Patricia R. Francis is a global leader in international trade, investment and development, with more than three decades of experience working across government, the private sector and international organisations to strengthen competitiveness, connectivity and economic development.
She is currently a Non-Resident Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center’s Caribbean Initiative. Her current work focuses on strengthening Caribbean maritime, ports and trade connectivity. Earlier this year, she helped launch the US-Caribbean Maritime & Ports Forum 2026, bringing together policymakers, port and shipping leaders, financial institutions and regional experts to address maritime infrastructure, investment, technology and resilience. She has also supported regional analysis of the impact of Hurricane Melissa on Caribbean trade and supply chains.
Patricia is also Chair of the Government of Jamaica’s Trade Facilitation Working Group overseeing implementation of WTO TFA Measures. She is also consulting with the World Bank to provide expert advisory support in the preparation of the Caribbean Regional Connectivity and Logistics Program (Caribbean RE-Connect), an initiative focused on strengthen connectivity, logistics, competitiveness and resilience across the Caribbean.
Previously, Patricia served as Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC), the joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, and prior to that was President of Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), leading Jamaica’s efforts to promote trade, investment and international business.
Her international experience also includes heading the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment and serving as Special Adviser to the Executive Director of UN Women.
Patricia brings a distinctive perspective on how trade, infrastructure, logistics, digitalisation and connectivity can strengthen the competitiveness and resilience of small and trade-dependent economies in an increasingly interconnected global economy.