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
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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.

Education

Elementary School: Colegio De La Salle, Panamá, 1956
High School: Colegio San Agustín, Panamá, 1961
Programa de Alta Dirección de Empresas, International Executive Development, INEDE, 1968
Gerencia de Seguros y Reaseguros, Instituto de Estudios Superiores, IESA, Caracas, 1980
Risk Management Studies, IESA, Caracas, Venezuela, 1981
Corporate Social Responsibility, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico, 1985

Private Sector

Chairman of the Board of Directors:

Aseguradora La Unión, Insurance Company, Panamá
Nacional de Seguros, S.A., Insurance, Bogotá, Colombia
Financiera de Seguros, S.A., Insurance Brokers, Panamá
Canal Bank, S.A., Banking Sector, Panamá

Government Sector

Chief of Mission:

Secretary of State for Commerce and Industry, Panamá, R.P., 1990–1994
Ambassador to the Republic of Italy, Rome, 1999–2002
Ambassador to the Republic of Malta, Valletta, 2000–2002
Ambassador to the United States of America, Washington, D.C., 2003–2005

President of the Board of various public institutions:

Colón Free Zone, ZLC, Panamá
National Ports Authority, APN, Panamá
Institute of Tourism of Panamá, IPAT
Mining and Energy Commission, CEM, Panamá
Insurance and Reinsurance Commission, CSRP, Panamá

Non-Governmental Organizations

President of the Board of:

Panamanian Chamber of Insurance Brokers, CAPECOSE
Executives Association of Panamá, APEDE
Inter-American Council of Commerce, CICYP
United States–Panamá Business Association, USPA

International and Local Awards

Orden Manuel Amador Guerrero, Government of Panamá, 1994
Caballero de Gracia Magistral, Sovereign Order of Malta, Rome, 2002
Cavalieri di Gran Croce, Italian Government, 2004
Orden Pontificia Juan Pablo II, Vatican, Rome, 2019
Cocklin Award, Association of the U.S. Army, 2024

Books Published

La liberación del Mercado Petrolero, 1994
Memorias de una Generación Truncada, 2011
Ciento Sesenta Opiniones, 2017
Secuestro 101, 2021

Bernard Gilchrist Bustamante is the General Manager of Zona Franca Parque Central, with over two decades of experience in strategic leadership across business organizations, trade associations, and regional economic development initiatives in Colombia. He holds a Law degree from Universidad Santo Tomás and has completed executive education programs in Senior Management at Universidad de los Andes, Public Governance at Universidad de Cartagena, and Commercial Management at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana.

Between 2000 and 2003, he served as Executive Director of the Cartagena Chamber of Commerce, where he led key strategic transformation processes, including institutional strengthening, and the enhancement of logistical and technological capabilities. He also played an active role in regional planning initiatives aimed at fostering economic growth and competitiveness in Cartagena and the Caribbean region.

Since 2003, he has been the General Manager of the Caribbean Logistics and Business Center, driving investment opportunities, business development, and the structuring of high-impact regional projects.

In 2009, he led the creation and development of Zona Franca Parque Central, overseeing its institutional design, business model structuring, and long-term strategic direction. Under his leadership, the free trade zone has become a key logistics and industrial hub, focused on competitiveness, investment attraction, and export-oriented operations.

His expertise lies in business facilitation, the development of logistics and industrial platforms, and the promotion of competitive business environments, contributing to the positioning of Cartagena and the Caribbean region as strategic nodes for international trade.

Blanca Sorigué has an undergraduate degree in Tourism from the University of Girona (UdG), has completed the General Management Program (PDG) at IESE, a Master’s Degree in Marketing Management from Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), and the Digital Business Executive Program at ISDI.

She is the first female Director General of the Barcelona Free Zone Consortium, a position she has held since January 2018, after having been appointed Director of the institution’s International Expansion Department in 2017. Much of her professional career has been closely linked to the organization of trade fairs and professional events. She has served as Director General of the International Logistics Exhibition (SIL) since 2004, of Barcelona Meeting Point (BMP) since 2018, and is the creator of eDelivery Barcelona Expo & Congress, as well as the more recent Barcelona New Economy Week (BNEW) and Barcelona Woman Acceleration Week (BWAW).

She has firmly promoted the digital transformation of industry through two major projects led by the institution: Europe’s first 3D Printing Incubator (3D Incubator) and Logistics 4.0 Incubator, as well as DFactory Barcelona, the largest Industry 4.0 ecosystem in Southern Europe, which currently hosts 44 companies.

Over the past five years (from 2021 to 2025), she has been named by Yo Dona magazine (El Mundo) as one of the 100 most influential women in Spain, and in 2025 as one of the 100 most powerful women in the country. In 2023, 2024, and 2025, Forbes recognized her as one of the 100 most influential women in Spain, and in 2025 also as one of the 100 most influential women in Catalonia. In November 2023, she received an award at the National Logistics Awards, presented by Diario del Puerto, in recognition of her contribution to the logistics sector. In January 2024, she was awarded the Admira Award, recognizing her work and leadership in logistics on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of SIL Barcelona. In December 2025, she was included by El Periódico de Catalunya and Glovo in the ranking of the 50 most highly valued business leaders in Catalonia.

Carla Fernández Corrales is the Senior Director of Executive Education & INCAE Online and is an Assistant Professor at INCAE Business School. She earned her Ph.D. in Business Administration with a concentration in Information Systems from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In addition, she obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering and an M.S.C. in Computer Science with honors, both from the University of Costa Rica. She was awarded a Fulbright scholarship from the U.S. Department of State.

Dr. Fernández Corrales’ research focuses on the study of technology management and innovation using machine learning methods. Her teaching and consulting interests focus on the strategic use of information technologies, data science and agile methodologies.

As a consultant, lecturer and TEDx speaker, Professor Fernández Corrales stands out for her ability to communicate highly specialized knowledge about technology to non-technical audiences, establishing connections with the value proposition, strategy and risk analysis in organizations.

Passionate about innovation and the digital transformation of higher education, she has also served in various academic leadership positions, including Director of Educational Technologies (METICS) at the University of Costa Rica, Director of Learning Innovation at INCAE Executive Education and Academic Director of the MBA programs at INCAE Business School.

Mr. Wong has extensive experience in both the private and public sectors. He has served as General Manager in several Free Trade Zones, including Zona Franca Metropolitana, Global Park, Coyol Free Zone, and currently Evolution Free Zone, in addition to his role as Chief Executive Officer of CODE Development Group.

In the public sector, he has held responsibilities within the Costa Rican Free Trade Zone Association and has been involved with CINDE — the Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency — serving, among other roles, as Director of the Investment Program and Regional Director for the Asia-Pacific region, based in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Additionally, he has worked as a consultant for the World Bank and as a Professor and Researcher at the Institute of Economic Sciences at the University of Costa Rica.

Regarding his academic background, Mr. Wong holds an MBA in Management from InterAmerican University of Costa Rica (Heredia, Costa Rica), as well as postgraduate studies in International Marketing from Georgetown University. He graduated from the School of Economics at the University of Costa Rica.

He has served on the Boards of Directors of private sector organizations such as AZOFRAS, CPC, Cadexco, UCCAEP, and AZFA.

Lead advisor in the development of Eco-industrial parks and industrial resource efficiency at UNIDO since 2016. He provides specialised advice on implementing projects in developing countries and economies in transition.

In his professional experience, he has served as president of UNIDO’s global network for the Efficiency of Industrial Resources and Cleaner Production, with coverage in 65 countries. He has also served as a consultant to various international organisations and governments, as coordinator of the Latin American Network for Cleaner Production, and as a university professor on thermodynamics. Mr Barahona is a mechanical engineer with a master’s degree in computational fluid dynamics and power generation from the University of Manchester, Institute of Science and Technology in the UK.

Cesare Zingone is the President of Zeta Group, a multi-generational real estate development and investment firm operating across Central America and Europe. Under his leadership, the company has become a regional benchmark for world-class industrial free zones, logistics parks, and mixed-use communities that foster innovation, employment, and inclusive growth.

