The National Chamber of Passenger and Tourism Transportation (Canapat) announced the appointment of Virginia Olalde López-Gavito as its new executive director, effective October 23, 2025.

This position was vacant after Elim Luviano left the position at Canapat to take over as general director of the SICT Center in Chihuahua.

According to information shared by Canapat, the arrival of Virginia Olalde will strengthen the Chamber’s strategy toward sustainable, safe, and innovative mobility in Mexico .

Prior to this position, Virginia Olalde served as Director of Foreign Trade and Economic Studies for the National Association of Bus, Truck, and Tractor-Trailer Producers (ANPACT) . She also has a track record in the public and private sectors focused on competitiveness, regional cooperation, and strengthening Mexican industry in the face of the challenges of global trade.

“I enthusiastically assume the responsibility of strengthening Canapat’s role as the voice of passenger transportation and tourism. Our purpose is clear: to transport people, connect stories, and bring opportunities closer together. So that everyone can arrive safely and confidently at their destination—with their families, their jobs, schools, vacations, or business meetings—in an efficient, orderly, and sustainable manner,” Olalde López-Gavito said in a statement.

For Canapat President Luis Antonio Zaldívar Sánchez, Virginia’s arrival at the organization represents leadership with deep technical knowledge and social sensitivity for our sector in Mexico .

“Its arrival contributes to fulfilling our commitment to innovation and safety, and will undoubtedly be key to successfully completing upcoming challenges such as Expo Foro Movilidad 2026, the World Cup, and the continued modernization of our units, among others,” he emphasized.

Virginia Olalde holds a degree in International Business from the Monterrey Institute of Technology , a master’s degree in International Relations from the Instituto de Empresa in Madrid, and recently completed her doctorate in Customs Law and Foreign Trade.

“Recognized by media outlets such as Forbes, Expansión, and T21 as one of the 100 most powerful and influential women in the country,” highlights Canapat’s statement regarding the career of its new executive director.

In addition to being part of the first edition of 100 Women in Transport and Logistics T21 , she is also a member of the 2021 generation of “21 Young T21” .

Among other positions, she was part of the negotiating team for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA); as director of the Ministry of Economy , she also promoted policies and agreements for the heavy-duty automotive sector, achieving record production and export figures in 2023 and 2024.

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