
Senior Research Design Executive
Research Experience: 4 years
Eduardo is a Business Administrator specialized in International Business with a Master’s degree in Business Management and Marketing. He is fluent in English, has four years of professional experience and is our Creative Domain Solutions Expert at Kantar Mercaplan. He focuses on strategic and creative thinking to develop ideas and solutions.
He has experience in market research managing the preparation of qualitative and quantitative project reports of Central America & the Caribbean, creating the marketing materials, analyzing reports and delivering results in a timely manner that satisfies the customer´s needs. Among the studies he has led include exploratory market research, image research, product / concept testing, market segmentation, usage and awareness (U&A) and creativity and brand evaluation studies. He also conducts in-depth interviews.
Other work experiences include collaboration in the financial / legal sector, specifically in the area of process and legal compliance, money laundering, fraud and unusual activities.
Carlos Montes
Senior Research Design Executive
Research Experience: 2 years
Bachelor of Business Administration with a specialty in Marketing. 4 years of experience in the marketing area and 2 years in market research, leading projects in Central America & the Caribbean. Bilingual English-Spanish.
Experience in the design, execution and analysis of qualitative and quantitative studies for different categories such as products for mass consumption, among others. Strategic and creative thinking to develop ideas and solutions.
Among the studies she has managed are product/ concept tests, brand tracking, value pricing, Segmentation, Usage & Awareness (U&A) and Adhoc studies. Experience in conducting in-depth interviews.
José Álvarez
Ejecutivo Administrativo Senior
Research Experience: 8 años
Through 19 years Jose has accumulated an outstanding amount of experience in the area of Administration and Finance and has been part of the Mercaplan team since 2016. He is currently studying Business Administration at the University of San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
His main responsibilities have been focused in the operational tasks of the company´s management, proposing control procedures for continuous improvement, optimization of internal processes, supervising the implementation of the evaluation protocol, cost analysis and fiscal control and auditing of accounts in Central America and the Caribbean.
Zulima Medina
Senior Research Design Executive
Research Experience: 25 years
Zulima is a chemical engineer with a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. She has more than 25 years of professional experience in different sectors and industries, including telecommunications, banking and finance, food production, and petrochemicals. She is proficient in English.
She has designed research instruments and analyzed results of qualitative and quantitative studies in Central American and Caribbean countries.
She also focuses in developing continuous studies integrating market and business information from clients to generate tactical and strategic business intelligence reports.
She has wide experience in applying Brand Dynamics solutions, pre-test and post-test advertising, and concept evaluation tests in food, alcoholic beverages, telecommunications services, banking, and higher education.
Jose De Rojas
Senior Research Design Executive
Research Experience: 8 years
Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and International Business with a Master’s degree in Business Management with orientation in Management Competencies from the Central American Technological University (UNITEC). He is bilingual with proficiency in English.
Jose has more than 9 years in the world of research, he has simultaneously led and developed multiple multi-country projects including design, planning and execution, making it possible to have a clear vision of the client’s needs and expectations.
He has headed and conducted quantitative and qualitative studies on beverages, mass consumption, telecommunications, financial services, fast food, hygiene and personal care, education, automobiles, supermarkets, among others.
In the quantitative field, he is a specialist in conducting continuous studies, brand health, use and awareness, market segmentation, advertising evaluation, mystery shopping, pre and post evaluation testing, product/concept tests and ad-hoc studies.
In the qualitative sector he specializes in advertising pre-testing, product testing and packaging evaluation, he also has vast experience in conducting interviews with specialists.
Edgard Aguilar
Senior Research Design Executive
Research Experience : 6 years
Edgard has been a marketing professional for 6 years in different agencies and is currently pursuing a Master´s degree in Business Intelligence and Big Data from EUDE, Madrid; Certified in conducting qualitative interviews and qualitative data analysis by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
He has managed insights on behalf of the client, which has given him expertise that encompasses everything from planning and execution of both quantitative and qualitative market research studies.
In his trajectory, he has conducted studies in several countries from Central America, the Caribbean and Colombia with the objective of understanding consumer behavior, evaluating product and advertisement concepts, measuring brand health and equity and evaluating brand performance at the point of purchase.
He concentrates on answering business questions by designing research projects that facilitate solutions in an analytical and pragmatic fashion.
