Erika Mouynes is the Chair of the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsh Latin American Center.  Mrs. Mouynes most recently served as the 62nd Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Panama, one of the few female leaders in the region to hold such a high-ranking title.

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Mrs. Mouynes’ work as Panama’s top diplomat includes a variety of “first female” achievements for the region, and she has been praised by multiple leading international publications, such as the Financial Times, for her groundbreaking accomplishments, including her unwavering commitment to championing female empowerment.

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Mrs. Mouynes’ private sector experience includes nearly two decades working on Wall Street, where she practiced as a senior attorney in a leading international law firm and managed, as a C-Suite executive, the business and legal affairs of a multi-billion investment company.  

She worked on complex corporate transactions, including structuring and financing extensive cross-border infrastructure and investment projects focused on emerging markets. During this period, she negotiated highly structured trading documents and assessed all investment decision-making phases, including acquisition, tax structuring, and strategic M&A for a globally diversified asset portfolio. She also practiced as a senior attorney in the New York office of Sherman Sterling LLP, a leading global law firm, where she focused on structuring financing, infrastructure projects, and cross-border joint venture transactions.