12^th World FZO World Congress

Nació: David, Chiriquí, República de Panamá, 13 de junio de 1959

• Educación:

• Escuela Primaria y Secundaria: Colegio San Vicente de Paúl, David Chiriquí, (Hoy, Colegio San Agustín).

Casado con Maricel Cohen de Mulino desde 1985; padre de cuatro hijos, Jose Raúl Jr., Monique Alexandra, Alexandra Victoria y Veronica Isabel Mulino Cohen.

Cuatro nietos: Sofía Victoria, Samuel Ignacio, Isabella Mía y Camila Mar.

• Universidad:

• Santa María la Antigua – Panamá Licenciatura en Derecho y Ciencias Políticas
• Tulane University, New Orleans, Lousiana, U.S.A., Master en Derecho Marítimo.

• Vida Profesional:

• Abogado en ejercicio desde 1983
• Socio Fundador de la Firma Fábrega, Molino & Mulino, 1988 hasta 2015
• Consejero de la Firma de Abogados Mulino & Mulino, de 2016 a la fecha
• Vinculado al Sector Marítimo Internacional y a la Marina Mercante Nacional desde 1989 en países de Europa y Asia, representando a empresas navieras, armadores y bancos vinculados al financiamiento marítimo.

• Cargos Gubernamentales:

• Vice Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores 1990 – 1993
• Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores 1993 – 1994
• Embajador Extraordinario en Misión Especial 1994
• Miembro Principal del Consejo Nacional de Relaciones Exteriores 1993-1994.
• Magistrado Suplente de la Corte Suprema de Justicia, Sala Civil, 1994 – 1996
• Ministro de Gobierno y Justicia 2009 – 2010
• Ministro de Seguridad Pública 2010 – 2014

• Vida Política:

• Presidente del Partido Solidaridad 2005 – 2008
• Presidente del Partido Unión Patriótica 2008 – 2011
• Precandidato Presidencial Del Partido Cambio Democrático 2018

• Vida Empresarial:

• Presidente de APEDE 1989 -1990
• Vicepresidente de CONEP 1989 – 1990
• CRUZADA CIVILISTA NACIONAL:  miembro del Comité Ejecutivo Nacional como representante de APEDE 1987-1990
• Miembro de Juntas Directivas de empresas financieras y fiduciaria 2001-2009
•  

CODECORACIONES: Principales condecoraciones, en grado de Gran Cruz, de la República de Panamá, Colombia, Argentina, Gobernación de Antioquia, Colombia, Cruz Peruana al Mérito Naval, entre otras.

Julio Moltó is an engineer by profession with a broad career across both the public and private sectors, which has allowed him to build strong expertise in leadership, strategic management, and decision-making in complex and dynamic environments.

As Minister, Moltó leads Panama’s economic policy in strategic areas:

• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) promotion: driving competitive regimes
  such as SEM, EMMA, Free Zones, Panama Pacifico, and initiatives like the
  Qualified Investor Visa.
• Export promotion and productive diversification: strengthening Panama’s
  role as a regional hub for logistics, finance, and digital services.
  International relations: has held high-level meetings with counterparts from
  Colombia, Costa Rica, and other countries, enhancing commercial ties and
  advancing regional integration.
• National industrialization: promoting strategic projects such as the
  Agroindustrial Maquila Center in Bocas del Toro and the redesign of the “Made
  in Panama” seal to certify and position Panamanian products in international
  markets.

Julio Moltó is recognized for his strategic vision, cross-sector management capabilities, and institutional credibility. His career blends experience in security, media, logistics, and public administration, giving him a comprehensive perspective to position Panama as an attractive destination for foreign investment and business expansion.

Eduardo Arango Pérez was appointed by the President-elect of the Republic of Panama, H.E. José Raúl Mulino, as Vice Minister of Domestic Trade and Industries for the 2024-2029 term.

He has over 30 years of experience in the business sector. For the last 20 years, he has distinguished himself in the real estate sector as a promoter and developer, undertaking large-scale real estate projects.

Professionally, he has held positions as a promoter and developer of real estate projects at Las Palmas Development, Corp., Farallon Development, Corp., and Coastal Living Development, Corp.; as a real estate broker at Arango Realty; and as an entrepreneur at Productos Delidas, S.A.

Martin G. Pedersen is the Chairman of IFZA, the most trusted independent Free Zone Community in the UAE. A serial entrepreneur whose philosophy sits proudly outside the box, Martin has an unrelenting drive to redefine boundaries, develop sustainably successful companies, and continuously improve the way he, his team and his clients do business.

