Heart of the Americas: Panama’s Role in a Changing Global Economy

Ambassador Carmen Gisela Vergara graduated in Law and Political Science from the University of Panama, holds a Masters Degree in Banking and Financial Law from the University of El Externado in Colombia and a Postgraduate Degree in International Trade Negotiations from the University of Santiago de Chile. Prior to the position of Executive Director of PROPANAMA, Mrs. Vergara served as Executive Director of the Federation of Chambers and Industrial Associations of Central America and the Dominican Republic – FECAICA and as Secretary General of the Secretariat of Central American Economic Integration SIECA, making important progress in the Central American integration process. Prior to that position, she was Director to the Board of Directors of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration – CABEI, representing Panama. Expert in International Trade Law, Business Development, Trade Negotiations, Trade Integration and Facilitation, she has also served as Minister of Trade and Industries, Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and National Director of Investment and Export Promotion of the Ministry of Trade and Industries of the Republic of Panama.

Giovanni Bruno Ferrari has been the General Manager of the Colon Free Zone since 2019. Prior to his current role, Ferrari was the CEO of Farmazona S.A. Other positions held by Ferrari include Vice-President of the Franco-Panamanian Chamber of Commerce and President of the User Association ofo the Colon Free Zone. He is currently also a member of the Panamanian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industries and the Peruvian-Panamanian Chamber of Commerce.

Rodolfo De La Guardia is the President of the Logistics Business Council of Panama (COEL).

Before coming to Panama as the CEO of Hutchison Ports PPC, Jared H. Zerbe was the CEO for Tanzania International Container Terminal Services Limited. He has worked in a number of senior commercial roles and legal roles, and he is licensed as a solicitor in England and Wales. With a JD from Boston University, he is a licensed attorney in the US. Zerbe also has a master's in international corporate management from the University of Pittsburgh and studied law in the UK, obtaining his qualified foreign lawyer certificates at BPPE in London.

Alejandro Canakis is the General Manager of GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals CentralAmerica and Caribbean. He is an industrial engineer and holds an MBA. He has more than 15 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry in Venezuela, Mexico, Brazil, the US, and Central America. He has developed his career in commercial and business development roles of increasing responsibility.

Luis Eduardo Ocando B. is Country Managing Partner & Tax Leader of EY's Panama Office and Tax Policy Leader for EY's Latam North Region. He is a member of the expanded executive committee of the Panama, Central America & Dominican Republic firm of EY (EYCA) and member of the EYCA Tax Executive Committee. He is a tax lawyer with more than 35 years of experience in Venezuelan and international taxation and has been recognized by International Tax Review as one of the most renowned tax advisors in Venezuela for seven consecutive years.

Han Le is The Business Year's Managing Director for the Latam region. During his career in TBY, he has been based in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. Before joining TBY, he worked in various media outlets in the Middle East and North Africa region.

For the last ten years years, Andrea Tsiachtsiri has been creating successful partnerships with the worlds' largest corporations in competitive markets, such as Dubai, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Colombia, and Greece. She has a master's in marketing from the UK and a bachelor's in economics from Greece.