Gloria Pérez
Senior Research Management Executive
Experiencia en Investigación: 12 años
Gloria holds a degree in Marketing and International Business from the Central American Technological University (UNITEC), in Honduras. She earned an MBA with an emphasis in Marketing from Euncet – Barcelona Business School, in Spain. Since the beginning of her professional career in research she has specialized in conducting multi-country quantitative studies in Central America & the Caribbean and South America and has significant experience in quantitative and qualitative studies.
Within the Quantitative area, she has mainly handled continuous studies of brand monitoring, brand health, use and awareness, costumer satisfaction, advertising evaluation, mystery shopper, public opinion, pre-testing and ad hoc evaluations for different products such as feminine pads, toilet paper, incontinence products, baby diapers, pet food, foods, banking, non-alcoholic beverages, telephony, fast food, among others.
Qualitatively, she has experience in conducting in-depth and ethnographic interviews. She has been in charge and has participated in in-depth interviews with management levels and home observations.
Diverse experience in studies with different qualitative methodologies in different topics such as consumer habits and media, among others.
Guadalupe Zet
Senior Human Resources Executive
Research Experience: 5 years
Guadalupe holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management, both from the University of San Carlos in Guatemala, and has more than 10 years of professional experience in the field of psychology and human resources management.
As a psychologist she has experience working with different communities in the countryside of Guatemala including: vulnerable populations, children in judicial custody, teaching educational programs, leadership, in recreational programs with children and teenagers, violence prevention, parenting school and foster care programs, work with NGOs, educational entities and social programs of the Government of Guatemala. Her hard work resulted in a mentoring scholarship from the 2014 Youth Ambassadors program in the United States, traveling with 6 young people to various states of the United States of America to acquire knowledge about leadership topics and community work.
In the area of Human Resources, she has obtained experience working for Central America & the Caribbean , in the management of all processes and subsystems of Human Resources which encompasses Strategic Coordination, Organizational Culture, Training and Development, Internal Client Loyalty, Recruitment & Selection, Turnover Rate, Performance Evaluation, Implementation of Non-Profit Benefit Programs, Legal-Labor Processes, Occupational Health and Safety.
With great experience in risk analysis in hiring personnel, conducting socio-economic studies for new bank employees, technology companies, mass consumption, production companies and health, among others.
She continues to expand her knowledge and has acquired skills in moderating in-depth interviews and conducting ethnographic studies.
Anyela Orellana
Senior Information Technology Executive
Research Experience: 2 years
Engineer in Info Technology from Jose Cecilio del Valle University in Honduras with certificates in technology, systems administration, information security and project management. She holds a Master’s degree in Human Resources and Business Management from the Polytechnic University of Honduras.
Anyela has gained more than 7 years of experience in the field of technology, leading the IT field, web development, management and coordination of work teams in the area of Information Technology support and implementation of technological solutions.
During her career, Anyela Orellana has led projects improving efficiency and implementing new technologies to optimize processes.
Andrea Ochomogo
Senior Operations Executive
Research Experience: 3 years
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations with a Master’s Degree in Project Management at Universidad Del Valle, Guatemala with Summa Cum Laude honorable mention, with one of the highest grade point averages in her class. She is fluent in English and Spanish.
Her experience includes strategic planning for various international brands, focusing her market research on understanding audiences and consumers in several countries of Central America, South America and the Caribbean. She has worked with a variety of products in personal care, mass consumption, health, restaurants, food, telephony, services, beverages and international cooperation, among others.
Specializes in the coordination of focus groups, ethnographies, in-depth Interviews and quantitative field surveys in different countries; managing, monitoring and supervising projects, planning and coordination of multi-country quantitative and qualitative studies.
Aurora Reyes
Regional Coordinator of Quality Control
Research Experience: + 20 años
Aurora has been part of the Mercaplan team since June 2001, initially joining the Fieldwork area and subsequently working in Quality Control.
Her main responsibility consists of ensuring that each of the projects executed in the company complies with all validation requirements or processes, maintaining the different project audits and innovating new validation procedures and, depending on the country, with the appropriate standardization.
Aurora holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
Sarahí Pavón
Senior Operations Executive
Research Experience: 11 años
Sarahi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the Technological University Center (CEUTEC). She has 11 years of market research experience, leading fieldwork projects for the collection of primary data in Colombia, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.
Within the quantitative area, she specializes in conducting continuous satisfaction, brand health, usage and awareness studies, among others.
She has also broadened her experience in data digitization, coding, coordination and fieldwork with CAWI methodology.