IFZA is the culmination of Martin’s entrepreneurial vision, ambition and pioneering approach. It is far more than a Free Zone Community; it is an collaborative environment where SMEs and their teams are motivated to create, inspired to succeed, and enabled to become part of an ever-evolving ecosystem that nurtures energy, creativity and determination.

IFZA is well-positioned to increase its global reach across new markets in an environment that empowers people to dare to live, do business and thrive differently. As it continues to expand and go from strength to strength, so too does its ability to adapt, grow and provide new opportunities for SMEs and larger enterprises to excel in an ever-developing community of international businesses.

A natural problem-solver who loves what he does, Martin is committed to constant progress. With IFZA, he is ambitious enough to build upon the company’s foundation of sustainable success, but humble enough to recognise the need for continuous improvement. He believes that there should never be limits placed on new ideas and knows that there are always ways to innovate, evolve and improve.

Throughout his unfolding journey with IFZA, Martin is looking forward to evolving his vision and forward-thinking mindset even further, while also empowering IFZA licensees to do the same in the unique ecosystem of Dubai. Just as the region has facilitated Martin’s own entrepreneurial success and provided him with the tools, resources and freedom to thrive, he believes Dubai will continue to grow as a global hub, where innovation, ambition and passion are rewarded, and the businesses, innovators and entrepreneurs of the future are cultivated.

Since January 8, 2026, Yayo Sanz Lovatón has led the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and MSMEs (MICM), a position from which he promotes productive development, competitiveness, and support for Dominican entrepreneurs. Prior to this appointment, he served as Director General of Customs from August 17, 2020, a role in which he guided the transformation of the Dominican Republic into the Logistics Hub of Latin America. His tenure at the DGA (General Directorate of Customs) was characterized by technological efficiency and transparency, achieving historic milestones such as the establishment of the 24- Hour Clearance program and reaching the highest revenue collection records in the institution’s history.

Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on February 5, 1977, Sanz Lovatón is a lawyer by profession, holding a law degree from the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM). He holds a Master’s degree in Private International Law from the Center for Strategic and Diplomatic Studies in Paris, France, and studied Civil Law at the University of Paris II, Panthéon-Assas. He is also a graduate of specialized programs, such as “Free Trade in the Americas,” organized by the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University and the Organization of American States (OAS), and the Professional Leadership program of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Washington, D.C.

In addition to his legal career and experience in the public sector, Sanz Lovatón has played key roles in politics, serving as political director for Luis Abinader’s presidential campaign and campaign manager for the mayoral candidacies of the National District in 2016, 2020, and 2024, all of which resulted in victories.

With the clear purpose of helping to make the Dominican Republic a place where everyone’s potential is maximized, his leadership has extended into the social sphere through the YA Foundation, a project he launched to offer comprehensive support and solutions through sports, aiming to close the inequality gap in the Dominican Republic and provide opportunities for a better future.

Currently, he is a prominent figure in the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), serving as its National Secretary of Finance.

Sanz Lovatón has also distinguished himself in the academic and literary fields. He was a columnist for major national newspapers such as Listín Diario, El Caribe, and Hoy. He is the author of the book “Relatos de París” (Stories from Paris), a work that recounts his experiences as a diplomat and student in the French capital. As a professor, he has taught Civil Law at prestigious Dominican universities, including the PUCMM, the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (UASD), the Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE), and APEC University.

Pedro Manuel Moreno of Spain was named Deputy Secretary-General of UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) by the United Nations Secretary-General on 4 November 2022.

The UN Secretary-General has also designated Mr. Moreno as the Acting Secretary-General of UNCTAD from 1 April to 30 September 2026, while the organization’s Secretary-General, Rebeca Grynspan, is on special leave.

He has over 20 years of experience of working for multilateral and intergovernmental organizations in programme, management and strategic positions both in the field and in headquarters.

Gilbert F. Houngbo was born in Togo in 1961 and has spent much of his life working to improve the prospects of the worlds most vulnerable people, using his extensive experience in policy issues, economic development, diplomacy and financial accountability.

Following an advanced degree in business management from the University of Lomé (Togo), Gilbert F. Houngbo obtained a degree in accounting and finance from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (Canada). He is a member of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants.

Gilbert F. Houngbo joined Price Waterhouse in Canada in 1986 and worked with them until 1993.

