Carmen Gisela Vergara was born in Panama.

On July 5^th, 2013 was elected Secretary General to the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA), for a period of four years.  She assumed on July 15^th, 2013 according to Resolution 313-2013 of the Council of Economic Integration Ministries (COMIECO).

Prior to being Director for Panama to Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), she was Minister of Commerce and Industry and Deputy Minister for International Trade for the Republic of Panama. An expert in International Commercial Affairs and Entrepreneurial Development, she now works as an international consultant and participates as a speaker at several local and international events. 

Her commitment to entrepreneurial development lead her to help develop and become the first General Manager of the Panama Technology Business Accelerator, the only business incubator operating in the Republic of Panama today; were she help develop several new companies in the areas of biotech and IT, through an innovative incubation program.

Now, back in the private sector she is putting all her knowledge and experience to work, as President of her own consultancy firm “Asesoría Privada”.

A lawyer by trade, she has a Masters Degree in Private International Law; as well as a post graduate degree in Banking and Financial Law as well as in International Commercial Negotiations. Mrs. Vergara has also distinguished herself as an avid defender of women’s rights in Panama, acting as Delegate to the Inter American Commission of Women of the Organization of American States for five years.

During her business career, Mrs. Vergara worked as a private lawyer, becoming an Executor Judge for one of the main government banks, and latter as Deputy Director of the Investment Promotion Office (Pro – Panama) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This office latter became the Investment and Export Department upon the creation of the Vice Ministry for International Trade, where she was the first National Director.

Also, Mrs. Vergara is an Arbitrage Judge for the Arbitrage Chamber of Panama, since its creation; as well as an active consultant on entrepreneurship development in Latin America, and in issues regarding international trade for small and medium enterprises in Panama.

On the academic area, Mrs. Vergara has worked as a teacher for the Masters course offered by the University of Thunderbird and the Monterrey Technological University in Panama, as well as been the facilitator of various courses on entrepreneurship, business development and investment promotion both in Panama and abroad.