Mercado Libre , the e-commerce company, announced that Ariel Szarfsztejn , the company’s current president of Commerce, will be its new global general manager, replacing Marcos Galperin , founder and current CEO of the Argentine-based firm, who will serve as executive chairman.
This change will take effect starting January 1, 2026, Mercado Libre reported in a statement, adding that this transition marks a generational shift in the company’s leadership and projects it “toward a new stage of innovation and expansion.”
“In the coming months, Galperin and Szarfsztejn will work together on a planned transition, ensuring continuity of leadership and sustained growth for Mercado Libre,” the company emphasized.
Ariel Szarfsztejn has held various leadership positions since joining the company in 2017 and is currently President of Commerce, a position he assumed in 2024.
He was previously EVP of Commerce (2022), SVP of Logistics (2020-2021), and VP and COO of Logistics (2018-2019). He also served as VP of Strategy. Ariel holds a degree in Economics from the University of Buenos Aires and an MBA from Stanford University .
“Ariel Szarfsztejn, 43, who joined the company in 2017, is the right person to lead this new phase as CEO of Mercado Libre. He possesses the capacity, leadership, and culture necessary to guide the company for many years to come. Along with the talented team that has supported me, Ariel has everything we need to ensure Mercado Libre continues to grow strongly in the coming decades,” said Marcos Galperin.
In turn, Szarfsztejn reaffirmed his commitment to the new role he will play at the e-commerce company.
“It is an honor and a tremendous challenge to succeed Marcos as the leader of Mercado Libre, a company that has transformed the lives of millions of people in Latin America. I am excited and committed to carrying out our vision, alongside the team that has made Mercado Libre a global benchmark for innovation, operational excellence, and entrepreneurial culture,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile , Marcos Galperin, who founded the company in 1999 and led it to become one of the most innovative and valuable companies in the region, will continue to be involved in the company, focusing on strategy, product evolution, culture, and the drive for artificial intelligence to continue transforming the business from his new role as executive chairman.
Currently, Mercado Libre has operations in 18 countries, and in the first quarter of 2025 alone it obtained revenues of five thousand 9 billion dollars (mdd) , a year-on-year increase of 37% , as well as a net profit of 494 million dollars, which meant 44% more than in the same period of the previous year.
This increase was driven by the performance of its operations in Argentina, which regained a central role within the company’s ecosystem. Meanwhile, Mexico has consolidated its position as one of the company’s key markets.
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