SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, Aug. 15, 2025 — On August 12, the Dominican Republic celebrated Día Nacional de las Zonas Francas (Free Zones Day) with an event attended by President Luis Abinader and Minister of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs (MICM), Víctor Bisonó, reaffirming the government’s strong commitment to the free zones sector as a driver of exports, jobs, innovation and economic growth. A key highlight was the presentation by Ian Steff, president and CEO of mySilicon Compass and former U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce, who unveiled ENFIS1 (“Estrategia Nacional de Fomento a la Industria de Semiconductores”), the Dominican Republic’s strategy to position itself in the global semiconductor value chain. “The Dominican Republic is ready for the next step” Steff stated after reviewing the strategy´s highlights.
The day also featured an engaging panel, “Why Dominican Republic? – Success Stories in Free Zones”, which showcased four prominent companies from various industries, each sharing their reasons for choosing the Dominican Republic as an investment destination, and their vision for future growth in the country. B. Braun, represented by Jim West, Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, reflected on 25 years of continuous growth in the Dominican Republic and emphasized that the exceptional human talent, strategic relation with DR and an agile business process has been decisive for the company’s sustained expansion. STERIS, represented by Kelly Fleming, Vice President of Global Corporate Development at STERIS AST, explained that after analyzing the country´s medical activity with some of their customers, and visiting their operations, it made sense to add value and strengthen the medical devices supply chain, by establishing an oxide contract sterilization facility, playing a critical role in the sector. Juan Carlos Ibáñez, president of Garware Healthcare S.A.S., analyzed the political and economic stability, the human talent, nearshore and good relations with the US; arrived at the conclusion that “DR is the place”; surpassing the initial set goals in the first year, and getting new upcoming expansion projects. Finally, Randy Carr, CEO of World Emblem, recounted how he first discovered the Dominican Republic through ChatGPT -a story later shared on CNN and Bloomberg- and moved quickly to set up operations, driven by high expectations for the country’s manufacturing potential. Mr. Carr also stated that it was an easy decision with the process fluency and availability, while taking advantage of the favorable relations with the US.
Together, these testimonies underscored a compelling message: the Dominican Republic offers an exceptional blend of skilled human capital, strategic geographic location, and a business-friendly environment, making it a top choice for global companies seeking operational efficiency, rapid market access, and long-term sustainable growth.
Full event video: Zonas Francas, zonas de oportunidades
Contact Information
Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and MSME’s (MICM) Vice Ministry of Free Zones and Special Regimes (1) 809-685-5171 ext. 1017 deyanira.bonilla@micm.gob.do www.micm.gob.do
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