Since taking the helm in 2008, Cesare has led the development of over 1.5 million square meters of industrial and commercial space. Notable projects include Zeta Industrial Park in Cartago—Costa Rica’s first free zone and a strategic hub for the med-tech sector—Techno Park, a next-generation industrial campus, and Ciudad del Este, a 500-home mixed-use community featuring a lifestyle mall and Latin America's largest IMAX cinema.

Cesare holds a degree in Economics and Business from La Sapienza University of Rome and an MBA with Honors from IMD in Switzerland. He has also completed real estate programs at Harvard Business School and the Harvard Graduate School of Design. He serves on the board of the Harvard Alumni Real Estate Board and is a former board member of the World Free Zones Organization in Dubai.

With over 25 years of cross-sector experience in real estate, capital markets, agribusiness, and infrastructure, Cesare is recognized for combining visionary leadership with operational excellence. His commitment to ESG, local economic impact, and international standards continues to guide Zeta Group’s long-term strategy. 

Through his stewardship, Zeta remains at the forefront of sustainable and resilient real estate in Latin America and beyond.

Chidinma Udeogu is an International Trade and Investment Professional and the General Manager (Membership & Programs) at the Nigeria Economic Zones Association (NEZA). Her work focuses on Special Economic Zones (SEZs), industrial development, regional integration, and stakeholder engagement within the context of Africa’s evolving trade and investment landscape.

She has contributed to policy dialogues and international engagements on economic transformation, global value chains, and regional trade integration, including platforms convened by organizations such as UNCTAD, OECD, UNECA and AEZO.

Chidinma holds a Master’s degree in International Business from Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, China, and is particularly interested in the role of SEZs in advancing industrialization and sustainable economic development in emerging economies.

Christian Susan is an Austrian national. He holds a MSC in Integrated Water Resource Management and a MSC in Environmental Economics. Christian joined UNIDO in 2008 and has since worked as the project manager on a wide array of environmental projects in Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe as well as in Latin and Central America. Promoting public-private-partnerships for environmental stewardship, circular and sustainable industrial approaches, facilitating Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP), the Transfer of Environmentally Sound Technologies (TEST) and supporting the transition towards Eco-Industrial Parks are the main objective of the projects managed by Christian. In 2018 Christian has assumed management responsibility for the Swiss funded Global Eco-Industrial Park Program (GEIPP) as well as for the GEIPP country level interventions in Colombia, Indonesia, Morocco, Peru, South Africa, Ukraine and Viet Nam. The GEIPP is one of UNIDO’s flagship projects promoting the adoption of circular economy approaches in industries.

Cory Zufelt is a Grenadian entrepreneur, founder and economic development strategist focused on building platforms that connect investment, technology, trade and national development.

Cory is also the Founder of Citez Grenada Ltd. and the lead visionary behind the Citez Global platform, an economic development company focused on creating modern growth platforms for countries, investors, businesses and communities. Through Citez Grenada, he is leading the development of the proposed 70-acre economic development initiative designed to support south by south trade, business services, investment, migration, workforce development, digital onboarding and long-term enterprise growth.

His work focuses on helping Grenada position itself as a strategic connector economy between the Caribbean, North America, South America, Africa, and the wider Atlantic corridor. He is especially interested in special economic zones and the role of tourism and culture in the knowledge economy.

Cory’s mission is to create practical systems that turn ideas into jobs, businesses, investment and opportunity for Grenadians locally and in the diaspora.

Courtney Fingar is a leading expert on foreign direct investment (FDI) and a business editor with more than 20 years of experience. 

She has covered business stories in all major regions of the world and has been on assignment to more than 80 countries, interviewing government and business leaders. She has appeared on television and radio in dozens of countries as a commentator and has twice been called to give evidence to the UK Parliament about inward investment. 

Among her ongoing media work, she writes a column for Forbes.com on FDI and is a Contributing Editor for Real Asset Media. 

An in-demand moderator, master of ceremonies and keynote speaker, Ms Fingar has participated in hundreds of business events globally and advises event organisers on content and strategy. 

In 2023, she set up Fingar Direct Investment, a boutique consultancy focusing on investment promotion and attraction. She also serves as Senior Advisor for the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies as well as for Quadrian, and is a Member of the Advisory Board of the Global Chamber in London and the Advisory Council of Halkin Investments. 

She previously served as the Editor-in-Chief of Investment Monitor, a digital publication focused on cross-border investment, and before that spent 15 years with the Financial Times where she ran the group’s specialist FDI publication. 

Ms Fingar has a BA in journalism from the University of Alabama in the United States and an MSc in International and European Politics from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

Dr. Arthur Lilas TRIMUA is a Deputy Minister reporting to the Minister of Economy and Strategic Monitoring, responsible for Investment Promotion, Industry and Economic Sovereignty of the Togolese Republic.

With over ten years of experience in strategic consulting, infrastructure financing, and public- private partnerships (PPPs) in Africa, he has served as Legal Advisor to the President of the West African Development Bank (BOAD) and led Kifema Capital SA, an investment firm specialized in financing infrastructure projects.

Holding a Ph.D. in Public Economic Law, an LLM in International Law and Management, and CP3P certification, he is currently working to enhance Togo’s attractiveness and mobilize productive investments to support the country’s economic transformation.

Henry is a leading global authority on foreign direct investment. He has worked with over 150 free zones and economic development organizations to attract FDI, with over $20 bn of investment successes. 

Henry has 25 years of experience leading investment attraction programs for international financial institutions (AfDB, IADB, IFC) and UN organizations as well as advising the WTO and WEF on investment facilitation. Prior to establishing Wavteq in 2010, Henry worked in the international investment teams in IBM, PwC, FT, and OCO Global. 

Henry has a First Class Degree in Economics & Politics, a Masters Degree with Distinction in International Political Economy, with his dissertation on Asian FDI, and a published PhD, with a Volkswagen Scholarship, on FDI in the semiconductor and automotive sectors.

Dr. Paul E. Kent is Senior Vice President and Managing Director of the Ports & Logistics Practice at Monument Economics Group, where he advises governments, port authorities, free zone developers, multilateral institutions, and private operators on strategic planning, institutional reform, investment due diligence, and logistics system performance.

Over a 35-year career spanning more than 220 projects in 55 countries, Dr. Kent has worked at the intersection of ports, trade corridors, and industrial development. His expertise includes concession and privatization programs, corridor competitiveness diagnostics, master planning, regulatory frameworks, and performance-based reform. He has also served as an expert witness in international arbitration and regulatory proceedings involving port concessions and competition policy.

Dr. Kent co-authored the Regulatory Module of the World Bank’s Port Reform Toolkit’s first two editions and has served as a peer reviewer for both the Toolkit’s 2025 edition and the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index. His doctoral research on port competition monitoring continues to inform approaches to assessing market power and competitive risk in modern port systems.

He has published widely in peer-reviewed journals and industry outlets on issues ranging from port competition regulation, port automation, and supply chain performance to sustainability-linked loans and freight logistics trends. He is also the author of the widely followed For the Beauty of Logistics series, which explores emerging themes in global trade and supply chains — including digital trade platforms, SME participation in international commerce, port automation, port concessions, and the evolving role of ports and free zones as integrated trade ecosystems.

Dr. Kent holds a Ph.D. in Maritime Economics, an M.S. in Urban Studies, an M.P.A. (Public Administration), and a B.A. in Political Science. He is currently completing his book, The Business of Sea Ports: A Guide for Practitioners, forthcoming in 2027.

Robert Millard is founder of Cambridge Strategy Group, a strategy consultancy based in Cambridge, England. He advises mostly large law firms, regulators and investors on strategy and complex problem solving.

From 2006 to 2010, Robert lived and worked with his family in Freeport, Bahamas. He has since been integrally involved with several initiatives that aimed to reinvigorate Freeport’s competitiveness as a world-class, globally significant SEZ. He has visited dozens of SEZs in many countries across the world. His book, “Freeport: why it fails as an SEZ and how to fix that” traces the history of SEZs and describes the wide range that exist today. It offers a strategy model for understanding the drivers of SEZ success and failure. It takes a deeper dive into three case studies: Shenzhen, Dubai and Eko-Atlantic. The rest of the book focuses on Freeport itself, and why it fails as an SEZ and provides a framework for developing a new, winning strategy for the city as an SEZ.

