AAPA LATAM announced this week its new Board of Directors, whose central task is to transform the regional maritime industry with a focus on innovation and sustainable growth, promoting collaboration between all actors in the sector, whether ports, terminals, operators and suppliers of goods and services.
Formation of the Council
It should be noted that this new governing body will be made up of representatives from Argentina, Colombia, Curacao, Uruguay, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Panama, Mexico and Guatemala who will advocate for the interests of the region, for growth and cooperation within the port sector.
AAPA Peru 2025 event
For Juan Andrés Duarte, executive president of the organization, “this is a relevant milestone and is part of the established roadmap, which in the first stage involved reinstalling our association, listening and talking with the key actors in the field in Latin America and advancing in the dissemination of our AAPA Peru 2025 event.”
AAPA Board of Directors reflects the solidity
For his part, Juan Linares, President of the Board of Directors of AAPA Latam and Manager of the Port of Bahía Blanca, Argentina, stated that “the new formation of the AAPA Board of Directors reflects the solidity and representativeness of the association in Latin America, by uniting terminals and port authorities under a common strategic vision. With a history of decades and consolidated leadership in the region, AAPA continues to promote port development, promoting integration and consolidating a fundamental network for the growth of trade and infrastructure. port in the region.”
The biographies of the members of the AAPA Latam Board of Directors
Juan Francisco Linares, General Manager of the Bahía Blanca Port Management Consortium and President of the Board of Directors of AAPA Latam.
Linares is a professional with more than 23 years of experience in the Management Consortium, complemented by a solid career as a merchant mariner and overseas pilot. His career began in 1999 in the maritime traffic system, being appointed head of VTS (Vessel Traffic Systems) in 2005. Since 2017, he assumed strategic roles as Operations Manager and, since 2018, Business Development Manager, which has allowed him to acquire comprehensive knowledge of the functioning and potential of the Bahia estuary.
Álvaro Rodríguez Ferrero, Executive President at Ventura Group.
Economist from the Pontifical Javeriana University, master’s degree in Maritime Economics and Logistics, studied at the Erasmus University of Rotterdam.
Guillermo Misiano, Founder and CEO of PTP Group.
Guillermo Misiano is a prominent Argentine lawyer, graduated from the National University of Rosario (UNR), specialized in Administrative Law and Navigation Law. In addition, he has a Master’s Degree in International Trade Logistics from the Universidad Argentina de la Empresa (UADE).
Humberto de Castro, General Director of the Curaçao Ports Authority (CPA).
Strategic leader with extensive experience in port development and management in the Caribbean. An electrical engineer from the Georgia Institute of Technology and with an MBA from CURISES (UNA), he has combined his technical training with management skills to promote the modernization and efficiency of the ports of Curacao.
Juan Curbelo, Administrative President of the National Ports Authority of Uruguay.
President of the National Port Administration (ANP) of Uruguay since March 2020, Juan Curbelo is a lawyer specialized in port management and logistics development. With previous experience as vocal director of the ANP and representative of Uruguay in the Administrative Commission of the Río de la Plata, he has led key initiatives to modernize and optimize the country’s port infrastructure
Luiz Garcia Da Silva, General Director of the Administration of the Ports of Paranaguá and Antonina – APPA.
Luiz Fernando Garcia da Silva is the General Director of the Administration of the Ports of Paranaguá and Antonina (APPA) in Brazil since 2019. He is an economist graduated from the Federal University of Paraná and has a master’s degree in Logistics and Port Management from the Valenciaport Foundation and the Polytechnic University of Valencia, in Spain.
Mario Moya, President of the Arica Port Company Board of Directors.
President of the Board of Directors of the Arica Port Company (EPA) since June 2022, Mario Moya is an outstanding mechanical engineer with an MBA in General Business Management and a solid specialization in port logistics and corporate governance.
Rodrigo Torras, CEO Compas.
Strategic leader with more than 15 years of international experience in various industries in Latin America, with a proven track record of efficiency, achieving results, cost reduction and managing high-performance teams. Professional with an outstanding career in the port and logistics sector in Latin America. With training in Business Administration from the University of Salvador and a postgraduate degree in Finance from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Argentina, he has led key projects in port modernization and strategic development.
Zulma Dinelli, Director of the AAPA LATAM Congress.
Zulma Dinelli is a prominent professional in the logistics, maritime and port industry in Latin America. For more than 15 years, he has focused his career on this sector, serving as President and CEO of PR PORTS LLC, a company specialized in the production of events, conferences and business meetings related to logistics and maritime-port trade.
Juan Andrés Duarte, Executive President of AAPA LATAM.
Juan Andrés Duarte is an economist with a specialization in Corporate Law from the Universidad de los Andes, and advanced training at Harvard and Babson College. He has a dual MBA from IE Business School and Singapore Management University, complemented by certifications in Project Management (PMI-PMP), Port Management (PPM), Scrum Master and Scrum Product Owner, and Strategic Planning from Wharton. Currently, he is expanding his knowledge in a graduate program in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at the University of Texas.
Juan Carlos Paz, President of the Board of Directors of the National Port Authority of Peru.
Merchant Navy Officer, Master in Business Administration from ESAN and Master in Finance from the Universidad del Pacífico. He has been central manager of human resources at the Peruvian Institute of Social Security (today EsSalud), technical manager and member of the Board of Directors of OSITRAN, general manager of the Congress of the Republic, head of the advisory cabinet of the Ministry of Labor and Employment Promotion, general manager of the Instituto Metropolitano Protransporte, General Director of Water Transport in the Ministry of Transport and Communications and member of the University Council of Universidad ESAN.
Claudio Oliveira, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BTP – BRAZIL PORT TERMINAL.
Executive with more than 30 years of experience in the maritime and port sector. Since 2015, he has served as Commercial and Marketing Director of Brasil Terminal Portuário (BTP), leading strategies that have consolidated the company as one of the main port terminals in Brazil.
Lisbeth Inurrieta Salinas, Terminal Manager at CORPORACIÓN INTEGRAL DE COMERCIO EXTERIOR S.A. DE C.V.
Lisbeth Inurreta is the Terminal Manager of the CICE Group in Veracruz, Mexico, with more than 25 years of experience in the port and logistics sector. Recognized as one of the first women to lead in the region’s maritime industry, she has stood out for her focus on innovation, safety and strategic expansion.
Vagner Vega, General Director of the Comprehensive Port Administration of the State of Quintana Roo.
Responsible for managing the main ports in the region, including Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, Puerto Juárez and Bacalar. With a solid track record in coastal and maritime administration, he previously led the Federal Maritime-Terrestrial Zone (ZOFEMAT) in Benito Juárez, Quintana Roo.
José Fernando Suriano Buezo, Vice Minister of Transportation of Guatemala and President of the National Port Commission (CPN).
José Fernando Suriano Buezo is the current Vice Minister of Transportation of Guatemala and President of the National Port Commission (CPN). He was sworn in as Deputy Minister of Transportation in May 2024.
Carlos Urriola, President of the Board of Directors of SSA Marine MIT.
Carlos Urriola Tam is a renowned Panamanian executive with more than 40 years of experience in the maritime and port sector. Graduated in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Tecnológico de Monterrey, he has played key roles in the modernization and expansion of port operations in Latin America.
