The new President of the Trade and Development Board, elected by acclamation, is Luis Manuel A. Piantini Munnigh, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic to the World Trade Organization and Economic Organizations in Geneva.

Ambassador Piantini, who assumed the Presidency of the TDB at the opening of its 57th session, replaces outgoing President Jean Feyder of Luxembourg.

Luis Manuel Piantini Munnigh, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic and TDB President

Before assuming his current ambassadorial post, Mr. Piantini served his government as Ambassador and Advisor of the Dominican Republic Chancellor (2004-2008) and Representative of the Dominican Government in the Executive Committee of the Central American Integration System (2005-2008).

Prior to that, he was Technical Undersecretary of the Presidency (1985-1986); Director of the National Planning Office (1984-1985); and Assistant to the Economic Advisor of the Executive Branch (1977-1978).

He also has held positions as Vice-Governor of the Banco Central (1994-2003); as member of the Board of Directors of the Banco de Reservas of the Dominican Republic (1994-2003); as President of the Banco del Comercio S.A. (1996); as Advisor to the Executive Director of the World Bank (1991-1992); and as Advisor to the Executive Director (1992-1993), Alternate Executive Director (1989-1991), and Assistant to the Executive Director (1986-1989) of the International Monetary Fund.

He holds an economics degree (1973) from Pedro Henríquez Ureña National University in Santo Domingo and has published numerous articles on economics in specialized journals and in the Dominican press. He also published a book of poetry, Jailed Light, in 2000.

Ambassador Piantini was born on 9 February 1950.