Robert holds a PhD in business strategy from the Adam Smith Business School at the University of Glasgow and an MBA (also with a strategy focus) from the Henley Business School.

He is the author or co-author of ten other books and numerous articles on strategy, governance and organisational performance.

Dr. Vuong Thi Minh Hieu (Hieu Vuong) is Deputy Director General of the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Finance of Viet Nam. With over 20 years of experience in foreign investment administration and the management of industrial and economic zones, she has contributed extensively to policy development, investment promotion, and international cooperation for sustainable industrial development in Viet Nam.

She has been a key advocate of the eco-industrial park (EIP) model in Viet Nam through UNIDO-led initiatives since 2014, serving in several leadership roles in national EIP projects. She has also contributed to the development of major legal frameworks for industrial parks and free trade zones in Viet Nam.

Dr. Hieu Vuong holds a PhD in Asia Pacific Studies from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan, and an MSc in Public Policy from KDI School, Republic of Korea.

Ebba Lund is Chief Executive Officer of the International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation (IASP), a non-profit, knowledge-based organization that supports a global membership of science and technology parks, innovation districts, and other innovation spaces in more than 80 countries.

With over 20 years of experience in innovation ecosystems, she oversees all facets of the organization, driving its mission, operations, and engagement with the board of directors. Her role also includes leading international network relations and delivering knowledge-based services for innovation spaces worldwide. In addition, she brings extensive expertise in event management, having led the organization of numerous IASP World Conferences and regional events, working closely with local members and stakeholders to ensure impactful and collaborative outcomes.

She holds an MA in Media Studies from Aarhus University and an Executive MBA from IE Business School. Originally from Denmark, she has been based in Málaga, Spain, since 2002.

Emeka C. Ene is the CEO of the Oida Group, which includes the Enugu Industrial Park Free Zone (Enpower FTZ), Oida Energy Limited, Xenergi Limited, and Xenoil. 

He is a member of the board of the Nigeria Economic Zones Association (NEZA), a past director on the board of the World Free Zones Organization (WorldFZO), the immediate past Chairman (E&P Committee) of the International Gas Union (IGU) for the 2022 2025 triennium, the Vice Chairman (E&P Committee) of the International Gas Union (IGU) for the 2019 2022 triennium, a member of the Institute of Directors, Nigeria and serves on the boards of other companies in the Oil and Gas industry.

Emeka has also served in various capacities on a voluntary basis locally. He is the
immediate past Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Society of Petroleum
Engineers (SPE) Nigeria Council, a past Chairman of the Petroleum Technology
Association of Nigeria (PETAN), and was a member of the Presidential Task Force on
Refineries reform in Nigeria.

As part of contribution to the body of technical knowledge and best practices in the special economic zones and the energy industry, he has published several technical papers and made several presentations in the areas of trade and entrepreneurship, Local content, Reservoir Monitoring, Well Conformance Technology and Natural Gas Processing. The paper on the Implementation of methane gathering and abatement project leveraging carbon financing won him and his team the WGC 2025 regional gas award (Africa) by the International Gas Union.

Emeka pioneered the launch of the MIND AFRICA Foundation (www.mindafrica.org), a non-profit initiative working with rural children ages 10 to 15 years. MIND is involved in developing leadership and life-long learning, computer based education and hands-on skills.

Enrique Buero, is a Uruguayan attorney graduated at the University of Montevideo. Since 2013, he is the CEO of Parque de las Ciencias, a private Free Trade Zone (FTZ) in Uruguay that integrates industrial, commercial, and service-based activities and has established itself as a hub for high-value industries, particularly the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, also home to Google’s second Data Center in Latin America. Previously, he served as corporate attorney for several pharmaceutical companies with operations under the Free Zone Regime in Uruguay.

Mr. Buero is the current President of the Uruguayan Chamber of Free Zones (CZFUY), organization that represents the interests of free trade zones and free zone companies, advocating for the continuous improvement of Uruguay’s competitiveness on the global stage.

Esther Corral is the Head for Latin America and the Caribbean at the United Nations Global Compact. She brings over 15 years of experience within the United Nations system, serving in diverse roles across sustainable development and private sector engagement.

Prior to her appointment in June 2023, Esther served as Deputy Representative a.i. at UN Women Brazil (2022–2023). She had previously held the role of Regional Coordinator at the same office (2020–2021) for the multi-country programme “Win-Win: Gender Equality Means Good Business,” an initiative focused on strengthening private sector commitment to gender equality and expanding opportunities for women-led businesses across Latin America.

Earlier, she served as Sustainable Development Goals Adviser at UNEP Brazil (2016–2020) and as Project Coordinator at UN Women Mexico (2015–2016). From 2010 to 2015, Esther held senior roles within the UN Resident Coordinator’s Offices in Guatemala and Mexico, managing joint UN programmes, leading private sector engagement, and overseeing national development reporting.

Before joining the United Nations, Esther worked with an environmental company in France and at the Institute for Water Research at Rhodes University in South Africa. She has also served as a Private Sector Development Specialist at a Spanish company, managing international trade programmes in the Caribbean and MENA regions, and worked as an external evaluator for various international NGOs.

Esther holds a combined Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (Spain), as well as postgraduate studies in International Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid. She is fluent in Spanish, English, Portuguese, and French.

Hans Ardón is the visionary Founder of Consorcio FASTER, S.A. (Facilitador de Alianzas para el Sistema de Transporte Eficiente y Resiliente), a Costa Rican enterprise dedicated to developing sustainable, large-scale infrastructure projects. With a profound commitment to regional economic integration and resilience, Hans is currently spearheading the “Tren Rápido Transístmico” (Trans-isthmic Rapid Train) project. This landmark private initiative, officially certified by the Costa Rican National Concessions Council (CNC), involves the design, financing, construction, and operation of a high-efficiency railway corridor traversing Costa Rica from Paso Canoas at the Panamanian border to Peñas Blancas at the Nicaraguan border.

Under his leadership, FASTER aligns this mega-project with the Regional Master Plan for Mobility and Transport defined by SIECA, effectively bridging the gap between public policy and private enterprise. Hans possesses deep expertise in navigating complex public-private partnerships and is currently leading final negotiations with prominent international investment funds specialized in sustainable infrastructure. He is a staunch advocate for the green industrial transition, believing that modernized, low-carbon logistics networks are essential to unlocking the full potential of Free Trade Zones and creating resilient “Regional Value Hubs” across the Americas. His work aims to transform Central America into an integrated, highly competitive global gateway.

His Excellency Mr. Endalew Mekonnen is a distinguished statesman and accomplished professional currently serving as a State Minister at the Ethiopian Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration. With a background as the former Director General of the Ethiopian Standards Agency (now Institute of Ethiopian Standards), he brings extensive expertise in standards development and trade to his role.

Mr. Endalew holds a BSc degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s degree from Otto-Von Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany. With his wealth of knowledge and experience, he plays a pivotal role in leading national Quality infrastructure reform, promoting economic growth and regional integration within Ethiopia.

Hon. Peter R. Ramsaroop, Member of Parliament and Guyana’s Chief Investment Officer, has led the country’s national investment strategy since his appointment in October 2020 by His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. In this role, he is responsible for shaping and executing a forward-looking investment agenda focused on attracting high-quality global and domestic capital, advancing economic diversification, and strengthening public-private partnerships to support sustainable and inclusive growth.

As an elected Member of Parliament, Hon. Ramsaroop brings a broader governance perspective to national development, aligning legislative insight with strategic economic execution. With more than two decades of senior leadership across both public and private sectors, he has been instrumental in facilitating transformative investments across priority industries, accelerating innovation, and positioning Guyana as a credible, competitive, and emerging investment destination on the global stage.

A retired United States military officer, Hon. Ramsaroop served with distinction in the U.S. Armed Forces, including deployments in Europe during the Cold War, senior staff assignments at the Pentagon, and active duty during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. His service was recognized with several commendations, including the Meritorious Service Medal and the Kuwait Liberation Medal for his contributions during operations in the Persian Gulf.

Widely respected for his strategic vision and results-oriented leadership, Hon. Ramsaroop actively engages with international investors, multilateral institutions, and development partners to expand economic opportunities, enhance resilience, and drive inclusive national prosperity. His work reflects a clear commitment to delivering transformational outcomes for Guyana—anchored in innovation, disciplined execution, and the long-term vision of positioning Guyana as a leading investment hub across the Caribbean and Latin America.