Juan Saúl Gómez
Senior Data Processing Executive
Research Experience: 16 years
Juan Saul holds a degree in Computer Engineering from the Technological University of Honduras. His career in the company has been focused on the areas of data capture and processing.
He has more than 16 years of experience in market research and has been involved in managing multi-country studies.
Yuri Estrada
Senior Data Processing Executive
Research Experience: 12 years
Systems Engineer, graduated from the University of Managua (UdeM).
Yuri has acquired more than 12 years of experience in market research, data capture, scripting of various methodologies such as BrandDynamics, LinkTV, LinkExpress, IdeaEvaluate, ConceptEvaluate, product testing.
He is an expert in processing a variety of studies for both Kantar tools and ad hoc solutions as well as Dashboard elaborations based on PowerBI.
Lilian Estrada
Senior Digital Marketing Executive
Research Experience: 15 years
Master’s degree in Marketing with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences from the Rafael Landivar University of Guatemala. For more than 15 years, her area of expertise has been in Digital Marketing, helping companies and brands to build their customer base, launch and promote products, increase sales and build brand loyalty.
She has one year of experience in market research, assisting in the digital search of specific targets and product users, and the development of digital campaigns on different platforms throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
She is also experienced in Institutional Communication, journalistic writing, marketing and sales, which contributes to the execution of effective digital campaigns. She is capable of quickly adapting to changes and is in constant search for new knowledge that contributes to the field.
Francia Vallecillo
Operations Manager – International PM
Research Experience: 10 años
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from the Catholic University of Honduras (UNICAH), in San Pedro Sula and is pursuing an MBA with an emphasis on Commercial Management at the International Business School-ADEN.
She started her professional experience at Mercaplan in 2013 as part of the Project Management team. Throughout the years, she has coordinated both multi-country qualitative and quantitative studies across the Central America and Caribbean region. Currently, she is in charge of leading the Project Management team, where she is responsible for the follow-up and execution of the international studies requested from Mercaplan.
Related to her expertise in quantitative research, we can highlight the management of continuous studies of brand monitoring, product testing, concept testing, evaluations of advertising pieces, different ad hoc projects and getting involved in the entire fieldwork process from beginning to end. This has allowed her to acquire a better perspective of the various processes involved in each project. She has applied her work ethic and knowledge in different categories such as alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, food, appliances, telecommunications, banking, and healthcare, and others.
In the qualitative area, she has become knowledgeable in the topics of focus groups, mystery clients, online communities and in-depth interviews.
Cristimaría Salgado
Marketing & Solutions Manager
Research Experience: 21 years
Master’s Degree in International Marketing, Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing. She has completed courses in Management Skill Programs, Sales Management, Executive Leadership Program for Women. Fluent in English-Spanish, with more than 21 years of professional experience.
Experience in developing operational plans in the search for sales growth (fairs, promotions and others), KPI analytics, market segmentation and strategic planning, financial analysis for the commercial area with a strong approach in the beer industry.
Expertise in innovation strategies, brand transition for new markets, re-launches, packaging changes, achieving top positioning in national and international markets. Strategic vision in the commercial area, developing marketing plans, creative platforms aligned to the execution strategy at the sales point, budget and operations management within strict financial disciplines. Identification of business opportunities with stakeholders, follow-ups, market knowledge, reporting key information to executive committees.
Management of the marketing and communication strategy of Kantar Americas for Central America and the Caribbean as well as the implementation of the syndicated Barometer study during the COVID pandemic, management of the annual TOM study for E&N Magazine. Coordination of events and webinars such as Kantar Talks.
Advanced knowledge of both quantitative and qualitative market and insight research tools and solutions. Coordination, execution and analysis of reports for clients up to the final presentation of the same. Moderation of focus groups, in-depth interviews, ethnographies, coaching and mentoring experience.
Kevin Oliva
Account Manager
Research Experience: 5 years
Kevin has a degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Marketing from the Universidad Francisco Marroquin in Guatemala. He holds a Master´s degree in Business Intelligence from OBS Business School in Barcelona.
He speaks fluent Spanish, English and German. He has expertise in the design, supervision and analysis of qualitative and quantitative studies in Central America, the Caribbean, Mexico and South America.
Kevin is also experienced in conducting in-depth interviews, ethnographies and focus groups. He has specialized in different categories including food, restaurants, pharmaceuticals, banking, vehicles and services.