Between 1994 and 1996 he served as Director of Finance at the International Bank of Mali, before moving to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) where he held several posts, including as Head of Financial Reporting and Trust Fund Management, Comptroller and Director of Finance and Administration, Chief of Staff, and Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Director for Africa.

In 2008, Gilbert F. Houngbo was asked to serve as Prime Minister of Togo, a position he held until 2012.

He returned to the United Nations system in 2013 as Deputy Director- General for Field Operations and Partnerships at the International Labour Office.

In 2017 he was elected as the sixth President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and in 2021 he was re-elected to the post.

Gilbert F. Houngbo chairs the Board of the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) and is a board member of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA).

In March 2022 Gilbert F. Houngbo was elected by the ILO's Governing Body as the Organization's 11th Director-General, becoming the first African to hold the position, and took up the role on 1 October 2022. He is focusing his mandate on promoting greater social justice, fighting inequalities and discrimination in the world of work and achieving better working conditions both through national action and by building more effective multilateral coordination and leadership. To bring this about, he is placing special emphasis on universal social protection, decent work in global supply chains and in the platform economy, the fight against child and forced labour, protecting the rights of migrant workers, promoting social dialogue and freedom of association, ensuring just transitions and attaining gender equality. Gilbert F. Houngbo is married and has three children.

Gerd Müller has served as Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) since his first election on 10 December 2021. In November 2025, during UNIDO’s 21st session of the General Conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Member States unanimously reappointed him for a second term.

From an early stage in his career, Gerd Müller has held various leadership positions in the fields of development cooperation, sustainability, multilateral institutions and public-private partnerships. Throughout his career, key areas of his work related to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement on climate change, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Beijing Declaration on Gender Equality.

Guided by the motto “Progress by Innovation”, Gerd Müller has driven major reforms at UNIDO for more efficiency and higher impact. As a result, UNIDO has welcomed three new Member States, mobilized new funding sources, markedly expanded cooperation with the private sector, and consistently increased technical cooperation delivery year after year. Under Müller’s leadership, UNIDO has also sharpened its focus areas:

Ending hunger by supporting sustainable food systems, modern agri-tech and agribusiness, post- harvest loss management, regenerative climate-smart agriculture, as well as increasing productivity and generating income through local value addition and job creation. Tackling climate change by fostering clean energy, the decarbonization of industries, climate-resilient and energy efficiency technologies to drive low-emission economic and industrial development. Supporting fair and sustainable supply chains so that producers in developing countries receive a fair deal, scarce natural resources are preserved, and more value is added locally through manufacturing. His vision for the Future of Industry for Development is that of a renewed and ever stronger partnership between developing, emerging and industrialized countries. Above all, achieving a fair globalization where modern, sustainable industry creates high value goods locally, decent jobs, economic and social well-being, while cutting emissions and preserving the environment.

Minister Aubyn Hill has over 35 years of working experience in the private sector. As an international banker, he has lived in nine countries and done business in more than 125.

With a MBA from Harvard Business School, Senator Hill spent 21 years as a banker in the Middle East. Starting in 2002, he also led the management team which completed the successful turnaround of one of the largest banks in the Caribbean, National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited (NCB). In 19 months, Aubyn and his team moved NCB’s stock price from $5.51 when he joined to J$31.70.

After The Most Honourable Andrew Holness was returned as Prime Minister in a landslide election on September 3, 2020, he invited Senator Aubyn Hill to join his cabinet in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation.

On January 11, 2022, Prime Minister Holness reshuffled the Cabinet and appointed Minister Hill as Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce. Minister Hill has responsibility for 20 agencies and departments.

Minister Hill has a firm interest in facilitating, enabling and encouraging small and large Jamaican
businesses to grow, create good Jamaica jobs and be profitable. His focus is on growing exports
exponentially and securing greater local and foreign direct investments into the Jamaican economy.

Matthew Stephenson is CEO of the World Free Zones Organization since March 2026, working with zones and partners to maximize sustainable trade, investment, and innovation. Directly prior, he was Head of Investment and Services at the World Economic Forum, responsible for investment climate and regulatory reforms. Previously, he worked at the International Finance Corporation on advisory services for investment policy, where he led work on outward FDI. He also worked at the OECD on Africa and investment and served as a diplomat. Matthew holds a PhD from the Geneva Graduate Institute, a master’s from the Harvard Kennedy School, and a bachelor’s from the University of Oxford.

