Mercadolibre's galperine to focus on AI projects after changing the CEO | Company Business News

(Bloomberg) -Marcos Galperin, co-founder of Mercadolibre Inc., said he would focus on artificial intelligence projects after retiring as CEO, as part of a leadership transfer to the e-commerce and financial technology giant. Galperin, who has led the most valuable company of Latin America for more than two decades, said he remains ‘as excited as always’ about the future of the company, especially because it is investigating AI. “Ai makes it extremely intellectually satisfying to work in a company like ours,” Galperin said at the podcast of the company released on Monday. Ariel Szarfsztejn, who has been an executive since 2017 and takes over the CEO at the beginning of 2026, said his goal is to build on the company’s momentum. “It’s a story of continuity and not drastic changes,” he said. “My challenge is to continue with the priorities we have on our list.” This includes deepening the adoption of e-commerce in Latin America, where only 15% of retail sales are currently online, the company’s advertising industry is expanding growth and expanding access to digital financial services. Both Galperin and Szarfsztejn consider AI as a tool to grow his business on e-commerce, advertising and financial services. From improving credit risk models to the optimization of delivery routes and the adoption of smarter product recommendations, AI is already embedded on the platforms of the business. Management change The leadership transition has been in the works for years, Galperin said, describing it as one of the most difficult challenges for a founder. “It would never be the right time, because as a founder it is emotionally very difficult,” he said. “But what made the click for me was when I realized that I should stop thinking about this as a personal decision on what is best for me and rather think about what is best for the business.” Galperin added that he would remain deeply involved in strategic decisions, including in capital award, and supported Szarfsztejn in the coming years, while dedicating more time to AI and innovation. Mercadolibre, which is scheduled to report earnings on August 4, will choose the substitute of Szarfsztejn as head of e-commerce within the firm. “These kinds of transitions create many opportunities for many people at the business,” Galperin said. “It’s a fast -changing industry, and I believe it’s one where younger management makes a lot of sense.” More stories like these are available on Bloomberg.com © 2025 Bloomberg LP