The Hon. Jason Hayward currently serves as the Minister of Economy and Labour in the Bermuda Government, where he spearheads initiatives aimed at fostering economic growth, driving development, and expanding job opportunities throughout the island. His portfolio encompasses vital areas, including immigration, workforce development, labour relations, international business, statistics and overall economic development.

On the economic front, initiatives such as the creation of the National Economic Development Strategy, expansion of Economic Empowerment Zones and the introduction of the Economic Investment Residential Certificate (EIRC) Program have further supported Bermuda’s growth and development.

Minister Hayward’s political journey began in 2017 with his nomination to the Bermuda Government Senate, where he served as Junior Minister of Education, Health, Labour, Community Affairs and Sports. Since being elected as an MP in 2019 and appointed Minister in 2020, he has worked tirelessly to improve workers’ rights and advance Bermuda’s economic development. He previously held the position of Chairman of the National Training Board and led the Working Group that formulated Bermuda’s inaugural National Workforce Development Plan.

Minister Hayward is recognised for his leadership in workforce development and holds an MBA in Finance, a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and a Chartered Manager designation from the Chartered Management Institute. In March 2025, he was honoured as a Bermuda College Alumni for his outstanding contributions to the island’s workforce and governance.

H.E. Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef serves as Minister & Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) in the Sultanate of Oman, appointed by Royal Decree. In this capacity, oversight extends to the strategic advancement of the Sultanate’s economic zones ecosystem, spearheading initiatives that accelerate national growth and support the objectives of Oman Vision 2040.

Extensive expertise in commerce, investment, and economic policy is reinforced by prior service as Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion. A distinguished track record includes strengthening the Sultanate’s economic framework, enhancing global competitiveness, and cultivating a dynamic investment environment.

Under this leadership, OPAZ is driving transformative progress across Oman’s economic zones by securing high-value investments, fostering strategic international partnerships, and advancing priority sectors including industry, logistics, and energy.

A strong commitment remains toward elevating Oman’s position as a leading regional and global investment destination through the adoption of international standards, institutional excellence, and deeper integration with global markets.

Engineer Henry Faarup is Panama’s National Railway Secretary, leading the strategic design of the railway project connecting Panama City with the Costa Rica border. With more than five decades of international experience, he previously served as Panama’s Ambassador to France and as president of several private-sector companies. Today, he advances a vision of logistics connectivity, sustainability, and regional integration for Central America.

Helson Braga is president of the Brazilian Association of Export Processing Zones (ABRAZPE). He is a former executive secretary of the National Council of Export Processing Zones (CZPE), which is a department of the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services (MDIC).

Dr. Braga holds a Ph.D. in Economics and is a former full professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). For over nearly three decades, he has worked extensively to improve the legal framework for Export Processing Zones (EPZs) in Brazil, articulating with the Federal Government, the National Congress and the industrial business sector to adapt the concept of free trade zones to a heavily protected economy.

He has also coordinated and supported the implementation of EPZs across the country.

Dr Braga has published two books, dozens of journal articles and book chapters on industrial and foreign trade policies, especially on EPZs. He is also an active contributor to Brazilian economic media.

Ivana Fernandes Duarte has led IFC’s operations in Central America since July 2025. A Slovak national with over 20 years of experience in development finance, she brings deep expertise in sustainable finance, capital markets, and transport infrastructure.

Prior to her current role, Ivana served as IFC’s Regional Manager for the South Caucasus, where she revitalized delivery in smaller, frontier markets. Her leadership was instrumental in advancing sustainable finance, including the issuance of the first green and sustainability-linked bonds in Armenia and Georgia. Earlier in her career, Ivana worked at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and at Citigroup.

As Regional Manager for Central America, Ivana oversees IFC’s work in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Panama. Her priorities include mobilizing private capital, fostering inclusive job creation, and originating sustainable solutions with biodiversity and climate adaptation focus.

Ivana holds an MBA from IESE Business School in Spain and is a CFA Charter holder.

Dr. James Zhan is the Chairman of the Executive Board of the World Investment Conference, WAIPA (Geneva), and concurrently, serves as Chief Advisor to the Chairman of the World Free Zones Organization. He is also a senior Fellow associated with the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House), and a member of the fDi Editorial Advisory Board of the Financial Times. 

Dr. Zhan is also the Co-founder and Chairman Emeritus of the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative; and a founding co-Chair of the Global Alliance of Special Economic Zones (GASEZ). Dr. Zhan also holds advisory positions at leading academic institutions, including Oxford University, Columbia University, Cornell University, and Fribourg University. Previously, he served as academic advisor to centres at Cambridge University and Geneva University. 

Prior to this, Dr. Zhan served for 15 years (2008 to 2023) as Senior Director of Investment and Enterprise at the United Nations Trade and Development Agency (UNCTAD), as well as Chief Editor of the UN World Investment Report and Transnational Corporation journal. From 2023 to 2024, he was also the Chief Advisor to the Secretary-General of UNCTAD. 

During his tenure at the United Nations, Dr. Zhan provided strategic policy advice to heads of state, ministers, and parliaments across more than 100 developing and developed countries. He led the formulation of the Investment Policy Framework for Sustainable Development (IPFSD), a new generation of investment strategies used by over 150 countries and major regional groupings. Additionally, he founded the World Investment Forum in 2008, leading it to become a premier global platform for investment stakeholders. 

His extensive contributions in advisory roles include serving as a member of the Advisory Council of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). He was also a member of the Global Agenda Councils on Advanced Manufacturing and for Trade & Investment the World Economic Forum. 

Dr. Zhan has published over 150 journal articles and book chapters on investment, trade, technology, sustainable finance, and industrial strategies. He also led the preparation of more than 300 publications and reports for the United Nations (with acknowledgements). His expertise is frequently featured in leading global business and economic media, including The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, and Financial Times.

Javier Suárez Pinzón earned his Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from ISTHMUS – School of Architecture and Design in Panama. He later completed a Master’s degree in Architecture at ELISAVA – Faculty of Design and Engineering in Barcelona.

Throughout his professional career of over 10 years, he has focused on leading various architectural projects, from the conceptual stage to completion. He has also served as an operations manager in different companies, optimizing internal processes and overseeing key areas such as finance, logistics, and administration.

Currently, he serves as the Administrator of the Panama Pacifico Agency, where he is responsible for promoting, managing, and overseeing the Special Economic Area. His work is focused on driving infrastructure projects and ensuring the key services required for a unique special economic area like Panama Pacifico, which plays a fundamental role in the country’s economic growth and in attracting investment.

Javier Zamora is an economist from Universidad Panamericana and holds an MBA from the University of Oxford, where he specialized in digital transformation. His academic background combines rigorous economic training with expertise in innovation, technology, and business strategy.

He began his career at the Central Bank of Mexico, where he contributed to the development of the country’s FinTech regulation, including frameworks for payments and cryptocurrencies.

Javier currently serves as an Associate Director at EY in the Office of Strategic Execution, working closely with EY’s regional Chief Operating Officer. In this role, he has a dual mandate: leading regional digital transformation initiatives to improve EY’s operational efficiency, and managing large-scale transformation portfolios for clients, with individual engagements exceeding USD $20 million. His work helps organizations across industries adopt AI-driven solutions to unlock growth, improve efficiency, and remain competitive.

As a keynote speaker, Javier has addressed C-suite executives and senior leaders in more than 30 forums on topics including AI readiness, workforce upskilling in the AI era, and applied AI across sectors. He is also an active lecturer at Universidad Panamericana, teaching in various master’s degree programs focused on applied AI for business.

Passionate about translating complex technologies into practical strategies, Javier empowers leaders to embrace AI responsibly and position their organizations for sustainable success.

Jeffrey J. Tafel, CAE is a member and mission-focused non-profit association professional. He has nearly 30 years of association senior management and leadership experience, specializing in developing and executing strategy.

