1. You led ProDominicana for almost six years, driving the attraction of foreign investment, and today you head Fiduciaria Reservas. How do these two worlds, investment promotion and fiduciary structuring, connect, and what vision do you bring to the trust company from that experience?
These two worlds are not separate; they are complementary stages of the same development process.
During my tenure at ProDominicana, we focused on positioning the Dominican Republic as a competitive investment destination, identifying strategic opportunities and developing a robust investment portfolio supported by sector intelligence, market analysis and targeted international promotion for investors and exporters.
Our efforts contributed to a national investment strategy that supported four consecutive years of record foreign direct investment, demonstrating the country’s growing attractiveness and capacity to compete for international capital.
Today, at Fiduciaria Reservas, I have the opportunity to contribute to another essential dimension of that process: creating and administering the institutional structures that allow investment to move forward with transparency, good governance, financial discipline and long-term continuity.
International investors evaluate much more than a project’s potential returns. They assess the quality of institutions, the predictability of regulatory frameworks, the protection of capital, the management of risks and the mechanisms through which their investments will be administered.
This is precisely where fiduciary structuring creates value.
My vision is to consolidate Fiduciaria Reservas as a strategic financial and institutional platform that connects capital with opportunity, strengthens investor confidence and contributes to transforming ambitious projects into tangible results.
This also requires transforming the way we operate: simplifying processes, strengthening risk management, investing in technology, incorporating data analytics and artificial intelligence, and continuously improving our capacity to serve clients efficiently.
For me, institutional leadership is not simply about managing what already exists. It is about building the capabilities required for what comes next.
Our goal is to go beyond administering assets. We want to enable investment, accelerate development and create lasting value for the Dominican Republic.
2. Fiduciaria Reservas manages 304 trusts and more than RD$327 million in assets as of June 2026. What role does the trust play today as a vehicle for structuring investment, infrastructure and development projects, both public and private, in the Dominican Republic?
In the Dominican Republic, trusts have evolved far beyond their traditional role as legal and financial instruments. Today, they are increasingly important mechanisms for structuring investment, strengthening governance and facilitating the execution of projects with significant economic and social impact.
As of June 2026, Fiduciaria Reservas administered 299 trusts representing approximately DOP$327.2 billion in assets under administration, equivalent to approximately USD 5.5 billion.
With 59.6% of the sector’s administered assets, our institution holds a leading position in the Dominican fiduciary market.
These figures reflect both the confidence placed in Fiduciaria Reservas and the significant responsibility we assume in managing resources associated with strategic national initiatives.
Our portfolio supports projects across infrastructure, mobility, housing, tourism, urban development, commerce, technology and other productive sectors.
What makes the fiduciary model particularly powerful is its capacity to bring together different stakeholders, sources of capital and institutional responsibilities within a single framework governed by clearly established objectives.
In major development initiatives, the challenge is rarely limited to securing financing. It is also about ensuring effective execution, financial traceability, coordination and continuity.
A properly structured trust can address these challenges by establishing defined responsibilities, transparent financial flows, governance mechanisms and accountability throughout a project’s life cycle.
At Fiduciaria Reservas, we see trusts as instruments that transform financial resources into productive assets, institutional commitments into execution, and development strategies into measurable results.
Ultimately, our leadership should be reflected not only in the size of our portfolio, but in the positive and lasting impact of the projects entrusted to us.
3. For an international investor, certainty is everything. How does the trust, through a separate, regulated and transparent estate, offer legal certainty and protection to foreign capital investing in the country?
Investor confidence cannot depend on promises alone. It must be supported by strong legal structures, transparent processes and accountable institutions.
The Dominican fiduciary model is established under Law No. 189-11, with public trusts also governed by Law No. 28-23 and the applicable regulations. One of its defining features is the creation of a legally segregated pool of assets dedicated to a specific purpose.
These assets are administered separately from those of the fiduciary, the settlors, the beneficiaries and other trusts, in accordance with the applicable legal framework and the terms and objectives of the trust agreement.
This separation is particularly valuable because it allows investors to identify the assets supporting a project, establish specific rules for their administration and define the mechanisms through which resources will be allocated and controlled.
For international capital, this translates into greater clarity regarding financial flows, contractual obligations, decision-making authority, risk allocation and accountability.
