Antonio Garza

Antonio Garza serves as Senior Advisor in the Mexico City office of White & Case LLP, one of the world's leading global law firms with 43 offices in 29 countries, and is Chairman of Vianovo Ventures, a management consultancy with a focus on U.S./Mexico cross-border business development. Prior to joining White & Case, Garza served as the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico from 2002 through 2009.

Drawing on decades of high profile, political, legal, and business experience, Garza serves as a strategic counselor to CEOs, investors, and entrepreneurs. He is acknowledged as one of the top experts on U.S.-Mexico relations and on the business and political environments of both nations, and currently advises companies and investors active in Mexico.

Ambassador Garza currently serves as a director to Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (NYSE:CP) and is Chairman of its subsidiary CPKC de Mexico, a rail-based transportation company and the first single-line rail network connecting Canada, the U.S, and Mexico. Garza is also a director to The Greenbrier Companies (NYSE:GBX) a supplier of equipment and services to global transportation markets.

Garza is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of Southern Methodist University, serves as a Director to George W. Bush Foundation and Chairman of the Bush Presidential Center’s Economic Advisory Council. Mr. Garza is a member or the University of Texas Development Board and formerly served as chairman and President of the Texas Exes, the alumni association of The University of Texas at Austin.

The Ambassador is a director to the Texas Tribune, Americas Society/Council of the Americas, American Chamber of Commerce in Mexico City, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and COMEXI, the CFR’s Mexican counterpart. Additionally, Garza is a past recipient of the "Aguila Azteca," or Aztec Eagle, the Mexican government’s highest honor bestowed upon a foreign national.

Mr. Garza served as the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico from 2002 through 2009. Prior to assuming that responsibility, Garza was chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission, a statewide office to which he was elected in 1998. During that same period, Mr. Garza was appointed Vice Chairman of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, which represents the governors of 30 member and 8 associate states in the development of comprehensive energy and conservation policies. Mr. Garza was formerly a partner at Bracewell & Patterson (now Bracewell) and served as Secretary of State of the State of Texas and Senior Policy Advisor to the Governor of the State of Texas from 1994 to 1997, and as Cameron County Judge from 1988 to 1994.

Garza holds a BBA from The University of Texas at Austin and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Southern Methodist University School of Law and has been honored as a distinguished alumnus at both institutions, and inducted into the McCombs School of Business Hall of Fame.

Garza is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the District of Columbia Bar and is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. Garza is married to Dr. Liz Atkinson Garza.