In his current role as President of the National Association of Foreign Trade Zones (NAFTZ) in the USA, Jeff provides leadership, vision and direction for the organization and develops organizational strategy. He manages NAFTZ’s programs and operations, and oversees the development, implementation and evaluation of programs and services that support the NAFTZ mission. In addition, he supports coordination of committee activities, advancing the public policy agenda, building and maintaining relationships that are key to NAFTZ members, and offering enlightened approaches to ever shifting association issues.

Prior to NAFTZ he served as the CEO of the Home Builders Association of Western Michigan representing the entire residential construction and remodeling community in Kalamazoo and six surrounding counties in southwestern Michigan. During his tenure, Tafel was responsible for increasing membership, non-dues revenue, and member engagement and retention for this trade association that advocates for attainable housing for all by promoting common sense housing policies and workforce development programs. The innovate programs like the Kalamazoo Attainable Homes Partnership that formed under his leadership remain in place and are serving as models for other communities to address housing needs.

Tafel has also worked for the International Facility Management Association for 16 years in multiple roles including as the Executive Director of the IFMA Foundation and the director of membership and councils overseeing IFMA’s more than 130 chapters and special interest groups around the world helping local volunteer boards to implement successful strategic plans and best practices to increase member value. His association career began as the Chief Operating Officer for the National Association of Credit Management of South Texas and has years of experience working in broadcast radio.

In his volunteer life, he’s served on the board of the Association Foundation Group, the Texas Society of Association Executives, Houston Society of Association Executives and was an active volunteer for the Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives. He holds the Certified Association Executive credential from the American Society of Association Executives and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Michigan Technological University. In his own words, he’s an association geek.

He is married with three sons living in Portage, MI, enjoys time with family and their 3 huskies, is an road and mountain bicyclist and self-proclaimed ‘foodie’.

Mr. Contreras is a Civil Engineer who graduated from Tulane University in 1985. Since graduation he has been involved in the construction sector while working for the Ministry of Public Works, Central Romana Corporation and Latin American Free Zone Investments Dominicana (PIISA Free Zone Industrial Park).

Mr. Contreras participated in several large-scale construction activities that notably improved the highway infrastructure of the Dominican Republic, just to mention the Duarte highway expansion (the island’s top roadway) from 1986 to 1987.

At his next post with Central Romana Corporation, Mr. Contreras was the Construction Materials Division General Manager from 1992 to 1996 overseeing supply for multiple projects in housing and industrial construction.

During his years at the PIISA Free Zone Industrial Park, he has held the position of Engineering Manager from 1988 to 1992, General Manager from 1996 to 2010 and Executive Vice-President (EVP) since 2011 to present date, overseeing all park operations as well as new business development for this corporate group.

In representation of PIISA, Mr. Contreras has been an active member of the Dominican Free Zone Association (ADOZONA). His exceptional performance as EVP of one of the fastest growing free zone parks in the Dominican Republic paved his way to become President of ADOZONA in 2015 thru 2017. During his tenure he presided over activities focused on international promotion of free zones. In addition to serving ADOZONA, Mr. Contreras has also served on the Board of Directors of the National Free Zone Council, The American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM), The DR Industry Association (AIRD), The Private Enterprise National Council (CONEP) and The World Free Zone Organization (WFZO) in the capacity of Vice Chairman.

Mr. Contreras has been recognized by his outstanding leadership and untiring efforts to the development of the free zones of the Dominican Republic.

Juan Opertti, is a Mechanical Industrial Engineer from Universidad de la República (UDELAR) and holds an MBA from Universidad Católica del Uruguay (UCUDAL). He completed executive training in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, and Port Operations in Antwerp, Belgium.

In the professional and institutional sphere, Juan serves as a Board Member of INALOG (National Institute of Logistics of Uruguay). He was a Board Member of the World Free Zones Organization (2019–2022) and currently serves as Board Member and Vice President of the Association of Free Zones of the Americas (2022–2026). Academically, he is a Full Professor of Operations and Logistics at Universidad ORT Uruguay. He was the promoter and Adjunct Professor of the Logistics Engineering program at UTEC (2016–2024). He has completed all modules of the MIT MicroMasters in Supply Chain Management (2019–2022).

Juan is South America Manager at Katoen Natie. He is also a Board Member of the 3PL free zone company Costa Oriental and Managing Director of the consulting firms Hemisiton and Operal Consultores.

Certified Public Accountant with extensive experience in public administration, economic policy, and institutional leadership. Proven track record in senior government roles, including Minister of Economic Development and Production of the Province of Jujuy, with a strong focus on productive development, fiscal management, and public policy design. Solid expertise in legislative functions, municipal finance, and strategic planning, complemented by executive training in business administration.

Juan Carlos Abud has developed a distinguished career in both executive and legislative branches of government, holding key leadership roles over more than two decades.

He served as Minister of Economic Development and Production of the Province of Jujuy during two periods (2015–2018 and 2022–2026), leading strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening the productive matrix, promoting investment, and fostering regional economic growth.

Between 2019 and 2022, he was elected Provincial Deputy, where he also held the position of First Vice President of the Legislature, contributing to legislative processes and public policy oversight.

In 2018, he was appointed Director of Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales S.A. (YPF), Argentina’s national oil company, participating in corporate governance and strategic decision-making in the energy sector.

Industrial Engineer from the Javeriana University in Bogota, Colombia; Specialist in Marketing from the ICESI University in Cali, Colombia and Executive MBA from Los Andes University in Bogota, Colombia. Currently, President of the ZFB Group for 26 years, and as such, responsible for the development and execution of the Strategic Plan of the organization. He has held management positions in leading companies in Colombia. He is also an active member in the of Board of Directors of National and international Associations and Organizations such as: World Free Zones Organization WFZO, National Asociation of Industrials of Colombia (ANDI), Chamber of Free Trade Zones ANDI, Chairman of the board of the American-Colombia Chamber of Commerce – AMCHAM Colombia and Honorary Presidente of the Iberoamerican Asociation of FTZ-AZFA.

Juliana is an economist with extensive experience in international trade, export management, and commercial relations. She specializes in export promotion, development of the manufacturing sector, and socioeconomic inclusion, and has supported governments and companies in processes of internationalization, export offer positioning, and regional cooperation.

Currently at Araújo Ibarra, she serves as Director of International Promotion and Business Development, where she leads strategies to boost Colombia’s presence in international markets, supports the strengthening of business capabilities, and builds key alliances to enhance export growth. Her work has been instrumental in initiatives focused on manufacturing, market intelligence, and regional integration strategies.

An economist by training and an investment promotion practitioner by experience, Barbadian-born Kaye Greenidge is a CEO with many sides. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Accounting, and a Master of Science in Business and Financial Economics.

Kaye’s professional journey includes her tenure as a Senior Economist in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, where she served until 2007. To broaden her financial expertise, she transitioned into commercial banking and credit, embarking on a twelve-year executive banking career at two banking institutions. During this period, she managed a diverse portfolio, overseeing transactions exceeding USD 600 million in assets across multiple sectors. Her work included structuring financial and investment solutions for corporate and public-sector clients, managing several government accounts, and leading the capital assets division.

In 2019, she assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer of Invest Barbados, the national investment promotion agency responsible for attracting, facilitating, and sustaining international business. Nearly seven years into her tenure, her approach to investment promotion reflects a blend of economic insight with financial analysis from her private-sector banking experience. This perspective allows her to think with both an investor’s lens and a policymaker’s foresight, guiding sound foreign direct investment decisions. This foundation underpins a practical, results-focused leadership style built on collaboration and analytical rigor, all in service to deliver tangible investment outcomes for Barbados. In addition to leading Invest Barbados, she currently serves as President of the Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (CAIPA), providing regional leadership in advancing foreign direct investment across the Caribbean. She also serves as a Director on several Boards across several public and private sector organizations, providing strategic oversight and governance leadership.

Outside of the corporate role, Kaye notes teaching as her “first love” dating back to 1995, as a Maths and Science secondary school teacher. She is also a certified lecturer/facilitator and has facilitated/lectured various courses with the Cave Hill School of Business, as well as the University of the West Indies. She believes that knowledge should be shared and the greatest satisfaction one can have, is knowing that the knowledge imparted has charted the course of someone else’s success.

Away from the office, Kaye enjoys spending quality time with her family and her pet dog, valuing the balance between leadership and the simple moments that matter most.