At Fiduciaria Reservas, we reinforce these structural advantages through a strong institutional commitment to regulatory compliance, transparency, corporate governance and integrity.
In 2024, we became the first fiduciary company in the Dominican Republic to receive ISO 37001 Anti-Bribery Management System certification from TÜV NORD, an important milestone that reflects our commitment to internationally recognized standards.
However, legal certainty is not simply the existence of rules. It is also the ability to apply those rules consistently, professionally and transparently.
A trust does not eliminate investment risk, but when properly designed and administered, it can provide effective mechanisms to mitigate specific risks, protect designated assets and strengthen confidence among the parties involved.
For global investors, predictability is a competitive advantage. Our role is to help transform that predictability into an institutional reality.
We believe that strong fiduciary structures contribute to making the Dominican Republic an increasingly attractive destination for sophisticated, long-term investment.
4. The Pro-Pedernales Trust is structuring the new tourism hub in the Southwest, with an international airport, service infrastructure and the first hotels from chains such as Iberostar and Hyatt. Why is Pedernales a model of large-scale development, and what role does the fiduciary structure play in bringing that project together?
Pedernales represents something much greater than a tourism investment. It represents the transformation of an entire territory through a long-term development vision.
What makes this initiative particularly significant is its integrated approach: hotels are being developed alongside the connectivity, public services, electrical infrastructure and institutional arrangements needed to establish a new tourism destination in the Dominican Republic.
The project contemplates investments estimated at approximately USD 2.3 billion, with initial hotel developments totaling approximately 1,600 rooms to be operated by Iberostar and Hyatt, including the Secrets and Dreams brands. It also includes the new international airport and supporting infrastructure for water, sanitation, roads and electricity.
Coordinating initiatives of this magnitude requires institutional alignment, financial planning, transparency and continuity across different implementation stages.
The Pro-Pedernales Trust provides a framework for administering designated assets and organizing financial flows, supporting the coordinated execution of public investments and helping create the conditions for private-sector participation. The responsibilities of the relevant public authorities, developers and operators remain defined within the project's governance and contractual arrangements.
A similar integrated development approach can be seen in Punta Bergantín, in Puerto Plata, where tourism, real estate and urban development are being brought together within a fiduciary framework. Together, these initiatives illustrate how trusts can support investment and regional development in both the Southwest and the North of the Dominican Republic.
Beyond the investment figures, the long-term success of these projects must be measured through employment generation, local entrepreneurship, productive linkages, environmental sustainability, improved infrastructure and better living conditions for surrounding communities.
The greatest achievement of a development project is not simply what we build, but the opportunities we create for generations to come.
5. The trust company also administers housing vehicles such as MIVIVIENDA and FONVIVIENDA. How do these trusts contribute to expanding access to low-cost housingand improving the quality of life of Dominican families?
Few investments have a more direct impact on people’s lives than the opportunity to own a home.
Housing is one of the clearest examples of how fiduciary structures can connect financial management with social development.
Through dedicated trust arrangements, public resources, subsidies, developers, financial institutions and beneficiaries can be coordinated under transparent and clearly established rules.
At Fiduciaria Reservas, we currently administer 39 real estate trusts associated with social housing initiatives, including structures related to MiVivienda, Familia Feliz and Ciudad Juan Bosch.
Since 2020, Banco de Reservas has provided more than 8,600 mortgage loans through these programs, totaling approximately DOP$12 billion, equivalent to USD 204.8 million. Fiduciaria Reservas administers the privately constituted trusts associated with the delivery of more than 8,000 housing units. These complementary contributions illustrate the distinct roles of mortgage financing and fiduciary administration in expanding access to housing.
These numbers are important, but their real significance lies in the lives they represent.
Behind every mortgage financing and every housing unit is a family gaining stability, security and an opportunity to build wealth for future generations.
Homeownership contributes to financial inclusion and strengthens the economic foundations of families and communities.
The fiduciary model helps facilitate these outcomes by providing greater transparency in the administration of resources, clear responsibilities among participating institutions and more structured mechanisms for project execution.
For us, financial innovation must ultimately serve people. When a fiduciary structure helps a family obtain its first home, we are not simply administering resources; we are helping build a future.
This is the kind of development impact we want to continue expanding.
6. In major infrastructure, transport and mobility projects, the trust serves to bring public and private capital together. How does the trust work as an instrument for public-private partnerships, and what advantages does it offer compared to other financing schemes?
