Exclusive VIP Interview with Fernando Vildosola, an International businessman and Mexican diplomat, by Rahul Mahadew on 16th May 2025. The Hague, The Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Building Business Empires Across Borders

Fernando Vildosola, a third-generation Mexican businessman from Mexicali, Baja California Norte, represents the evolution of modern Mexican entrepreneurship. As the front man for a diverse business empire spanning trucking, food commodities, renewable energy, and international ventures, Vildosola embodies the intersection of family tradition, political acumen, and global ambition. In this exclusive interview, he shares insights on building sustainable businesses, navigating cross-border opportunities, and preparing the next generation for leadership. Joined by his daughter Ana Fernanda, a recent law graduate, the conversation reveals both the continuity of family values and the adaptation required for future success in an increasingly complex business landscape.

Family Legacy and Business Foundation

Interviewer: Can you tell us about your background and how your family business began?

Fernando Vildosola: I’m Fernando Vildosola from Mexicali, which is the capital of Baja California Norte, the northern part of Mexico. I’m the third generation of my family. I come from a patriarchal background since my grandfather is the one who built our name. I would say our name, because it’s very important for us in Mexico to have one. That’s what we go by.

The first business venture was the family business that my grandfather established in 1958, while serving as a senator in Mexico under President Adolfo López Mateos. And he built a company, which is called today Kenworth Trucking Company, building one truck a day. And out of that, I think that’s what gave us who we are as we speak.

Interviewer: How has the business evolved since then?

Fernando Vildosola: Within that, we have other business ventures that each one of us tries to go into. For example, we have a food commodity business operating out of Brazil and Mexico as well. So we have scaled in different areas. Wind farms, solar farms, and politics, as you mentioned, play a significant role in everything we do, because in Mexico, it’s important to have a good network.

The Role of Politics and International Expansion

Interviewer: How important is political involvement in your business strategy?

Fernando Vildosola: Politics plays a significant role in everything we do, because in Mexico, it’s crucial to have good connections to make things happen. So that takes you to another level, which would be going international, and a much higher level from that would be travelling to continents, for example, Europe. So we have achieved that. I’m the frontman on all of that, trying to secure new opportunities and exploring new ones. And we’re achieving that as we speak.

We’re working very closely with CCE, Comisión de Coordinador Empresarial, which is headed by our president, Claudia Sheinbaum. She mentioned her for that particular job, which involves getting the word out to people to invest in Mexico and explore the opportunities that Mexico offers.

Core Values and Business Philosophy

Interviewer: What are the core values that guide your business approach?

Fernando Vildosola: The values that my grandfather taught us again are knowing that we serve the people, that people are the ones who make us strong, and that people are the ones who work for us. So we build communities for them, not only just having them as workers; we build a family and give them the opportunities that otherwise they wouldn’t have. I think that if everyone started thinking that way, society would be much better.

My grandfather used to say, “Don’t thank me. I thank the people; they made us who we are.” And I kept that saying since I was nine years old, sitting next to him. So what I’m trying to say is that our values are very deeply rooted, from my grandfather’s era until today, to make the people that work for us – that we hire – the best we can, give them all the opportunities we can, and give them all the education we can, because that’s what makes you strong.

Mexico’s Economic Transformation

Interviewer: How do you view Mexico’s current economic position?

Fernando Vildosola: I think the most important one is that Mexico, per capita, has become stronger and more prosperous. Salaries in Mexico have increased. We have a significant investment in factories in Asia. And we have very low unemployment. So Mexico has come out of a big stagnation that was part of years of bad presidents before the power that we have right now.

Mexico is not only the biggest partner for the U.S. economy; it’s not China right now; it’s Mexico, the biggest partner for the U.S. economy. And I think that gives us a lot of respect that we know how to do things because Mexico is huge–huge in foreign investment. And we need to keep that flowing for us to be stronger still.

Business Opportunities and Market Advantages

Interviewer: What opportunities do you see for businesses looking to invest in or work with Mexico?

Fernando Vildosola: There are plenty of opportunities if you want to get into the US market or the Canadian market because, again, labour is still cheap in Mexico, which is very important. Mexico produces a variety of high-quality products that it exports, including food commodities such as avocados, berries, bananas, and mangoes.

Mexico has two different types of economies. One is the national internal economy that we have, and the other is the economy driven by foreign investments that come into the country to assemble products. Meaning, for example, Toyota. Toyota has a big factory in Mexico. They produce the trucks, and they export those trucks to the US, Canada, and everywhere else because it’s cheaper for them to produce in Mexico.

