Vilma I. Arbaje de Contreras

• Bachelor of Law, Magna Cum Laude from the Universidad Nacional Pedro Henríquez Ureña, with a postgraduate degree in International Relations from the Diplomatic School of Spain and a Master’s degree in Marketing from BARNA Business School.

• Currently serves as the Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and MSMEs of the Dominican Republic, since August 2020.

• First Executive Director of the Santo Domingo Chamber of Commerce and Production.

• Former Deputy Executive Director of the Caribbean Export Development Agency, headquartered in Santo Domingo.

• Served as Ambassador, in charge of Bilateral Relations at the Deputy Secretary of Foreign Policy.

• Held the position of Director of Foreign Trade and Administration of International Trade Treaties at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and was the Team Leader for the implementation of DR-CAFTA for the Dominican Republic.

• Served as Director of International Relations at the Ministry of Energy and Mines of the Dominican Republic and was the first National Coordinator of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITIRD).

• Founded VA Consulting, a pioneering firm in the areas of Foreign Trade Law, from which she has been a consultant and advisor to companies and organizations, both national and international.

• In the private sector role, she was a member of several boards of directors of business organizations and civil society.