Claudia Centeno
Senior Research Executive
Research Experience: 2 years
Claudia earned a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and is currently studying a master’s degree in Administration with a concentration in Neuro-management. She is fluent in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish.
She has experience in the design, implementation, supervision and analysis of results for Adhoc studies, brand health, U&A, Brand Stretch, among other research design studies.
Management of qualitative studies with standard targets for the general public, for mass consumption products as well as for more specialized products. Moderation of focus groups, in-depth interviews and triads for various food and beverages categories.
Her experience in market research encompasses the categories of food, beverages, advertising, telephony and banking, among others.
Evelyn Rodríguez
Senior Research Executive
Research Experience: 5 Years
Evelyn is a Marketing graduate from Universidad Centro Americana Jose Simeon Cañas in El Salvador, fluent in Spanish and English, with more than 5 years of practicing professionally .
Experienced in market research for different product categories at multi-country level, with quantitative and qualitative approach. She specializes in client management, maintaining and developing the commercial portfolio.
Among the studies she has developed are: brand health diagnostics, understanding of purchasing and usage habits, concept evaluation, product testing, packaging evaluation, post-launch product performance evaluation, advertising pieces evaluation, customer and employee satisfaction assessment, corporate reputation, and mystery shoppers, including Adhoc.
In addition, she has moderated focus groups, interviews, ethnographies and WhatsApp journals.
Member of the European Society for Opinion and Market Research (ESOMAR) since 2023.
Ambar Almoguera
Senior Research Executive
Research Experience: 5 years
Ambar is a Marketing Specialist and Publicist with 20 years of experience and extensive knowledge in the development of Marketing strategies, Commercial, Advertising, Management, Events Organization and Research.
She has been Brand and Marketing Manager for wine, spirits and beer categories. In addition, she has worked in the creation of specialized marketing strategies for the legal and medical sectors.
She has studies in Master’s degree in Organizational Communication (Universidad Interamericana), is a Marketer (ISUM) and Publicist (Universidad Hispanoamericana) with a Diploma in Media (Universidad de las Américas) and Inbound marketing certification (HubSpot Academy).
Her capacity for creativity, curiosity and interest in constant renovation and trends lead her to the world of research once again. She joined to the agency in 2022 and in a short period of time she has been involved in different quantitative and qualitative regional projects, including moderating and conducting focus groups. She manages studies for different categories such as financial services, FMCG, telecommunications, among others.
She is currently Senior Research Executive and Solution Expert of the Commerce & CX Expertise Area.
María Fernanda Márquez
Senior Research Executive
Research Experience: 4 years
Masters’ Degree in evaluation, formulation, and project management, she majored in Marketing and obtained a Digital Marketing certification. She is fluent in English and Spanish and has accumulated more than 4 years of experience in project management throughout the LATAM region.
Maria Fernanda is at the forefront conducting end-to-end projects, specializing in the identification of quantitative and qualitative insights for the pharmaceutical and mass consumption industries through studies aimed at shoppers, consumers, doctors, insurance companies and other entities related to these industries.
She has experience managing health projects focused on prescription products, OTC products, oncology, dermatology, gastroenterology, pulmonology, cardiology, diabetes, and medical devices, among other chronic diseases and their medications.
Expertise in consumer goods, drinks, snacks, meat products, pharma, dairy, etc.
Miguel Marín
Senior Research Executive
Research Experience: 5 years
Social-linguistic anthropologist, with five years of experience in market research, as well as in digital brand communications planning, measurement and performance analysis, including digital audience behavior.
He has conducted qualitative and quantitative studies for the Latin American and Caribbean region, focused on brand health and positioning, product and concept innovation, ad pre and post-testing and shopper behavior.
He has participated in and managed studies for a diverse range of industries such as retailers, automotive, FMCG, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, banking, international organizations, etcetera.
His educational background in social sciences, with an ethnographic and sociocultural approach, emphasizes speech analysis, phonology, communicative interactions and identity process construction and reproduction. He contributes with a perspective from the anthropological dimension of brands in people’s lives.
Jasmine Navas
Senior Research Management Executive
Research Experience: 2 years
Bachelor’s degree in English with an emphasis in Translation. Experience in logistics management in multi country and multi-category projects in the American and Caribbean region.
Experience in qualitive studies, from logistics and coordination to conducting focus groups moderations, in-depth interviews, ethnographies, and immersions for different targets including focus groups and product testing with children. She has also acquired experience with face-to-face and online moderations. Development of Idea Blogs.
