Jorge Plasencia

Co-founder, Chairman, & CEO | Republica Havas

Jorge A. Plasencia is co-founder, chairman and CEO of Republica Havas, one of America's leading and fastest-growing creative, media, and communications agencies. Since its launch in 2006, the award-winning firm has partnered with numerous Fortune 500 and blue-chip clients, including Walmart, Google, and Toyota. In 2018, Republica joined forces with global conglomerate, Havas Group, a division of Paris-based Vivendi. 

Previously, Jorge was vice president and operating manager at Univision Radio, leading the integration and cross-platform strategies of Univision's television, audio and digital properties. Earlier, he was vice president of marketing, communications and public affairs. Prior to Univision, Jorge was vice president at Estefan Enterprises, Inc., overseeing marketing, strategy, and communications, and serving in management and business affairs for major recording artists, including Gloria Estefan and Shakira. 

A former board member of TotalBank, Jorge has been named one of the most influential U.S. Hispanics by PODER magazine and one of the most influential Floridians by Florida Trend magazine. He is a recipient of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and has been named CEO of the Year by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and Ultimate CEO by the South Florida Business Journal. 

Before Estefan Enterprises, Jorge was the first director of Hispanic marketing for the Florida Marlins. The Marlins won their first World Series championship and were named Hispanic Marketer of the Year during his tenure. 

At age 17, he co-founded Amigos For Kids, a Miami-based nonprofit working to prevent child abuse and serving under-resourced children and families — an institution he has nurtured to national prominence. This lifelong philanthropic work earned him the March of Dimes Humanitarian of the Year Award, among others. 

A full member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a member of the Florida Council of 100, Jorge served as board chair of UnidosUS, the nation’s largest, nonpartisan Latino civil rights and advocacy organization.

At age 29, he was nominated by President George W. Bush — and confirmed by the U.S. Senate — to serve on the Broadcasting Board of Governors' OCB advisory board. He currently serves on several boards, including the Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino and the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. 

Jorge graduated with honors from Barry University and completed an advanced management program at the Kellogg School of Management. He began his career as an intern in radio and television.