Infrastructure requires more than capital. It requires institutional structures capable of sustaining projects across generations.
Large-scale infrastructure projects involve significant financial commitments, long implementation periods, multiple stakeholders and complex operational risks.
The fiduciary model offers an important advantage because it provides a structured framework for administering assets, organizing financial flows, establishing payment priorities and strengthening governance throughout the life of a project.
A trust does not replace traditional project financing or public-private partnership arrangements. Rather, it can complement these mechanisms by providing the administrative and institutional architecture needed to support their execution.
At Fiduciaria Reservas, we participate in more than 30 strategic trust structures connected to national economic and social development.
RD Vial is a powerful example of how fiduciary structures can go beyond traditional project administration to become sophisticated capital market participants. Through securities issuances, this trust demonstrates how infrastructure assets and dedicated revenue streams can be leveraged to mobilize financing, attract investors and support the long-term development of the Dominican Republic’s road network.
Another example is the FITRAM trust supports major transportation and mobility initiatives, including the Santiago Monorail and integrated public transportation systems, as well as cable-car developments in Santiago and Santo Domingo.
These initiatives demonstrate how fiduciary structures can support projects that require sustained coordination among public authorities, financing institutions, contractors and technical operators.
A crucial advantage is the ability to provide continuity through clearly established financial and governance arrangements, helping projects maintain their institutional direction across different budget cycles and administrative periods.
From an investor’s perspective, this framework can also provide greater visibility over the administration of resources and the mechanisms governing project execution.
7. Drawing on your experience in investment promotion, how does the trust company connect private and foreign capital with the country's strategic projects, and what type of international investor is showing the greatest interest in these structures?
Capital is attracted by opportunity, but investment decisions are strengthened by confidence, structure and execution capacity.
My experience in investment promotion has reinforced a fundamental principle: investors do not evaluate opportunities in isolation. They evaluate the institutional environment in which those opportunities can become successful investments.
They want to understand the business model, financial sustainability, regulatory framework, risk allocation, governance structure and expected mechanisms for generating returns.
Fiduciaria Reservas can play a strategic role by helping organize these elements within fiduciary structures that provide greater clarity, transparency and administrative discipline.
Our objective is to become involved at increasingly early stages of investment development, contributing to the design of structures capable of supporting private participation in projects of national importance.
This creates opportunities for institutional investors, infrastructure funds, real estate investment groups, international developers, hospitality companies, strategic corporate investors and family offices seeking long-term exposure to productive assets.
Our international engagement, including participation in platforms such as FITUR, WTM London, IFTM Top Resa and ANATO, as well as investment initiatives in markets including Europe, United States and Latin America, creates valuable opportunities to strengthen relationships and explore potential partnerships.
Looking ahead, we see significant potential to deepen our engagement with investors interested in infrastructure, tourism, logistics, renewable energy, real estate and other sectors with long-term growth prospects.
We also believe that fiduciary structuring should increasingly form part of the investment conversation from the beginning, rather than being considered only once a project has already been designed.
Our goal is not simply to connect investors with projects. It is to help create the institutional conditions that allow those relationships to generate sustainable value.
Because attracting capital is important. Earning the confidence that keeps capital invested is even more important.
8. The supplement is being published in the context of the World Governments Summit in Dubai. What potential do you see in the trust as a secure, regulated route for funds and investors from the Emirates and the Gulf to take part in tourism, real estate and infrastructure projects in the Dominican Republic?
I believe the Dominican Republic and the Gulf economies have a remarkable opportunity to build a new generation of investment partnerships.
There is a strong complementarity between the investment capabilities of the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf countries and the Dominican Republic’s portfolio of strategic development opportunities.
Gulf investors have extensive experience and investment interests in sectors that are highly relevant to our country, including large-scale tourism, luxury hospitality, real estate, infrastructure, renewable energy, logistics, ports and destination development.
The Dominican Republic offers opportunities in these same areas, supported by its geographic position, connectivity to international markets, growing productive ecosystem and strategic role as a gateway to the Caribbean and the Americas.
From my perspective, the opportunity goes beyond attracting capital to individual projects.
It is about establishing long-term institutional partnerships that combine international financial capabilities, sector expertise and local development opportunities.
