Spotlight
Lady Cristina Jarero Penichet
Cristina Jarero Penichet, Lady of Tejada, is the Founder and CEO of Jarpen Global®, an international company focused on clean technology solutions, specifically water cleaning and waste management primarily in the mining industry. Through its proprietary technology, process innovation and optimization based on zero waste principles, Integrated Water Resources Management planning approaches, and circular economy for water cleaning and waste management, Jarpen Global® enables companies to become environmentally sustainable and create positive social impact while lowering costs and increasing profits.
Prior to Jarpen Global®, Lady Cristina was the Chief Legal and Compliance Officer of The Wetenhall Group, a NY-based international conglomerate. Overseeing and managing multiple companies and assets in diverse industries ranging from technology to real estate, she spearheaded several legal and management teams and diverse projects, applying different skills to diverse deals and business functions as needed, analyzing issues and enabling her to find the benefits and opportunities available that only derive from knowing diverse legal systems.
Lady Cristina started her professional career in 2000 and is admitted to practice law in Mexico and New York. In addition to Lady Cristina’s bar admissions, her education includes a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from ITESM School of Business, a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from New York University School of Law, and the General Management Program (G.M.P.) from Harvard Business School.
Lady Cristina has always been interested in philanthropy and is passionate about environmental sustainability and creating positive social impact. Among her various pro bono projects, she assisted battered women in legalizing their immigration status under the Violence Against Women Act and is currently a Board Member of diverse not-for-profit organizations such as the Mexican Association for Mental Health Support in Crisis/Asociación Mexicana para Ayuda Mental en Crisis, A.C. (Founded in 1998).
Lady Cristina is very proud of her lineage and of the philanthropic work that her ancestors have done. The Noble, Infanzonada, Ancient and Illustrious Solar de Tejada is one of the oldest Spanish Nobility titles in existence and dates back to 844 with Ramiro I, King of Asturias and León. It is currently protected under UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage after being declared an intangible cultural interest asset in 2016.
What is your area of expertise?
We focus on helping companies in the mining industry become environmentally sustainable and create positive social impact. We do this by providing clean technology solutions based on zero waste principles, Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)[1] planning approaches, and circular economy for water cleaning and waste management, which allows companies to optimize their process, realize new efficiencies with sustainable practices, lower their costs and increase profits.
It is impressive and inspiring to see how by recycling waste at mine sites around the world, cleaning their water and extracting unnecessary rock, we are not only able to save substantial remediation expenses, but also improve the mining company’s production capacity and help them reach a higher purity of concentrate resulting in tangible financial benefits, in addition to decreasing operating costs. Most importantly, we help preserve the environment and allow our customers to allocate excess clean water to local communities. We believe in zero waste principles, Integrated Water Resources Management planning approaches, and in circular economy that will value water to the extent that each liter is reused again and again, making water itself almost become part of the infrastructure rather than a consumable resource[2].
One of the aspects that I love the most about our project is that I believe that we have been able to reach, as Professor Rebecca M. Henderson teaches in the Sustainable Business Strategy Program at Harvard Business School, the sweet spot between “doing well” by being economically profitable, while at the same time “doing good” by solving environmental problems and creating positive social impact.
Being purpose-driven is one of the most important elements in my work life, as it empowers me to think outside the box, take risks and grow, while focusing on clear objectives that help me to achieve my vision of being successful in business and helping the environment and other social causes.
What kind of projects/opportunities do you like to invest in?
I like to invest in projects that, in addition to having positive financial results, meet Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) metrics. This allows me to analyze the value of companies more thoroughly and accurately and gives me a more holistic view of the company, its values, operations, strategy, and investments in sustainability. There is increasing evidence that firms who perform well against ESG metrics also produce superior financial returns and I agree that it is paramount to invest in sustainability in order to successfully secure the future supply of materials and the long-term health of the company.
How are you changing the room?
Because she was a woman, my grandmother, Dr. Maria Cristina Garcia Sancho Alvarez Tostado, the first female neurosurgeon in Latin America, was not allowed to study in Mexico since neurosurgery was not open to women at that time. It is one of the reasons why I am adamant to change things and ensure that my son grows up in a world where a person’s worth is based on his or her merits and not on factors such as gender, race, orientation, nationality, religion, disability, or age. Because of this, I believe in empowering and giving a chance to people who have proven their worth, without any bias. I am certain that this is the foundation for a strong team and a healthy organization. Everyone deserves the chance to become their dream, everything is possible.
When I make decisions, I want to make sure that I am doing what is right, not only for the value of the company and its employees but also for the people working with us and the local communities that we can impact. I believe in holding ourselves at a high degree of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.
What comes next?
With regards to my work, I am looking to expand into the energy sector, primarily oil and gas. Regarding my passion, I am aiming to set up the Jarpen Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that will fund diverse philanthropic causes. But most importantly, in my personal life, I would like to continue spending quality time with my son and my loved ones, as well as to keep leading a fulfilling life and continuing to be resilient in achieving what really matters, as well as living a healthy lifestyle and growing intellectually and spiritually as a person.
[1] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_water_resources_management
[2] The United Nations World Water Development Report 2021: Valuing Water, unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000375724
[3] Henderson, Rebecca M., Sustainable Business Strategy Program, Harvard Business School
