Paola Buendía is an economist who graduated from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. She holds a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University, New York, with a specialization in government, management, and public affairs from the Universidad Externado of Colombia and Columbia University.

Buendía served as director of the government’s execution and strategic areas of the Presidency of the Republic of Colombia, where her main objective was to advise and support government entities for the early execution of the government´s agenda, as well as to follow up on the implementation of priorities in strategic areas. 

She also worked as deputy director general of the Presidency of the Republic of Colombia as director of justice, security, and government of the National Planning Department (DNP). There, her duty was to guide, participate, and promote the formulation of policies, plans, programs, studies, and projects jointly with relevant Colombian justice agencies and entities related with security and government issues. She also assisted in the formulating, monitoring and evaluating of policy documents, guiding the actions of the government towards the articulation and coordination of public policies. 

She is currently the vice president of the National Business Association of Colombia (ANDI), where she coordinates 30 sectorial chambers, as well as the Association´s regional offices and the Industry and International Trade Affairs Divisions.