Experience in quantitative studies, managing the development of concept evaluations, product testing, advertising evaluations and ad-hoc studies. Exploratory pre-testing and post-testing.
Irene Rivera
Senior Research Design Executive
Research Experience: 3 years
Irene holds a Bachelor´s Degree in Marketing and International Business from Universidad Tecnologica Centro Americana, fluent in Spanish and advanced English.
She has three years of experience in market research, leading projects in North and South America, Central America & the Caribbean, executing Adhoc studies and solutions such as: advertising evaluation and analysis, product testing, packaging and concepts, brand health, shoppers and U&A.
Proficient in designing, leading and analyzing qualitative studies with standard targets (mass consumption), moderating sessions and conducting interviews and ethnographies. Experienced with clients in personal care, retail, food, mass consumption, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and telephony telephony, among others.
Julieth Obando
Senior Research Executive
Research Experience: 7 years
Has been part of the Mercaplan family since 2018, time in which she has enhanced his knowledge in market research, working on projects in Central America and the Caribbean.
She has experience in interpretation and analysis of statistical data, design of quantitative and qualitative instruments, management and coordination of multi-country and multi-category projects. With knowledge in the categories of massive consumption, personal and feminine care, infant formulas, telecommunications, banking, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, fast food and pets.
Julieth has worked in the management of tracking brand health studies, KPI’s monitoring, Brand Dynamics solutions, product testing, concept evaluations, campaign evaluations (post links) and ad-hocs.
In the qualitative field, she excels in the execution, analysis and moderation of consumer behavior studies, brand image, concept, packaging and product evaluation, as well as home visits and point-of-sale visits.
Julieth has a degree in Marketing from Universidad Centroamericana (UCA) and is an MBA student at Universidad Europea del Atlántico, Spain.
Tatiana Riofrío
Senior Research Executive
Research Experience: 6 years
Her market research experience began at Kantar, where she played a strategic role in supporting users of the company’s proprietary software. Her focus was on helping clients understand media, product, and service consumption behavior in the Ecuadorian market. Also, with accurate, timely and simplified information derived from the measurements taken.
Joined the agency in 2021 to manage quantitative projects in Central America and the Caribbean in FMCG categories, as well as qualitative projects related to understanding beverage alcohol consumption habits. She rejoined in 2023 to simultaneously manage multinational accounts and multi-category FMCG projects in both Central America and the Caribbean. She is bilingual, enabling her to manage projects in both English and Spanish.
With 10 years of experience and a focus on Marketing and Market Research areas, Tatiana has a degree in Commercial Engineering from ESPE (Ecuador) and specializes in Digital Marketing from ADEN.
Josué Víquez
Senior Project Management Executive
Research Experience: 2 years
Political scientist by profession, graduated from the University of Costa Rica, specializing in project management at the Technological Institute of Costa Rica, with knowledge in Agile methodologies. He joined the agency in 2022 as part of the international Project Management team. During this time, his experience has been enriched with the management, coordination, and planning of quantitative and qualitative projects at a multi-country level for the Central America, Caribbean, and South America regions.
Among his main functions is involvement in every process involved in the projects, allowing him to have a comprehensive understanding of both the operational and commercial aspects of the industry. This enables him to work in various categories, from social issues like public opinion and more politicized topics, to product-related matters, health, food, and beverages, among others, in both quantitative and qualitative projects.
Guatemala
Edificio Géminis 10, Torre Sur, #1702
Guatemala, Guatemala.
Honduras
Tegucigalpa
Col. Rubén Darío, Calle Venecia, #2152
Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
San Pedro Sula
Blvd. Los Próceres, #238
San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
El Salvador
Col. Escalón, 3ra Calle Poniente, Pasaje Stahl, #147
San Salvador, El Salvador.
Nicaragua
Bolonia, del canal 2, 2 cuadras abajo, 30 vrs al sur, #24
Managua, Nicaragua.
Costa Rica
75mts sur de la entrada al Blvd. Los Yoses, #76
San José, Costa Rica.
Panamá
San Francisco, Calle 64 y Las Caracuchas, #12
Panamá, Panamá.
Dominican Republic
Paseo de Los Indios, #49, El Millón
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
- info@mercaplan.com
- jobs@mercaplan.com
- 2023 - MERCAPLAN Central America and the Caribbean