Joel Pizá-Batiz named San Juan economic development chief
San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero-Lugo has appointed Joel Pizá-Batiz as director of the Puerto Rico capital’s Economic Development and Tourism Department, effective Sept. 8.
“I know Mr. Joel Pizá and his qualities as a human being,” Romero-Lugo said in a statement. “His academic background and professional experience make him the ideal person to lead our Economic Development and Tourism Department. I am confident that he will do an extraordinary job to continue promoting San Juan as the capital of investment and economic development, in addition to reinforcing the leadership of our city as the main tourist destination in the Caribbean.”
Pizá-Batiz thanked the mayor for his confidence and pledged to work on advancing San Juan’s development goals.
“I take on this responsibility with great enthusiasm, humility, dedication and a strong sense of duty,” he said. “My commitment is to implement the robust vision of economic development that the mayor has outlined; to translate into concrete results the programmatic commitments of the municipal administration with the people of San Juan; facilitate and promote investment in our capital city; and work together with the tourism and commercial sector to continue strengthening San Juan as an economic engine of Puerto Rico.”
Pizá-Batiz served as executive director of the Puerto Rico Ports Authority from December 2019 to December 2024, where he managed an $80 million annual operating budget and worked with airlines and cruise lines. He launched a program to rehabilitate unused real estate to promote job creation and oversaw a $500 million modernization of the island’s airport infrastructure.
From June 2023 to December 2024, he directed the Roosevelt Roads Redevelopment Authority, leading efforts to repurpose the former naval base with a focus on economic development, job creation, environmental sustainability and community engagement. In April 2022, he was appointed by executive order as president of the Council for the Aerospace and Aeronautics Industry of Puerto Rico.
