Grupo Eleta celebrates its sixtieth anniversary as a business reference in Panama. The holding company operates in six main sectors: energy, tourism, real estate, telecommunications and media, agribusiness and technology.
A journey of business success in Panama, by Grupo Eleta
Grupo Eleta was founded in 1964 by Fernando Eleta Almarán (2921-2011), a renowned Panamanian businessman, engineer, financier, philanthropist and public servant. In 1960 Fernando Eleta created RPC Televisión, the first and largest media and telecommunications company in Panama.
In addition, Fernando Eleta was the founder of Air Panama, the country’s first airline, and Aseguradora Mundial, among others.
In 1984 he founded Electron Investment S.A. (EISA), an energy company dedicated to design, develop and operate clean energy generation plants.
In 1997, Fernando Eleta expanded the holding company by creating new companies focused on telecommunications and media. In that year, Medcom was born, a media company dedicated to the production and broadcasting of several television channels, including Telemetro and Cable Onda, leading Panamanian television channels.
In 2002, Mr. Eleta appointed his eldest grandson, Guillermo de Saint Malo Eleta, as head of the family business. Since taking over as CEO, Mr. Saint Malo has demonstrated an exceptional ability to diversify the family’s business portfolio and explore new sectors, such as energy and tourism.
Under his dynamic leadership, the group’s energy division has experienced remarkable growth, thanks to significant international investments that have driven the development of Electron Investments S.A. (EISA), consolidating its position as a key player in the operation of the country’s most efficient hydroelectric power plants.
Years later, in 2008, Grupo Eleta deployed its real estate activity in Pearl Island, with the objective of turning it into a key point for the development of sustainable luxury tourism in the area. The archipelago of Las Perlas, located in the Gulf of Panama, is made up of 40 islands and more than 150 islets. Pearl Island is located in Pedro González, the third largest island of the archipelago, located about 80 kilometers off the southern coast of Panama.
It is worth remembering that Fernando Eleta developed his career in the service of citizens and sustainability; he founded several civic associations and institutions, including the Panamanian Association of Business Executives (APEDE) and the National Association for the Conservation of Nature (ANCON). The last board of trustees inaugurated by Fernando Eleta was the Eleta Foundation. This institution has programs and projects that support the preservation of Panama’s tangible and intangible heritage, both cultural and natural, as a mechanism to promote education, citizenship and sustainable human development of its population.
The Eleta Group’s keys to being a reference point
The foundations established by Fernando Eleta in the holding company have served to make the companies grow successfully and to be a reference in the market. The principles are based on integrity, respect for people and excellence.
Sustainability is one of its principles. Grupo Eleta is committed to have a positive impact on society and respect for the environment, leaving our country a better place for future generations.
Operational excellence along with innovation have been key to success. The generations following Fernando Eleta consider themselves creators and heirs, that spirit of entrepreneurship is part of the mentality that the founder left as a legacy.
The network of strategic alliances that the Eleta Group has established over the years has been one of the keys to its expansion. The extensive relationships with business owners, shareholders, corporations, government institutions and other family offices in Latin America have helped to access own business flows and new investment opportunities.
These sixty years serve as an example of good work and leadership to future generations and to all projects yet to come.