We see opportunities to engage sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, hospitality groups, infrastructure specialists and family offices from the United Arab Emirates and the wider Gulf. Their participation can be structured according to each project’s characteristics and the applicable legal framework, with clearly defined investor rights, governance arrangements, financial flows and reporting obligations.
Fiduciary structures can facilitate this process by providing a legally regulated mechanism through which investments may be organized around a clearly defined purpose, segregated assets and established governance and administration arrangements.
For international investors seeking transparency, disciplined capital management and long-term visibility, these characteristics can be particularly relevant.
There is also an important message I would like to convey: The Dominican Republic is not presenting development opportunities based solely on future aspirations.
We already have major projects under development, established investment sectors and a growing institutional ecosystem capable of supporting increasingly sophisticated investment structures.
We see the Gulf not simply as a potential source of financing, but as a strategic partner in shaping the next generation of investment and development in the Dominican Republic.
Our ambition is to help create the structures that make these partnerships possible, transparent and sustainable.
9. Beyond large projects, the trust company develops guarantee funds, succession trusts and asset protection trusts. What solutions do these products offer the private sector and families, and how are they evolving to respond to new needs?
Fiduciary services are not only about administering wealth. They are about protecting value, enabling growth and creating continuity across generations.
For businesses, guarantee trusts and guarantee funds provide mechanisms for organizing assets, supporting financial obligations, managing specific risks and facilitating access to financing.
These structures can be particularly useful for companies seeking more efficient financial arrangements, greater transparency in the administration of guarantees and improved coordination with lenders and other stakeholders.
For families, entrepreneurs and private clients, succession planning and asset administration trusts respond to another fundamental need: ensuring continuity, protecting family interests and creating clear governance arrangements for the management and transfer of assets.
This becomes especially relevant when family wealth includes operating companies, real estate portfolios, financial investments or other assets requiring professional administration.
In an increasingly sophisticated market, fiduciary services must evolve beyond standardized products.
Clients are looking for solutions that respond to their specific circumstances, whether that means business expansion, asset protection, family governance, succession planning or long-term investment management.
At Fiduciaria Reservas, we see significant opportunities to continue diversifying our services, including solutions associated with renewable energy, sustainability, investment structuring, guarantees and private wealth administration.
Technology will also play an increasingly important role in this evolution, allowing us to provide more efficient processes, stronger data capabilities and improved client experiences.
The future of fiduciary services will be defined by our ability to provide customized solutions that combine legal certainty, financial sophistication and a deep understanding of our clients’ needs.
Our objective is to support businesses and families not only in managing their assets today, but in preserving and expanding the opportunities those assets can create tomorrow.
10. Finally, what message would you like to convey to Gulf News readers? Why does the Dominican trust model offer Gulf investors a reliable vehicle for investing with legal certainty in the Caribbean?
My message to investors from the United Arab Emirates and the wider Gulf is clear: look beyond traditional investment destinations and discover the opportunities emerging in the Dominican Republic.
Our country offers a compelling combination of strategic geographic positioning, established economic sectors, expanding infrastructure and significant opportunities for long-term investment.
We are more than a leading Caribbean tourism destination. We are a growing investment platform connecting the Caribbean, North America, Latin America and international markets.
For Gulf investors, this creates opportunities to participate in projects involving tourism, real estate, infrastructure, logistics, renewable energy and other productive sectors.
The Dominican fiduciary model provides an important institutional framework for structuring participation in these opportunities.
Through legally segregated estates, established governance mechanisms, transparent administration and clearly defined contractual arrangements, trusts can contribute to greater predictability and confidence in investment transactions.
At Fiduciaria Reservas, our responsibility is to combine these legal and institutional advantages with professional management, efficiency, integrity and a strong commitment to service.
But our ambition extends beyond individual transactions.
We want to establish enduring relationships with international investors who recognize the Dominican Republic’s potential and share our interest in generating sustainable economic and social value.
We do not seek capital merely to finance projects. We seek partners who want to help shape the future of our country.
The Dominican Republic has opportunities ready to be explored, strategic projects moving forward and institutions capable of supporting long-term investment relationships.
At Fiduciaria Reservas, we want to be a trusted institutional partner in that journey.
The opportunity is in Dominican Republic. The capital is global. The foundation is trust.
And our commitment is to bring them together to create lasting value.
