KÉRÉ: BETTINA STRENSKE—ALAMY; VÉLEZ: AMANDA PEROBELLI—REUTERS; GEBRU: AUGUSTMany leaders
aspire to make aspire to make
the planet a bet-the planet a bet-
ter place. David ter place. David
Vélez, a 40-year-old Vélez, a 40-year-old
entrepreneur and entrepreneur and
philanthropist from philanthropist from
Medellín, Colom-Medellín, Colom-
bia, has done it. bia, has done it.
As CEO and co-As CEO and co-
creator of Nubank, creator of Nubank,
the biggest digital the biggest digital
bank platform bank platform
in the world and in the world and
one of the most one of the most
valuable Latin valuable Latin
American financial American financial
companies, Vélez companies, Vélez
empowered more empowered more
than 54 million than 54 million
people in Latin people in Latin
America by grant-America by grant-ing them access ing them access
to banking and to banking and
all its benefits—all its benefits—
a system that a system that
was previously was previously
unreachable for unreachable for
many. Today, many. Today,
Nubank has pro-Nubank has pro-
vided more than vided more than
5.1 million cus-5.1 million cus-
tomers with their tomers with their
first credit cards or first credit cards or
bank accounts. bank accounts.
Nubank’s suc-Nubank’s suc-
cessful entrance cessful entrance
to the New York to the New York
Stock Exchange Stock Exchange
in 2021 was evi-in 2021 was evi-
dence that Vélez’s dence that Vélez’s
pioneering idea to pioneering idea to
focus on access is focus on access is
transforming the transforming theDDavid Vélezavid Vélez
Expanding financial accessExpanding financial access
B Y I VÁ N D U Q U EB Y I VÁ N D U Q U E
Francis Kéré
Building a legacy
BY DAVID ADJAYEFrancis Kéré brings to
the world a different kind
of contemporary African
architecture. The 2022
Pritzker Prize winner has
built a career out of making
places that exist on theperiphery—places that have
a transformative impact on
the way in which communities
and societies see and serve
themselves. He is a trail-
blazer for his long- standing
commitment to formalizing
space for both social and
environmental good, and in
this sense his legacy lives not
just in his built work but also
in his general practice and
methodological spirit. This
is manifest not only in Kéré’scompleted buildings—such
as a Burkina Faso–based
health center that boasts
roofs designed to collect
needed rainwater—but in
the integrity of his process,
which is predicated on
knowledge building and knowl-
edge sharing as he works with
local communities to inform
his creations. His recognition
is fully and rightfully deserved.Adjaye is an architectglobal financial
industry. Colombia industry. Colombia
is betting on is betting on
supporting digital supporting digital
transformation, transformation,
innovative ideas, innovative ideas,
and talent as the and talent as the
key to develop-key to develop-
ment. The unicorn ment. The unicorn
company is now company is now
leading a new leading a new
generation of generation of
Colombians who Colombians who
are dreaming big. are dreaming big.
David Vélez chal-David Vélez chal-
lenged the status lenged the status
quo, and today the quo, and today the
world recognizes world recognizes
his work. his work.Duque is the Presi-Duque is the Presi-
dent of Colombiadent of Colombia76767676767676 TimTimTimTimTimeTimTimeeeeee June 6/June 13, 2022 June 6/June 13, 2022 June 6/June 13, 2022 June 6/June 13, 2022 June 6/June 13, 2022 June 6/June 13, 2022June6/June13, 2022 PHPHPHPHPHOTOGRAPHOOOOT OT OT OT OGRGRGRGRA PHA PHA PHA PH BY DJ E N BY DJ E N BY DJ E N BY DJ E NBYDJENEBAE B A A DUAYOE B A A DUAYOE B A A DUAYOE B A A DUAYOA DUAYOMMMMM