Kelli-Dawn Hamilton is an accomplished executive with deep expertise in policy development, international trade, public relations, and investment facilitation. Since November 2023, she has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Jamaica Special Economic Zone Authority (JSEZA), where she leads national efforts to promote industrial development, drive inward investment, and advance Jamaica’s positioning as a competitive global logistics and services hub. 

With almost two decades of leadership in economic development and government strategy, Kelli-Dawn brings a track record of success in mobilizing investments, executing strategic communications, and delivering results across complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives. 

Prior to her appointment as CEO, she served as Director of Investor Relations and Communications at the JSEZA, where she was instrumental in crafting investor-facing strategies and facilitating major SEZ developments. Before joining JSEZA, she held several strategic roles at the Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), contributing to national programmes in investment promotion, business development, research, and capacity building—particularly within the services sector. 

A certified Services Go Global trainer, Kelli-Dawn has worked extensively to empower Caribbean entrepreneurs and service providers to scale their businesses and access export markets. Her work in project management has supported the design and rollout of key national initiatives across various sectors, from agriculture to business process outsourcing. 

Kelli-Dawn is also actively engaged in public governance and policy formulation, currently serving on the Board of Directors of: 

• The Spectrum Management Authority, which regulates and oversees the use of Jamaica’s radio frequency spectrum; 
• The Jamaica International Financial Services Authority (JIFSA); and 
• The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA). 

She holds a Master of Science in Comparative Politics and Political Theory and a Bachelor of Science in International Relations (with a minor in Political Science), both from the University of the West Indies, Mona. 

With her unique blend of policy acumen, strategic foresight, and operational leadership, Kelli-Dawn continues to drive Jamaica’s economic transformation while advocating for inclusive and sustainable development at home and across the region.

The Postal Technology Center (PTC) of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) supports the development of affordable, competitive and innovative technology solutions for the Designated Postal Operators of the 192 UPU member countries and the Wider Postal Sector.

The PTC operates a secure global electronic network linking all the actors of the UPU postal supply chain and provides standard UPU technology solutions for International & Domestic Mail, Customs Management and Postal Payment Services in over 190 member countries.

Mr. Lati Matata is the Director of the UPU’s PTC. He has been part of the UPU community for the last 25 years, delivering technology solutions that support the UPU’s global postal supply chain. He holds a Bachelor degree in Electrical & Electronic Engineering and a Masters in Governance and Leadership.

Liriola Pitti Lescure is the Executive Director of the Fundación Alianza para el Emprendimiento e Innovación de Panamá, AEI Panamá, since January 2022, leading AEI Panama with the following responsibilities:

● Articulating the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem and developing
entrepreneurship and innovation capacities in the country.
● Promoting the financing and implementation of projects.
● Generating and following up on a public-private agenda to foster entrepreneurship
and innovation.

She also leads Central Link, an International Innovation Center dedicated to fostering
creativity, collaboration, and experimentation, while driving sustainable tourism, promoting
innovation, and providing an enabling environment to explore new ideas, technologies, and
processes.

Lisandro Ganuza is a international strategist and executive specializing in Free Trade Zones (FTZs), industrial business development, and foreign trade. He currently serves as the Director of Institutional Relations at Zona Franca Santafesina / PTP Group in Argentina.

As a trusted expert in large-scale industrial public-private partnerships, Lisandro acts as a strategic advisor for multiple governments to drive regional development and foreign direct investment. His high-level portfolio includes advising the Province of Río Negro and private enterprises on Argentina's largest investment project for 2025, valued at USD 17 billion. Furthermore, he advises the Province of San Juan on the development of FTZs and Subzones designed to boost mining investments totaling USD 20 billion, and guides the "Jujuy Polo de Desarrollo" initiative, which encompasses the Perico and La Quiaca FTZs.

Globally recognized for his institutional leadership, Lisandro continues his strong commitment to the World Free Zones Organization as a member of its Policy and Governance Committee. Previously, he served on the World FZO Board of Directors from 2018 to 2023 and the Head of the Regional Office Latam South from 2017 to 2025. He frequently serves as an FTZ expert consultant for international bodies such as the OAS and UNODC.

A lawyer by the University of Buenos Aires, Lisandro holds an IDB-certified PM4R Master's degree in international cooperation projects, alongside extensive postgraduate training in corporate affairs and public policy. He formerly presided over the Bahía Blanca Coronel Rosales FTZ, where he spearheaded the creation of Argentina's first FTZ subzone.

Luciano Ciravegna is a full professor at INCAE Business School, where he teaches courses in the areas of Marketing and Strategy. He is also Director of the Steve Aronson Chair of Agribusiness and Sustainability at this business school.

His teaching experience includes courses for undergraduate, graduate, MBA and executive programs in international business, corporate strategy, competitive strategy, competitiveness and development, and business risk analysis at the following institutions: INCAE, The London School of Economics, Royal Holloway College, ESCP, Los Andes Business School and University of Hong Kong.

He has conducted research and consulting work in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, United Kingdom, Austria and Italy. He has also worked as a business risk analyst with a focus on Latin American markets.

His academic career and international experience began at the age of 16, when he was admitted to the United World College. He then obtained a degree in Economic History from the London School of Economics and published his undergraduate thesis in Italian as his first book.

After undergraduate studies, he became a Fellow of St. Antony’s College, University of Oxford, where he graduated from a two-year research master’s program, the MPhil (Master of Philosophy) in Latin American Economics and Politics.

He earned his Ph.D. at the Institute of Development Studies at the London School of Economics, with the support of scholarships from INCAE, the Centro Studi D’Agliano, the London School of Economics and the Italian Social Science Council.

During his doctorate, Ciravegna worked as a consultant on competitiveness, cluster and political risk in Guatemala and Costa Rica for INCAE-CLACDS; in London for the political risk consultancy Executive Analysis; in Vienna for UNIDO; and in Italy for the Province of Turin.

He is the author of three books and his articles have been published in the top-ranked journals by Financial Times and ABS: Journal of International Business Studies, Strategic Management Journal, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Journal of Business Ethics, Global Strategy Journal and Journal of World Business.

Luisa Napolitano, General Manager of the Colón Free Zone — the most important free zone in the Americas and the second largest in the Western Hemisphere — is a businesswoman from Colón with more than two decades of experience in logistics management, international freight, marketing, and business development.

Her career has been closely linked to the promotion of strategic projects that strengthen the competitiveness of the Colón Free Zone, positioning it as a key hub for investment and global trade.

She has led the creation of integrated logistics products and services for both local and international investors, combining an innovative vision, executive experience, and a strong commitment to the sustainable development of Colón and Panama.

In addition to her business leadership, she is actively involved in social initiatives and charitable work in her home province of Colón.

Elected Deputy Director General of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) at the 27th UPU Congress held in Abidjan in 2021, and re-elected during the 28th Congress in Dubai in 2025, Marjan Osvald plays a key leadership role in global postal development, policy coordination, and the implementation of significant reforms within the UPU. He brings 30 years of progressive responsibility in international postal operations, strategy, and sales. In addition to his statutory duties, Mr Osvald chairs several governance and oversight bodies within the UPU and externally, such as the Oversight Advisory Committee, the Investment Committee of the Provident Scheme, the Internal Procurement Working Group, and the UPU IT Steering Committee. He also chairs the Cooperation Agreement Steering Committee (CASC) between the UPU and the International Post Corporation (IPC). He represents the UPU at the United Nations High-Level Committee on Management (UN HLCM) and the Network of the UN System Oversight Advisory Committees (OAC Network). Before his current role, Mr Osvald was Senior Adviser to Executive Management of Slovenia Post (Pošta Slovenije d. o. o.), responsible for international relations and organizations. He was promoted to this position following a successful 12-year tenure as International Mail Director, where he oversaw the daily management of international postal and logistics operations, customs operations, international accounting, product sales, new business development, and project management. His involvement with the UPU began at the Beijing Congress in 1999, marking the start of a long-standing commitment to the work of the Union. Marjan Osvald, 57, has three children.

Martín Dovat is an Industrial Engineer, graduated from Universidad de Montevideo, in 2006. He holds an MBA and a Master in Real Estate Development from the University of Southern California, USA. He holds an MBA and a Master in Real Estate Development from the University of Southern California, USA.

