Ballard Partners, a leading government relations firm, announced the opening of a new office in Venezuela and the appointment of partner Scott Wagner as its managing partner. Wagner will lead the Caracas office and continue as a partner in the Washington office, serving clients in both capitals and connecting decision-makers in Washington with emerging opportunities in the reopening Venezuelan market.
“Opening an office in Caracas is the next logical step in our firm’s strategy for the Western Hemisphere and a reflection of the extraordinary moment currently unfolding in Venezuela,” said Brian Ballard, president and founder of Ballard Partners. “As Venezuela focuses on economic growth and renewed engagement with the United States, our clients need local advisors who understand both the Venezuelan market and the power circles in Washington. No one is better positioned to lead this effort than Scott, and no firm is better equipped to guide clients in this new environment.”
More from Scott Wagner
He brings decades of experience in cross-border transactions in Latin America to his new role. He has provided strategic advice on public and private infrastructure projects worth tens of billions of dollars, including seaports, airports, water management, environmental restoration, and pipelines. As an attorney, he has assisted multinational entities in matters in Panama, Cuba, Colombia, and Venezuela. A member of the firm’s Western Hemisphere Affairs Department and Venezuela Working Group, he has contributed to Ballard Partners’ expansion in Latin American markets.
“Venezuela is on the cusp of one of the most significant economic openings in the hemisphere in a generation,” Wagner stated. “It is an honor for me to lead Ballard Partners’ presence in Caracas. With a presence in both Washington and Venezuela, I will guide our clients through this transition from both perspectives, providing them with the knowledge and expertise they need to navigate with confidence in a market that is being rebuilt in real time.”
The Caracas office expands Ballard Partners’ Western Hemisphere Practice and Venezuela Working Group, which the firm launched in January 2016 to help clients navigate the complex regulatory, diplomatic, and commercial landscape of the growing U.S.-Venezuela relationship. As the country enters a historic period of political transition and economic reconstruction, its energy, infrastructure, and critical minerals sectors are poised to attract significant international investment and renewed U.S. commercial interest. Through its presence in Caracas, the firm seeks to position its clients at the forefront of this opening, combining on-the-ground knowledge with the bipartisan institutional expertise and Washington access that characterize Ballard Partners.
From Washington to Caracas, Ballard Partners is building the bridge that its clients will cross to access one of the key markets of the decade.
