Antonio Garza is Chairman of Vianovo Ventures and Senior Advisor to the law firm of White & Case in Mexico City. Garza, who served as the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico from 2002 through 2009, is currently a Director to The Bank of Nova Scotia. Scotiabank, with assets of approximately $1.5 trillion (as of January 31, 2026) is amongst the largest banks in North America by assets, and trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:BNS) and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:BNS). Mr. Garza sits as a director to Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (NYSE:CP) and is Chairman of its subsidiary CPKC de Mexico, a rail-based transportation company and the first single-line rail network connecting Canada, the U.S, and Mexico. He is also on the board of The Greenbrier Companies (NYSE:GBX) a supplier of equipment and services to global transportation markets. Additionally, the Ambassador is a Trustee at Southern Methodist University and Chairman of the university’s Committee on Legal and Governmental Affairs and a Director to the George W. Bush Foundation where he is Chairman of the Bush Presidential Center's Advisory Council.
Ambassador Garza has been honored by his alma mater, The University of Texas at Austin, McComb's School of Business. You can view the video that accompanied that recognition here.
BIOGRAPHY
Antonio Garza is Chairman of Vianovo Ventures, a management consultancy with a focus on U.S./Mexico cross-border business development, and Senior Advisor to White & Case LLP, in Mexico City. Prior to joining these two firms, Garza served as the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico for the period 2002 through 2009.
Drawing on decades of high profile, political, legal, and business experience, Garza serves as a strategic counselor to CEOs, investors, and entrepreneurs. He is acknowledged as one of the top experts on U.S.-Mexico relations and on the business and political environments of both nations, and currently advises companies and investors active in Mexico.
Ambassador Garza is a Director to The Bank of Nova Scotia. Scotiabank, with assets of approximately $1.5 trillion (as of January 31, 2026) is amongst the largest banks in North America by assets, and trades on the Toronto Stock exchange (TSX:BNS) and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:BNS). Mr. Garza serves as a director to Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (NYSE:CP) and is Chairman of its subsidiary CPKC de Mexico, a rail-based transportation company and the first single-line rail network connecting Canada, the U.S, and Mexico, and is on the board of The Greenbrier Companies (NYSE:GBX) a supplier of equipment and services to global transportation market.
Garza is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of Southern Methodist University, serves as a Director to George W. Bush Foundation and Chairman of the Bush Presidential Center's Advisory Council. Mr. Garza is a member or the University of Texas Development Board and formerly served as chairman and President of the Texas Exes, the alumni association of The University of Texas at Austin.
The Ambassador is a director to the Texas Tribune, Americas Society/Council of the Americas, American Chamber of Commerce in Mexico City, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and COMEXI, the CFR’s Mexican counterpart. Additionally, Garza is a past recipient of the “Aguila Azteca,” or Aztec Eagle, the Mexican government’s highest honor bestowed upon a foreign national. Mr. Garza has been recognized as a "Director to Watch" by Directors and Boards Magazine, cited amongst the National Association of Corporate Directors '100' for leadership in the boardroom and has been named by Hispanic Executive Magazine as one of 2019's Best of the Boardroom.
Mr. Garza served as the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico from 2002 through 2009. Prior to assuming that responsibility, Garza was chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission, a statewide office to which he was elected in 1998. During that same period, Mr. Garza was appointed Vice Chairman of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, which represents the governors of 30 member and 8 associate states in the development of comprehensive energy and conservation policies. Mr. Garza was formerly a partner at Bracewell & Patterson (now Bracewell) and served as Secretary of State of the State of Texas and Senior Policy Advisor to the Governor of the State of Texas from 1994 to 1997, and as Cameron County Judge from 1988 to 1994.
Garza holds a BBA from The University of Texas at Austin and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Southern Methodist University School of Law and has been honored as a distinguished alumnus at both institutions, and inducted into the McCombs School of Business Hall of Fame.
Garza is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the District of Columbia Bar and is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. Garza is married to Dr. Liz Atkinson Garza.
Twitter: @aogarza
Facebook: fb.me/AntonioOGarza
LinkedIn: http://mx.linkedin.com/in/aogarza