Since 2018, Martin is the General Manager of Zonamerica, the first private free zone in Uruguay created in 1990, wich to date houses more tan 500 companies from multiple industries and nationalities, doing international business and generating direct employment for more than 7,000 people.

Martin previously served as Excecutive Director of Zonamerica, leading the company ́s international expansion to Colombia, whose 38 hectare free service zone was inaugurated in October 2018, with a first phase of 20,000m2 of office space for technology companies.

Martin also served as Project Manager in the development of more than 30,000m2 of Logistics Office, Datacenter and Infrastructure buildings, setting up the organization ́s Project Management Office.

He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Uruguayan Free Zones Chamber and Uruguayan Logistics Chamber and Asociación Cristiana de Dirigentes de Empresas. He also it ́s member of the Board of Directors of Endeavor Uruguay.

Michel Matos is a legal expert with over 30 years of experience and is the current Director of Operations at ZPE Ceará, where he leads the strategic and operational management of Brazil’s first active Export Processing Zone. His academic background includes a Law degree from the University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR), an MBA in Quality, Management, and Process Engineering, and a Specialization in Management, Governance, and the Public Sector, both from PUCRS. With deep expertise in Administrative, Tax, and Environmental Law, Michel has held high-level positions such as Chief Legal Advisor for the Secretariat of Agriculture of Ceará (SEAGRI) and Legal Prosecutor for the Agricultural Defense Agency.

Mónica holds a degree in Economics and a Master’s in Finance from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Peru, as well as the Higher Management Program from INCAE Business School in Costa Rica. In 2022, she participated in the Global Eco-Industrial Parks Programme Study Tour funded by the Swiss government to enhance Eco-Industrial Park approaches and practices as a member of GEIPP (Global Eco-Industrial Parks Programme) supported by UNIDO.

With over 20 years of experience as a strategic leader, she has consistently driven growth across the financial, real estate, and industrial sectors. Her expertise lies at the intersection of executive management and applied finance, encompassing commercial direction, business model design, investment evaluation, and financial structuring. She has held leadership roles within key organizations such as Sub-Manager of Indupark and the National Society of Industries (SNI), where she has focused on developing industrial real estate projects and shaping sector-specific strategies.

Her leadership extends to industry representation, having served as Chair of the Industrial Parks Committee and Vice President of the Chilca-Pucusana Chamber of Commerce. In these roles, she has been instrumental in promoting policies that enhance sector competitiveness, driving initiatives to attract investment and develop logistics corridors. This experience has strengthened her ability to build high-performing teams and foster sustainable public-private partnerships that deliver measurable results.

Mr Khabib Abdullaev is currently the adviser to Navoi International Airport.

From January 2019 to October 2025, he was the CEO of the Navoi Free Economic Zone, which operates within Navoi Province, the most industrialized region of Uzbekistan.

Before relocating to Uzbekistan, he served as Vice President of Rikor Group (Russia) and headed the Rikor Technopark in Moscow from 2012 to January 2019. From 2010 to 2011, he was a department head at the Special Economic Zones State Company, overseeing relations with residents in all Russian federal SEZs.

From 2006 to 2009, he worked as an executive at Sistema JSC, the largest private conglomerate in Russia. Between 1993 and 2000, he managed the Russian branch of a Belgian construction company. Earlier, he served in the diplomatic service (1991–1993) after beginning his career in 1989 at the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.

He graduated from MGIMO (Moscow State Institute of International Relations) in 1989 and from the Higher School of Economics (HSE) in Moscow in 2012.

Nicolas is a knowledge expert providing strategic advisory services to startups and mid-cap companies, with particular focus on internal capability building, talent development, team communication dynamics, and productivity enhancement. Nicolas has built experience in investment banking, management consulting, military training, and digital communications. He also served as a key advisor to the World Free Zones Organization since its inception.

▶ Partner at EY, specialist in AI and Analytics, with extensive experience in innovation and digital transformation in the mining industry, as well as projects with the United Nations and various public organizations.

▶ Has led advanced analytics and AI projects for mining operations in Latin America, Africa, and Oceania, as well as for multiple ministries, public agencies, and national governments in Latin America.

▶ Osvaldo has spearheaded Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics initiatives focused on optimizing operations, improving transportation and logistics efficiency, and modernizing processes in leading companies across various sectors.

Mr. Pan Li is the Vice Chairman of China National Association of Free Trade Zones and Export Processing Zones, a national association of special economic zones including all free trade zones, free ports, export processing zones and Customs bonded logistics parks in China. 

With over 35 years of experience in industrialization and SEZ development, Li is among the top industry experts in China and held in high esteem across the industry. Being an industrialization advisor to some key African developing countries, Li has devoted himself in recent years in implementation of industrialization cooperation plan among China-Silk Road countries through industrial park (SEZ) development and introducing global industrial transfer.

Paul Keely is the Chief Financial Officer of Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZA), overseeing financial strategy across Dubai Airport Free Zone, Dubai Silicon Oasis, and Dubai CommerCity – three premium Free Zones that collectively contribute 14% of Dubai’s non-oil foreign trade. He serves on the board of Tradeling, the GCC’s leading B2B e-commerce platform, and on the board and investment committee of Oraseya Capital, DIEZA’s USD 135 million venture capital fund investing in early-stage technology companies.

A Chartered Accountant with a degree in Business Law, Paul has over 25 years of international experience spanning global firms such as KPMG and Glencore, and has held senior finance roles in Colombia, Switzerland, USA, the Middle East and Africa.  He holds an MSc in Blockchain and Digital Currency and is completing an MA in Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation, bringing a distinctive combination of traditional financial rigour and emerging technology expertise to Free Zone governance and investment strategy.

With a distinguished career spanning 50 years as a Customs Broker since 1975, he has held key roles in Paraguay’s trade and customs sector. He is currently a member of the National Free Trade Zone Council of Paraguay, representing users. Additionally, he is the developer and president of Zona Franca Global del Paraguay in Ciudad del Este, a project he has led since 2002.

His experience also includes serving as vice president of the Chamber of Commerce and Services of Ciudad del Este, where he promotes business and economic development in the region. Furthermore, he has been a member of the Technical-Legal Committee of the Paraguayan Customs Brokers Center, contributing to the evolution and modernization of customs regulations in the country.

Pere Navarro Morera, who holds a degree in Biology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), was designated Executive President, Delegado Especial del Estado at the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona by the Council of Ministers of the Government of Spain on 29 June 2018. 

He took on this position after a long career in which he notably served as Mayor of Terrassa (2002–2012), First Secretary of the Socialists’ Party of Catalonia (PSC) from 2011 to 2014, and Member of the Parliament of Catalonia representing Barcelona, where he was President of the Socialist Parliamentary Group and a member of the Bureau of the Parliament of Catalonia.

In the private sector, his professional experience has centered on an area to which he has always been deeply committed: the strategic management of territorial planning and urban development — a field he approaches with a strong dedication to sustainability, environmental responsibility, and social well‑being.

At the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona, he has established a new strategic approach based on innovation, sustainability, and economic and social opportunity. In this regard, he has strongly promoted industrial transformation and digitalization through the District 4.0 initiative, whose core is DFactory Barcelona — the largest Industry 4.0 ecosystem in Spain and an international benchmark.

He has also driven the creation of the 3D Incubator, the first high-tech 3D printing incubator in Europe (launched in March 2019), and the Logistics 4.0 Incubator (July 2023), both supported by the Incyde Foundation of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce and the European Regional Development Funds (ERDF). He has also promoted the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goals in the industrial sphere and fostered the connection with the new economy through the launch—during the pandemic—of the Barcelona New Economy Week (BNEW), which held its first edition in October 2020.

Since October 2022, Peter Janech is the Investment Coordinator of the Innovation, Education and Investments Department at UN TOURISM, the Specialized Agency of the United Nations in tourism – in Madrid, Spain. Prior to assuming his current post, he was serving for more than two years as Deputy Director for Europe in the Regional Department for Europe, and acting as Programme Officer and Policy Adviser on International and EU Affairs in the same department for almost 10 years on a wide range of tourism related technical and political issues within the European Region, while he was responsible for the department’s engagement with the European Institutions especially.

