Biography

Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, in October 31, 1953. In October 13, 1972, when he was 18 years old, he embarks on a trip to Chile that would change his life forever. The plane in which Carlitos was flying, together with other 44 passengers, crashes in the heart of the Andes Mountains 4200 meters over sea level.  After ten days of hopeless search, in an environment where according to experts survival was impossible, the authorities decide to end the search and accept the fact that these people would not be coming back alive.

Seventy-two days later, when Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa cross the Andes looking for help, the world learns that 16 people have survived.

Faith, passion, team work and overall attitude were key factors in the most incredible story of survival that the world has ever witnessed.

Today, more than 40 years later, Carlitos has two children: María Elena de los Andes “Gochi” and Carlos Diego, and five grandchildren: Justina, Mía, Violeta, Juan Justo and Alexis.

He is an Agricultural Engineer graduated from Universidad del Trabajo del Uruguay, and developed that activity for 10 years.

In 1992 he ventured into publicity and advertising as a member of the creative team in Nivel / Publicis. He founded his own agency, Rating Publicidad, and was a member of the Board of Directors of Bates Uruguay Publicidad.

Today he manages his own company, dedicated to communications, consulting and public relations, and continues giving conferences around the world since 2002 as an international speaker.

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Testimonials

I am a better person today after having heard your story first hand. It helped me better value the things that really matter in Life. I know that a big percentage of Our Group share my thoughts, Truly a priceless experience. I would encourage anyone and everyone to try and learn about your experience directly from you. Thank you for sharing your message with My Team.
– aime Vigil CEO/President Republic Steel
Carlitos, you are a treasure. It was great fun being with you, enjoying your humor and experiencing your caring heart. You truly inspired the audience and me among them. I told my wife and friends about you last night over dinner here at home. I hope our paths cross often. God bless you.
– Jim Cathcart, Cathcart Institute
The way forward for me, will be for ever shape by the intensity you shared with me. I am very grateful.
– Tom Murray, IHG Chief Operating Officer, The Americas
Thank you so much for coming to British American Tobacco to present to our Spanish speaking colleagues your 'Nothing is impossible' presentation, we were all truly amazed by your story, and meeting with you in person was an absolute pleasure. I hope that I will have the chance to meet with you again in the future.
– Antonio Monteiro de Castro, Chief Operating Officer, CONFERENCE FOR THE BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO IN LONDON (ENGLAND)

Booksby Carlitos Páez

FROM THE MOUNTAINS OF THE SOUL

AFTER DAY 10

MY SECOND MOUNTAIN RANGE

Blog Posts

The Future of Event Keynotes: Personalization, AI, and Interactive Storytelling

Find out how event personalization, AI-driven insights, and interactive storytelling are revolutionizing keynote speeches with business futurist Greg Verdino.

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The Power of Play: Why Entertainment Is Essential for Engagement

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Expand your mind on how AI, neuroscience, and emotional intelligence converge to rewire resilience and drive growth with TED speaker Sarah Baldeo.

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The Best Mental Health Speakers

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Blog Posts

 

The Future of Event Keynotes: Personalization, AI, and Interactive Storytelling

Imagine a keynote at your next event that feels designed just for your audience—where every...

Read More

The Power of Play: Why Entertainment Is Essential for Engagement

“Entertainment is the emotional glue that connects people to ideas.”—Robert McKee, storytelling expert There’s a...

Read More

Designing Events That Spark Lasting Connections

Imagine stepping into an event where every detail is designed to foster genuine human connection—from...

Read More

The Best Diversity and Inclusion Speakers

Why are diversity and inclusion speakers some of the most transformative voices on stage? Because...

Read More

AI, Brain Science, and Resilience with Sarah Baldeo

Imagine harnessing the power of AI (artificial intelligence) together with cutting-edge insights from technology and...

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The Best Mental Health Speakers

Why are mental health speakers consistently among the most impactful voices on stage? Because mental...

Read More