Albert Bryan Jr. is the ninth elected Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands and a results-driven leader whose administration has focused on rebuilding the Territory, strengthening its finances, and expanding opportunity for Virgin Islanders. A former entrepreneur, nonprofit executive, commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Labor, and chair of the Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority Board, Governor Bryan has built his public service career around economic advancement, accountable governance, and improving the lives of the people of the Virgin Islands.

Since taking office in 2019, Governor Bryan has led the Territory through one of the most consequential periods in its modern history. Under his leadership, the Virgin Islands navigated the COVID-19 pandemic while protecting its tourism-driven economy and emerged into a period of strong economic growth. During his tenure, GDP grew from $3.9 billion in 2018 to an estimated $5 billion, unemployment fell from 10.7 percent to 3.6 percent, overall government debt was reduced by 25 percent, and the Government of the Virgin Islands improved its fiscal position while establishing a funded budget stabilization reserve.

Governor Bryan’s administration has also delivered major fiscal and structural reforms. In partnership with the Legislature, he advanced a plan that placed the Government Employees’ Retirement System on a stronger path after more than three decades of underinvestment, supported by annual payments tied to a $3.8 billion funding note. He also secured the permanent restoration of the rum cover-over rate to $13.25 per proof gallon, a significant federal policy victory that strengthened the Territory’s long-term fiscal outlook and retirement security.

Under the Bryan-Roach Administration, recovery work has moved from planning to execution. More than $11.8 billion in federal recovery funding is now under contract, supporting the modernization of schools, healthcare facilities, roads, utilities, fire stations, and other critical public infrastructure across the Territory. His administration has also expanded housing and homeownership opportunities while supporting the development and preservation of affordable and workforce housing units.

Alexander Thern-Svanberg is the Secretary of the Consultative Committee and Program Manager of Resource Mobilization and Stakeholder Engagement at the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in Bern, Switzerland. He plays a key role in strengthening partnerships between the UPU, the private sector, and international stakeholders, supporting the organization’s strategic objectives and financial sustainability.

With extensive experience in international organizations and the United Nations system, he has held senior roles in strategic management, human resources, and market development. His work focuses on fostering dialogue, driving innovation, and enhancing collaboration across the global postal ecosystem.

A multilingual professional with a strong background in economics and business administration, Alexander brings a global perspective and a results-driven approach to leadership, stakeholder engagement, and organizational development.

Antonio H. Pinheiro Silveira, is the Vice President of Private Sector, at CAF. Mr Silveira holds a PhD in Economics which he obtained from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro . He formely held positions as the Deputy Chief of Economic Advice of the Ministry of Planning, Secretary of Economic Monitoring of the Ministry of Finance and Minister of the Secretariat of Ports to the Government of Brazil. He also assumed the role as a Board Member of public and private companies, which include Caixa Económica Federal, Vale S.A. (Fiscal Council) and North Eastern Bank . Mr Silveira also worked as the Executive Director for Brazil at both the World Bank and the IDB.

Angelica is a Colombian lawyer specialized on Corporate Law from Universidad de Los Andes (Bogotá, Colombia) and LL.M from Cornell University (Ithaca, New York) and have education in corporate government from CESA University.

With more than 15 years of professional experience in International Trade, Customs, Foreign Exchange, and International Investments. Currently she is the Director of the Free Trade Zones Chamber at ANDI, previously she was partner at Peña Preciado Consultores S.A.S and had worked for firms such as Brigard & Urrutia Abogados and EY, advising local and foreign companies in corporate projects in international trade and customs planning, among others. 

Angelica is co-author of the Colombian Chapter of the Foreign Tax and Trade Briefs by LexisNexis and other publications on Trade and Customs in Colombia and also had been lecturer on the International Trade and Customs in Colombian universities and has participated in several local and international forums. 

She has been board member in international organizations such as the World Free Zones Organizations, the American Free Trade Zones Association and UNIDO eco-industrial parks project in Colombia.

Aparajitha Reger-Flores is a Senior Managing Director at Ankura, based in Phoenix. She leads Ankura’s global transformation and execution offerings, working with public institutions, private enterprises, and cross-sector alliances to strengthen competitiveness, foster innovation, and drive sustainable growth in an increasingly complex world. Her work spans diverse industries and geographies, with deep expertise in the industrial and resources sectors.

At Ankura, she helps clients harness the firm’s multidisciplinary depth, bringing together geopolitical insight, turnaround, and performance transformation expertise to address their most critical challenges.