Before arriving to the United Nations, Mr. Janech was acting as an Attaché in the Cabinet of the Hungarian Member of the European Court of Auditors in Luxembourg from July 2010 to March 2011. As a member of the cabinet Mr Janech provided advice and assistance in areas of regional policy, energy and transport.

Beforehand he spent six consecutive years (2004-2010) in Brussels working for the European Parliament and for the European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers Association, where he got acquainted with an in-depth understanding of the complex nature of the European Institutions and its decision making processes and practices.

Throughout those years he worked as a Policy Adviser for a Member of the European Parliament on external relations and security issues of the European Union. He particularly focused and evaluated the international political situations in the European Neighbourhood, in the South Caucasus and in China.

As a Trade and Parliamentary Affairs Assistant at the European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers he was supporting the Secretary-General with representation of the tyre and rubber industry towards the EU institutions on priority issues.

Raimund Klein is a highly skilled individual with experience in manufacturing design and global supply digitisation across Europe and Asia.

He excels at identifying opportunities to improve, enhance and optimise processes through data analysis. His strong business acumen, solid education and progressive executive management experience enable him to build highly efficient teams in multinational organisations that work collaboratively to meet organisational goals efficiently.

Rafael is a Senior Managing Director in the Sovereign Advisory Practive at Ankura Consulting, based in New York, with 25 years of experience advising clients on issues of public finance, including liability management strategies aimed at optimizing debt service profiles and yield curves, enhancing risk management practices, and the financing of sustainable infrastructure projects.

• He is currently advising the Government of Antigua and Barbuda on the formulation of strategic options to redirect fiscal resources to fund climate adaptation and mitigation initiatives.  He is also leading efforts to build capacity among small vulnerable states on the implementation of debt for social development swaps.
• He led the firm’s mandate advising the Surinamese Bondholder Committee to restructure outstanding Euro notes, as well as the Government of Zimbabwe on the settlement of the Global Compensation Deed. He also led the mandate advising Liberia on the resolution of external commercial claims under the HIPC framework. 
• A list of additional selected clients include the governments of Armenia, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Iceland, Indonesia, Jordan, Peru, Sierra Leone and Sudan, among others.  He has also served as financial adviser to the Central Banks of Barbados and Indonesia, selected real money funds holding sovereign exposures, and acted for the IMF and the World Bank on issues related to public finance. 
• Rafael spent over eight years with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where he performed several finance related functions including senior trader-analyst in the Foreign Exchange Department, where he was responsible for implementing U.S. monetary policy directives and managing the U.S. monetary authorities’ yen reserve portfolio. 
• Rafael is a frequent speaker at international conferences, has published numerous articles on issues of public finance, and served as chairman for the annual debt management seminars organized by Central Banking Publications held at Cambridge University until 2019.
• He received his undergraduate degree from Vassar College and his MBA from Columbia University.  He is a native Spanish speaker and is fluent in Portuguese.

Ramiro Casó is a psychologist graduated from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello and holds an MBA (2017) and a Master in Business Analytics (2019) from INCAE Business School, both with High Honors. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, and a senior researcher at INCAE Business School.

He has worked in leading advertising agencies such as JWT, Publicis, BBDO and DRAFTFCB, and is a member of the Board of Directors of Comunicación Corporativa Ketchum (CCK). At INCAE Business School, he teaches courses in Machine Learning, Programming, Marketing Analytics, Communication and Digital Transformation. He has been a Dedicated Professor at the institution eight times.

Phoenix Group is one of the largest Business conglomerate based out of Hyderabad. It is one of the largest infrastructure developers. As Group Director, he played a very important role in the development of Phoenix Group from the day of its incorporation in the year 2002. He was instrumental in establishing Phoenix as one of the biggest SEZ IT/ITES developers in India. Was also instrumental in receiving the Best Business model Award for Phoenix Group from Government of India. Presently, Phoenix has around seven SEZs. He has done his graduation in Science and Post- Graduation in Management from Osmania University.

Economist with graduate studies in International Economics and Political Economy at the University of Bern and ETH Zürich. A visiting professor at INCAE Business School, he teaches International Trade and Foreign Investment, International Political Economy, Geopolitics, and Macroeconomics, among other courses. A researcher at CLACDS for over 20 years, he served as its Director (2014–2018), positioning it as the region’s leading think tank on competitiveness, sustainable tourism, trade, and productive development policy.

Víctor González Acosta is a distinguished Paraguayan architect and business leader with decades of experience in real estate development, project management, and corporate leadership. He currently serves as President of World Trade Center Asunción and Ciudad del Este, and leads multiple companies including GA&A – González Acosta & Asociados, Capitalis S.A., Habitalis S.A., and Propius S.A., overseeing major corporate, retail, and residential developments across Paraguay. He’s also part of Emprendimientos el Parque S.A. Which is a mixed use development at the new central hub in the heart of the Central Chaco and the Bi-Oceanic Corridor.

Beyond his business achievements, González Acosta is deeply committed to social impact and institutional development. He serves as President of Horizonte + and has held advisory and board roles with organizations such as Fundación Desarrollo en Democracia (DENDE), Fundación Tierra Nuestra, UNICEF, and Paraguay Educa. A key figure in Paraguay’s business community, he is the Founder and former President of the Paraguayan Chamber of Real Estate Developers (CAPADEI), and has contributed to regional and national development through leadership roles in CEAL, CODEASU, and AMCHAM Paraguay.

His contributions have been widely recognized with numerous awards, including the National Congress Medal “El Cabildo” for Creativity, Innovation, and Scientific Research, Entrepreneur of the Year honors from ADEC and Universidad Americana, and international recognition as Outstanding Entrepreneur of the Americas by CAMACOL. His career reflects a sustained commitment to advancing economic development, innovation, and community impact in Paraguay and across the region.

Walter Mosher is the Managing Director of Free Zone Aruba N.V., a position he assumed in February 2026. He brings to the role a career spanning nearly 20 years across Aruba and Europe, with experience in economic policy, banking, retail and manufacturing, infrastructure advisory, and energy development.

Walter began his career as an Economist at the Central Bank of Aruba before joining AIB Bank N.V., where he held several roles over the years, culminating in VP of Corporate Finance and later Assistant to the Management Board. He also served as Managing Director of Aruba Aloe Balm N.V., overseeing operations across retail and manufacturing on the island.

Seeking to broaden his international perspective, Walter relocated to Europe, completing an Executive MBA and a Master in Digital Business at ESADE Business School in Barcelona, adding to dual master's degrees in international business and economics. He subsequently served as Associate Director at EY in Dublin, advising public and private sector clients on large-scale infrastructure projects, and as a member of ESB Generation and Trading's commercial team — Ireland's national energy company — where he focused on renewable energy transactions and M&A.

Walter now leads Free Zone Aruba N.V. with a mandate to advance its strategic positioning and drive sustainable economic growth. He brings a multidisciplinary lens to the evolving challenges and opportunities facing free zones — from digital transformation and green industrial transition to investment facilitation and regional competitiveness. As Managing Director of one of the Caribbean's emerging free zones, he is committed to demonstrating that small island economies can compete as agile, innovative hubs in the new global trade landscape. He is fluent in English, Spanish, Dutch, and Papiamento.

Walter Trezek is an international expert in postal & CEP logistics, ecommerce regulation, and digital transformation, with more than 35 years of international experience bridging public and private-sector innovation. He currently serves as Chair of the UPU Consultative Committee (ad personam, High-Level Figure), having first been appointed to the role in 2016. He represents Austria as Head of Delegation to ISO TC 344; advises the European Commission (DG TAXUD, DG MOVE); is Liaison Officer between CEN and UPU; and is Convenor of CEN/TC 331 Postal Services, Working Group 1 on Customer, Products and Services and WG 2 Digital Postal Services standardization in Europe. Since 2003, his consultancy Commerce Logistics Specialists (CLS) has advised and guided designated operators, CEP and logistics operators and wider postal sector players worldwide through regulatory, technical, and operational reforms. He has also held senior positions at Austria Post AG and was a member of the US-based stamps.com IPO team, inventor of the world’s first digital postage mark.

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.