Ariel Szarfsztejn Succeeded Marcos Galperin in January 2026
Ariel Szarfsztejn became president and CEO of MercadoLibre on January 1, 2026. He took over from founder Marcos Galperin, who had run the company for about 25 years and became executive chairman. Szarfsztejn was 43 and Galperin 53 when the change was announced.
| Role | President and Chief Executive Officer |
|---|---|
| Company | MercadoLibre, Inc. |
| Headquarters | Montevideo, Uruguay |
| Industry | Retail and Ecommerce |
| In role since | 2026 |
| Education | MBA, Stanford University |
| Company website | www.mercadolibre.com |
Eight Years Inside MercadoLibre Before the CEO Role
- Stanford University MBA
- 2017: joined MercadoLibre, holding several leadership roles
- President of Commerce, running the marketplace business
- January 1, 2026: president and CEO, with Galperin staying on as executive chairman of the board
MercadoLibre’s Revenue and Buyers in 2025
MercadoLibre runs online marketplaces, the Mercado Pago payments and credit business, and logistics in 18 Latin American countries. Its principal executive offices are in Montevideo, Uruguay, and the company was founded in 1999.
In 2025 net revenue reached $28.9 billion, up 39% in dollars. The marketplace passed 120 million unique buyers for the year, and Mercado Pago had nearly 78 million monthly active users. Commerce unique buyers reached 83 million in the fourth quarter of 2025, up 24%, and fourth-quarter revenue was $8.8 billion.
When the CEO change was announced in 2025, MercadoLibre had a market value of US$131.9 billion. It planned that year to grow its workforce by 33% to 112,000 people and to invest US$5.8 billion in Brazil. The company is incorporated in Delaware and has asked shareholders to approve a move of its legal home to Texas.