Aparajitha has led large-scale business transformations for major global organizations, repositioning portfolios for long-term resilience and embedding new approaches to capital efficiency, sustainability, and workforce strategy. Her engagements have spanned enterprise and operating model reinvention, complex program delivery, and board advisory on transformation readiness and leadership alignment.

She is recognized for her ability to connect strategic, operational, and human dimensions — synthesizing insight and execution to drive innovation, reduce risk exposure, and help clients stay ahead of disruption while converting complexity into momentum for growth.

Ahmed BENNIS is a result driven and accomplished senior director with extensive experience in implementing large investment projects in ports, industrial and logistics. He acquired a demonstrated expertise in the deployment of successful business development strategies with strong focus on profitability, cost optimization & establishment of strategic partnerships.

Ahmed Bennis is actually the Managing Director of Tanger Med Zones (TMZ). He oversees the development, implementation, and management of Special Economic Zones within Tanger Med Industrial Platform.

He succeeded in the establishment of strategic partnerships, and maintain membership and leadership roles in international organizations such as International Maritime Organization, UNCTAD, UNIDO, WTO, African Union Commission.

Prior to his current position, Ahmed BENNIS led the international business development that consist of designing investment and partnership agreements with several ports and government authorities in Africa. He was also appointed director of economic zones since 2011, where he was in charge of the implementation of Tanger Med Automotive Industrial Platform hosting the Renault Nissan car plant and a comprehensive tier1-n ecosystem.

Ahmed BENNIS played an instrumental role in setting up the Africa Economic Zones Organization (AEZO) and the African Ports Task Force (APTF), where he currently serves as Secretary General of both organizations. He is also a founding member of the Global Alliance of Special Economic Zones (GASEZ) , an initiative launched in May 2021 by UNCTAD.

Ahmed Bennis began his professional career in 2001, in IT and Financial services at NEC computers International in Paris, France. Then he moved to Luxembourg for a business development position at FlexFinance – Oracle Group, prior to joining Thomson Reuters in Dubai in 2007, where he was appointed to drive sales and presales activities, providing business solutions and consultancy services for large financial institutions in Middle East and Africa.

Agustín Zimmermann was born in Argentina. He holds a degree in Economics from the Universidad Argentina de la Empresa in Buenos Aires, specializing in International Economic Development, and a Master in Economics from the Universidad Torcuato di Tella, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. 

Mr. Zimmermann has a solid academic background combined with extensive international experience. As a career diplomat, he has had the opportunity to participate in a variety of negotiations related to the agricultural sector. As an international staff member of a UN specialized agency such as FAO, his career began in 2012 when he joined the Office of the Director-General (ODG) in Rome, Italy, as a Special Advisor, and from 2015 to 2019 as a Senior Cabinet Attaché in the Office of the Director-General and then as Secretary of the FAO Program Committee.

From 2019 to 2022, he served as FAO Representative in Ecuador, and in 2022, he held the position of Senior Liaison Officer and Subregional Coordinator for South America at the FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean in Santiago, Chile. He was FAO’s Interim Representative in Paraguay in 2023.

He was appointed by the FAO Director-General, Mr. Ou Dongyu, with the approval of the Government of the Republic of Colombia, as the country’s FAO representative from January 1, 2024.

The World FZO World Congress 2026 is not designed as a traditional conference. It is a working platform where the next generation of Free Zone models, industrial strategies, and cross-border collaborations are actively shaped.

Sponsorship is therefore an invitation to co-create outcomes, not simply support an event.

As global industries face fragmentation, technological disruption, and sustainability pressures, the Congress serves as a neutral global space where governments, zones, and the private sector collectively test ideas, align priorities, and translate dialogue into action. Sponsors contribute to this process, helping move the conversation from policy to implementation.

By sponsoring the Congress, organizations take part in:

• Shaping real-world frameworksthat influence how Free Zones evolve as engines of industrial growth and innovation.
• Contributing expertise, insight, and leadershipto discussions that inform future regulations, investment models, and development strategies.
• Leaving a tangible legacy, through ideas, partnerships, and initiatives that extend beyond the three days of the Congress.

To support this collaborative approach, the Congress offers a range of sponsorship categories and exhibitor opportunities, allowing organizations to engage at different strategic levels.

World Congress 2026 is about building shared answers to shared challenges, how industries will locate, operate, decarbonize, digitise, and scale in the years ahead. Sponsors are not positioned on the sidelines but embedded in the process of defining these answers.

For more details or any inquiries related to sponsorship, please contact Talha Khan at Talha.khan@worldfzo.org.