Marcos Galperin will retire from his position as CEO of Mercado Libre.

In a move that shook the Argentine economic ecosystem, Marcos Galperin, founder and current CEO of Mercado Libre, announced that he will leave his operational role at the company he created 26 years ago. The news, long anticipated in the company's corridors and in the markets, was confirmed in a letter published by Galperin himself on the social network X: "After 26 years leading the company as CEO, I have decided to transition to a new role as Executive Chairman, starting January 1, 2026."

The businessman, 53 years old and with a personal fortune exceeding 10 billion dollars according to Forbes, will remain closely linked to the company as chairman of the board. His operational departure doesn't imply a total retirement, but rather a transformation of leadership: "My focus will be on strategy, product evolution, culture, capital allocation decisions, some specific projects, and how we will continue to apply artificial intelligence to transform our business and our company," he explained.

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The decision, he said, was matured over decades. "When I turned 30, I thought I would take this step at 40. When I reached 40, I thought it would be at 45. When I turned 50, I thought it was better not to make more forecasts! But a couple of years ago I realized it was time to decide," he expressed, adding that, as always, he prioritized "what is best for the company, beyond my personal feelings."

The transition occurs at a key moment for Argentina, where signs of macroeconomic stability and openness to private capital under President Javier Milei's management have begun to generate renewed optimism in the business sector. It is noteworthy that, during an official visit by the president to Mercado Libre's headquarters last year, Galperin and his now successor, Ariel Szarfsztejn, flanked him in a symbolic photograph that today takes on new value.

Szarfsztejn, who will officially assume the role of CEO in January 2026, was until now President of E-Commerce at "Meli" (as the company is known on Wall Street since its IPO in 2007). With a technical profile and an impeccable academic background—economist cum laude from UBA, postgraduate at Stanford, high school at ORT—he began his career at Citibank and went through firms like Boston Consulting Group, Goldman Sachs, and Despegar before landing at Mercado Libre in 2017.

In the company, he led key areas such as Strategy, Mercado Envios, and Commerce, consolidating himself as one of the group's most influential executives. "I am absolutely convinced that Ariel Szarfsztejn is the right person to lead this new stage as CEO of MELI," stated Galperin, highlighting not only his credentials but also his leadership, "the team's trust and, essentially, the culture needed to guide MELI for many more years."

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The succession process caused speculation for years about "natural" candidates, many of them personal friends of Galperin and historical executives of the firm. However, the decision fell on a younger profile—they are ten years apart—and with strong international projection. Galperin expressed it clearly: "This is a generational change, and I know that Ari, along with the talented team that has accompanied me, has everything to ensure that MELI continues to grow strongly in the coming decades."

In the images of that presidential visit, other pillars of the digital empire also appear: Osvaldo Giménez, president of the Fintech unit—today more relevant than e-commerce itself in revenue—; Jacobo Cohen Imach, responsible for legal and government relations; and Juan Martín de la Serna, president of Mercado Libre Argentina.