Clara doubles down on Mexico: new leadership and a 2026 shaped by investment pressure and business credit
Fintech Clara announced the appointment of Jorge de Lara as president in Mexico, a move aimed at speeding up its integration into the business ecosystem and expanding adoption of its solutions among companies of different sizes. The company, which focuses on corporate spend management tools and financial management, is making this leadership change at a time when Mexican firms are recalibrating investment plans amid still-elevated rates, moderate growth, and a 2026 calendar packed with events that could influence financing decisions.
De Lara said the resilience of the Mexican market and the country’s entrepreneurial momentum will support demand for credit and financial products, particularly as companies prepare projects tied to expansion, operations, and working capital. He expects a mixed pattern: part of the sector may seek funding ahead of time to capture opportunities linked to stronger consumer and tourism flows, while another segment may wait for greater clarity on the direction of North America’s trade relationship.
The 2026 calendar matters for two reasons. On one hand, the FIFA World Cup—with matches in Mexico—tends to boost investment in services, hospitality, logistics, retail, and advertising, while also pushing many companies to strengthen inventories and operating capacity. On the other, the USMCA review scheduled for 2026 tends to introduce caution in sectors sensitive to foreign trade, especially manufacturing, auto parts, electronics, and agribusiness, which depend on clear rules around origin, tariffs, and supply-chain continuity.
In the background, the cost of financing remains a decisive factor. Although Banco de México has begun a rate-cut cycle from restrictive levels, business credit continues to reflect an environment of still-high real rates and more selective underwriting standards, particularly for small and mid-sized businesses. On top of that, commercial banks maintain a strong preference for borrowers with a track record, collateral, and stable cash flow, while smaller companies often face information and formality gaps that raise costs or limit access.
In that context, digital financial platforms have been working to gain ground by offering expense management, budget controls, reconciliation, and credit lines through faster, more streamlined processes. Clara noted that since launching in 2021 it has worked with more than 30,000 companies across Latin America, with a value proposition centered on digitizing financial operations and improving efficiency. The company also said that in 2025 it raised more than $150 million in funding and capital, resources it plans to use to accelerate customer acquisition and expand its solutions portfolio in Mexico.
De Lara’s appointment also reflects a broader trend: fintechs serving businesses have started prioritizing leaders with experience in payments and large issuers, in a market where competition has intensified and where profitability depends both on scaling users and managing risk (delinquencies, fraud, and funding). In Mexico, the challenge is also to grow without losing regulatory compliance, especially on anti-money laundering standards, cybersecurity, and data protection—areas that have become more important as payments and treasury functions go digital.
According to information released by the company, Jorge de Lara brings more than two decades of experience in growth strategy, innovation, and business development. Before joining Clara, he worked at American Express across Mexico and Latin America, and he also held roles at Aeroméxico in commercial and product areas. For Clara, the new president will have a cross-cutting role covering growth strategy and customer acquisition in the Mexican market—the country where the company launched operations before expanding across the region.
Looking ahead, the main barometer will be whether private investment can hold up despite external uncertainty and an economic performance that, overall, is shaping up to be moderate. Expectations that nearshoring will keep reshaping production chains work in Mexico’s favor, but turning projects into reality depends on factors such as available energy, infrastructure, security, regulatory certainty, and the speed of talent development. In that landscape, financing—bank and non-bank—becomes a key piece in helping companies turn opportunities into installed capacity and productivity.
In short, Clara is betting on consolidating its Mexico operation with a leadership change ahead of a potentially active 2026 for investment, but one also defined by decisions sensitive to the cost of credit and the USMCA review. If the country maintains macro stability and improves investment conditions, demand for corporate financial solutions could grow; if uncertainty rises, the challenge will be to deliver efficiency and control to operate in a more cautious environment.
