Dr. Gutiérrez currently serves as Executive Director of the National Institute of Cooperativism (INACOOP) in Uruguay since its founding in 2008.

INACOOP´s purpose is to promote the economic, social, and cultural development of the cooperative sector and its involvement in the development of the country by proposing, advising, and executing national cooperative policy.

He is a legal professional with a law degree from the Universidad de la República – Uruguay, and a postgraduate degree in Management of Organizations for Development (Universidad Católica del Uruguay).

Dr. Gutiérrez has held management positions in several cooperatives (including the National Cooperative of Savings and Credit – COFAC, and Seguros Surco Insurance Cooperative) and related entities including Cabal Uruguay (issuer of payment instruments through the Chamber of Intermediary Financial Cooperatives). He chaired the Uruguayan Confederation of Cooperative Entities (CUDECOOP). As representative of CUDECOOP, he was a member of the Honorary Commission of Cooperativism (Office of Planning and Budget – Presidency of the Republic), the Advisory Council and the Executive Committee of the Americas Region of the International Cooperative Alliance, the Technical Meeting of MERCOSUR Cooperatives, the National Economy Council and the Social Advisory Commission of the University of the Republic.

He was an official delegate in the ILO Commission that elaborated Recommendation 193 on Promotion of Cooperatives in 2001 and 2002. He participated in the drafting of the preliminary version of the Uruguayan General Law of Cooperatives, which is the basis of the current law. He has co-authored of books related to cooperative law including “Legal regime for cooperatives in MERCOSUR countries,” “Worker Cooperatives,” and “Uruguayan Cooperative Law.”

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