El Ingeniero

Carlos Slim is the third wealthiest person in the world with a net worth of around $35 billion. His holdings include telecommunications, real estate, media, and infrastructure development. Mr. Slim studied engineering at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. His primary focus was in operations research within the context of civil engineering.

Slim is known affectionately in Mexico as "El Ingeniero" - The Engineer. It is interesting and not surprising how the developing world places engineering and engineers at the sharp end of the societal pyramid. Engineers are seen as elite members of society, highly educated individuals that are visionary builders and developers - thinking about and creating the elements of a modern society. Roads, telecommunication systems, water plants - the infrastructure improvements that are needed in developing countries. El Ingeniero is a badge of honor - especially in Latin America. This badge of honor shows up all over the developing world, even in the context of revolutionaries and terrorists. Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, former Mujaheddin leader and current terrorist outlaw, is known as "Engineer Hekmatyar" even though he was unable to complete his engineering degree. The developing world recognizes and appreciates the importance of engineering and engineers - the understanding that "Accountant Hekmatyar" or El Dentista doesn't move the imagination nor spirit of the developing world.