Mexico is a baby boomer country still. In Mexico, the target age group is around 35 to 40 years old, so they have a lot of potential for buying things that would generate a significant economic impact from their purchases. They need everything, not like the US. The US is an old people’s economy. They range around 65 to 70 years old.

Resilience and Leadership Philosophy

Interviewer: What personal qualities have been essential to your success, and what challenges have you faced?

Fernando Vildosola: I would say we’re one of the most adaptable people in the world. And it’s a very difficult task, and I’ll let you know why because we’re right on the border with the biggest and wealthiest country in the world, which is the U.S. So it’s very difficult to compare us to them. But we’re more resilient in a way because we don’t have all the opportunities that a neighbour like the US can give their people.

Straightforward answer to your question, and there’s only one word to that: being relentless. Being relentless. If every day you wake up and you have a goal, you’re going to pursue that goal no matter what. So, if you’re able to be a leader and people follow you by example, you’ll achieve what you desire most. I was taught from a very young age to be the best you can be. Even if you’re a sweeper, be the best sweeper there is. And if you’re able to teach that to younger people and make them stronger, make them believe in themselves and give them what they need in order for them to succeed, they are going to succeed.

Next Generation Leadership

Interviewer: How are you preparing your daughter Lic. Ana Fernanda to take on future leadership roles?

Fernando Vildosola: I’m trying to have my daughter, who just became a lawyer in the US a couple of months ago, Anna Fernanda, get involved in our businesses in order for her to start getting a lot of experience, hopefully. And maybe one day I can retire somewhere that I would feel comfortable. I don’t think I’ll ever retire, but just to say.

I’m trying to show my daughter the real world, how it is, and how it works, because we didn’t get anything for free. We were made. We made it through work, through hard work, to where we are today. And sometimes it isn’t easy to make them see the world through my eyes, and I can only teach her by example, which I try to do every single day and through experience.

She’s the first female lawyer in my family for three generations, so you know we’re all businessmen in my family. So for me, it’s a huge accomplishment. So she has a massive task in front of her.

Interviewer: Ana Fernanda, What’s your perspective on joining the family business?

Ana Fernanda Vildosola: Well, I want to clarify. I’m an attorney now. I graduated like a year ago. I passed the bar. To answer that question, I think the biggest lesson you have taught me is not to give up. And that goes back to what you said about being resilient. So, in every challenge and obstacle I faced in life, I chose a demanding career; I decided on a long career.

In my personal life, too, I often think back and say, ‘What would my dad do?’ And that can sound as cliche as you want to make it, but it’s reality. And the answer I always come up with is to keep going. That’s embedded in me: to keep going and do my best every single day. If it’s easy, victory doesn’t taste as sweet.

Cultural Perspectives and Business Differences

Interviewer: How do cultural differences between Mexico and the U.S. influence your business approach?

Ana Fernanda Vildosola: For example, in the U.S. versus Mexico, Americans and Mexicans are family-oriented, and we have specific conservative values in terms of family, in terms of just success in general and how you manage it. And Americans, I’ve noticed, tend to be much more individualistic. So, Mexicans, we’re more social. We are a unit, right? Your family is your unit, and it will be your support for your entire life. The U.S. lacks the social aspect that Mexico has, and this is reflected in the people as well. It also influences your way of thinking. So instead of thinking what’s best for me, you think what’s best for my people, my family. And so that’s a very, very stark difference.

Fernando Vildosola: Yes, it does, of course. As neighbours, we’re from totally different cultures if we’re focusing on the US and Mexico, for example. Different in every way. Then you would conduct business in the US and in Mexico, even though you offer the same product. Obtain the necessary laws and permits that you require. The system is different, very different. In Mexico, it’s more; I wouldn’t say easier.

Conclusion

The conversation with Fernando and Anna Fernanda Vildosola reveals the complex dynamics of building and sustaining business success across borders in contemporary Mexico. Fernando’s approach, rooted in his grandfather’s legacy of community building and relentless pursuit of excellence, demonstrates how traditional values can drive modern international business expansion. His emphasis on education, resilience, and social responsibility reflects a broader understanding of sustainable business practices that extend beyond profit maximisation.

The intergenerational dialogue between Fernando and Anna Fernanda illustrates both the continuity of core values and the necessary evolution of leadership styles for future challenges. As Mexico continues to strengthen its position as a key economic partner to the United States and attracts increasing foreign investment, the Vildosola family’s experience provides valuable insights into navigating cultural differences, political relationships, and market opportunities. Their story exemplifies how family businesses can serve as vehicles for both economic development and social progress, contributing to Mexico’s transformation into a more prominent global economic player.