Unico, the largest identity verification provider in Latin America, has promoted Luis Felipe Monteiro to chief executive officer for the region. Monteiro, who joined the company in early 2025 as vice president of institutional relations, will now lead operations across Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina while managing relationships with Unico’s most strategic enterprise accounts.
The appointment consolidates growth, client relations, and institutional engagement under a single executive mandate, reflecting Latin America’s strategic importance within Unico’s global portfolio. The company, backed by SoftBank, General Atlantic, and Goldman Sachs, operates in more than 20 countries and serves clients across financial services, iGaming, retail, and telecommunications. Unico holds a dominant market position in Brazil and Mexico, and opened a Silicon Valley headquarters earlier this year as part of a broader push into global enterprise markets.
Monteiro brings more than 25 years of experience at the intersection of technology, finance, and government to the role. He previously served as Brazil’s Secretary of Digital Government, where he led the creation of Gov.br, now the world’s largest digital government platform with more than 160 million users. Under his leadership, the World Bank recognized Brazil as the second most advanced nation in digital government globally. In 2020, the World Economic Forum and Apolitical named him one of the 50 most influential people in the world. He also represented Brazil at the OECD and currently serves on the board of GLEIF, the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation.
“Latin America offers extraordinary opportunities for identity technologies that balance robust security with a seamless user experience,” Monteiro said. “At Unico, we combine a world-class product stack with the urgency required to navigate a digital landscape challenged by the rise of AI-driven fraud. We are ready to work alongside our clients to define the new standard for digital trust.”
Since joining the firm, Monteiro has positioned Unico at the center of policy dialogues around digital identity, privacy, and security across the region. In his expanded role, he will also oversee the integration of cross-functional initiatives driving regional growth, deepening engagement with regulators, technology partners, and enterprise clients throughout the continent. The restructured leadership is designed to accelerate integrated execution across Unico’s key regional markets.
The leadership move comes amid accelerating investment in Latin America’s digital identity infrastructure. Google.org recently pledged $5 million for cross-border digital public infrastructure in the region, and Brazil has begun issuing its new national identity card to citizens abroad, extending the reach of the country’s digital identity ecosystem beyond its borders.
–
By the ID Tech Editorial Team
