Born in Sincelejo, Sucre, on the Colombian Caribbean coast, Hernando Francisco Chica Zuccardi, MBA ’23, grew up with an appreciation of the sea, its cultural expressions, its agricultural economy and especially the people in the territory.
“Having grown up in a provincial town and in the countryside has enabled me to enjoy wildlife, fresh air and good food,” he said. “With my parents’ aid, I gained values and a passion for doing tasks well, no matter how small.”
Chica Zuccardi earned his undergraduate degree in finance and foreign trade from Sergio Arboleda University. He also recently completed his NIU MBA program in Bogota, Colombia.
He credits the incredible instructors at NIU for contributing to his professional success as president of the Banco Agrario de Colombia since 2022. In this role, he is focused on promoting and developing bank branches in rural areas of Colombia.
“This is a very special and unique bank with a national footprint that supports the development and well-being of families in their rural area,” he said. “In this role, we are going where commercial banks don’t go and managing more than $8 billion in assets and two million clients. In my daily work, I enjoy being with people, working together, shoulder-to-shoulder, with a team and being in their regions in Colombia. I am always motivated by my family with a vocation of service to build a better country every day.”
Through his leadership, Banco Agrario has achieved impressive results in the last year, having grown $1 billion in assets and representing nearly 200,000 more new families.
Before his most recent role, Chica Zuccardi worked as a commercial cooperative vice president at Ultrabusatiles S.A. and as a manager of banks like Bancolombia and Helm Bank. In his earlier career, Chica Zuccardi was trust president and financial vice president of La Previsora Company, and at the Bogota, Colombia, telecommunications company ETB. There, he oversaw human resources and the international bond emission process for stock markets in Los Angeles, New York and London with transactions that totaled approximately $300 million.
He also held roles in multinational corporations such as CFO and chief country officer at International Game Technology (IGT) for Colombia, which is headquartered in Nevada.
Currently, Chica Ziccardi is also working as a university professor at Sergio Arboleda University, sharing his knowledge in corporate finance and financial projects
“My intellectual growth has widened my international vision and enabled me to establish relationships in order to initiate debates with greater depth about the Colombian market,” he said. “This marvelous academic journey with NIU, plus the Huskie way of life, has included a wide international focus and respect of other opinions.”
Hernando Francisco Chica Zuccardi and all the 2023 College of Business award winners will be honored at a celebration dinner on Oct. 20. To learn more or to register, go to go.niu.edu/COBAwards23.
