What began as the acquisition of a traditional business magazine has evolved into one of Central America’s most diversified media brands. 

During INMA’s Latin American Media Conference, Lizza Bobadilla de Handal, manager of segmented audiences at Grupo OPSA, shared how the magazine Estrategia & Negocios transformed from a loss-making print publication into a profitable, multi-platform business media brand powered by editorial quality, branded content, events, and digital innovation.

The presentation outlined how the publication has successfully repositioned itself by focusing on Central America’s business community while embracing AI, audience segmentation, and diversified revenue streams without compromising editorial independence.

From acquisition to regional ambition

Grupo OPSA acquired Estrategia & Negocios in 2011 as part of a broader strategy to expand beyond Honduras and strengthen its portfolio across Central America.

The company saw an opportunity because Honduras lacked a comparable business publication, Bobadilla said. At the time, however, the regional business magazine market was still developing, with competition focused primarily on volume pricing rather than differentiated value.

Advertisers distributed their investments almost equally among the region’s three business magazines, seeing little reason to pay a premium for Estrategia & Negocios. As a result, Grupo OPSA inherited a publication operating at a loss but with significant growth potential.

The financial challenge was considerable. Editorial costs represented nearly 70% of sales, while revenues relied entirely on traditional print advertising. The publication’s initial portfolio consisted only of the print magazine, a Web site, and a newsletter.

Building a premium regional brand

Today, the publication’s vision is to become the editorial platform that best understands and represents Central America’s business landscape.

According to Bobadilla, that ambition depends on maintaining high-quality journalism rooted in ethical reporting.

“I am convinced that content must preserve its essence and purity through journalistic rigor, especially in niche products such as Estrategia & Negocios,” she said.

The publication competes for readers whose daily media consumption includes international business products such as The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and Bloomberg, she said.

“Our competition is an international offering of tremendous quality. Our differentiator is that we focus on Central America.”

As an example of how the brand is embracing innovation while preserving its identity, she showcased the magazine’s first AI-generated cover, created to celebrate its 25th anniversary. 

“I feel especially proud of this cover,” she said.

Five strategic priorities fueled the transformation

Grupo OPSA structured its turnaround around five strategic objectives:

1. Optimising editorial processes while creating content synergies with other media properties within the group.

2. Actively listening to readers and advertisers to better identify emerging market opportunities.

3. Strengthening partnerships with organisations that produce regional research while creating new opportunities to develop value-added products.

4. Transforming commercial operations through 360-degree sales packages and branded content. Today, branded content represents 90% of the publication’s advertising revenue. To support this strategy, Grupo OPSA created Brand Lab, a specialised commercial newsroom dedicated to producing sponsored content.

5. Investing heavily in developing monetizable experiences through events.

Events become a major revenue engine

Business events have become one of the publication’s most important revenue drivers.

The company now organises executive summits, gatherings for women entrepreneurs, sustainability forums, reputation and trust conferences, and top-of-mind events throughout Central America, positioning itself as a strategic partner for business communities across multiple countries.

The events not only generate revenue but also create editorial content for both the print publication and digital platforms.

Beyond events, Estrategia & Negocios has expanded its product portfolio with specialised newsletters, industry-specific special editions, podcasts, and digital advertising packages that combine native advertising, banner ads, social media posts, videos, and reels.

The company also hosts learning sessions with audiences to strengthen engagement.

Despite its digital expansion, Bobadilla emphasised the print edition continues to be highly valued. She described it as a “state-of-the-art” product whose content remains attractive to both readers and advertisers.

Strategic alliances with other organisations have also helped strengthen the brand’s positioning throughout the region.

A mission centered on Central America

The magazine exists to provide business leaders with both information and opportunities to connect, Bobadilla said

Within the digital ecosystem, the objective is to deliver value, proximity, visibility, and empowerment to the executives and entrepreneurs shaping Central America’s economy.

The publication’s long-term mission is to evolve during the AI era into the leading platform for business conducted across Central America while remaining a trusted partner for the region’s leadership.

The magazine’s editorial strategy rests on four pillars:

• Producing Central American content for Central American audiences.

• Maintaining editorial independence, strong journalistic instincts, and rigorous reporting.

• Serving as the region’s authoritative voice on business issues.

• Democratising knowledge while embracing digital innovation.

“We want to show our pride in Central America,” Bobadilla said.

Commercially, the company prioritises understanding clients’ business objectives to create customised marketing solutions. Rapid reporting on campaign results, continuous prospecting, and stronger sales coverage across each country are also central components of the strategy.

The marketing team complements those efforts through audience segmentation and exclusive access to decision-makers, enabling the publication to develop differentiated content for executives, entrepreneurs, and business leaders.

Four audience segments guide content strategy 

Rather than targeting a broad business audience, Estrategia & Negocios organises its editorial products around four clearly defined audience groups:

• CEOs, CFOs, and regional directors.

• Visionary leaders, high-growth entrepreneurs, and corporate investors.

• Consultants, analysts, and branding professionals.

• Emerging professionals between 24- and 30-years-old, including Generation Z leaders preparing to take over family and corporate businesses.

This segmentation shapes content ranging from university guides to rankings of banks and insurance companies, logistics reports, and other evergreen resources designed to remain valuable long after publication.

The brand also participates in women’s leadership events and other industry gatherings that reinforce its visibility while generating content for both print and digital channels.

Profitable growth with a digital-first future

The company’s efforts have produced a combined audience of almost 1.6 million users across print and digital platforms.

Bobadilla highlighted several achievements resulting from the transformation:

• All editorial content is produced in-house.

• The publication has established itself as a trusted regional authority on business news.

• Its events attract Central America’s top business leaders.

• Revenue has grown at double-digit rates every year for the past five years.

• The brand has become consistently profitable and contributes positively to Grupo OPSA’s financial performance.

Looking ahead, the company’s vision is to become a digital-first operation in which every print edition serves as the foundation for a broader digital campaign that drives traffic, engagement, and business results.

Future priorities also include becoming Central America’s leading business events platform, expanding sector research through its intelligence unit, continuously training employees in artificial intelligence, improving production workflows, and strengthening communities built around each of its audience segments.

For Bobadilla, the transformation demonstrates that specialised journalism can thrive when editorial excellence is paired with diversified products, deep audience understanding, and a business strategy designed for long-term sustainability.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .