The Panama Canal Board of Directors has appointed Miguel Antonio Lorenzo Fábrega as Deputy Administrator of the Panama Canal. He will serve alongside Administrator Ilya Espino de Marotta as the challenges and opportunities of the waterway are addressed in the years ahead.
The board’s appointment of the deputy administrator followed a process consistent with the canal’s institutional framework and its constitutional and legal mandate, with a clear focus on safeguarding the continuity, stability, and long-term vision of the interoceanic waterway.
“The board of directors conducted a rigorous and technical evaluation of multiple candidates for the position of deputy administrator, following the same standards applied in the selection of the administrator. With this appointment, we reaffirm our commitment to strong institutions, transparency, and the safe and continuous operation of the Panama Canal,” said the Minister for Canal Affairs and Chairman of the Panama Canal Board of Directors José Ramón Icaza.
Fábrega offers 28 years of experience earned at the Panama Canal. Throughout his career, he has held positions of increasing responsibility. Beginning as a structural engineer and later serving as Executive Manager of Engineering, Deputy Manager for the Design of the Third Set of Locks, as well as Vice President for Engineering and Services, and, since 2020, Vice President for Infrastructure and Engineering, he has also played a key role in the design, evaluation, and execution of the Panama Canal Expansion Program.
Currently, Fábrega is responsible for the planning, maintenance, preservation, modernization, and strategic management of the Panama Canal’s infrastructure and assets. His work focuses on ensuring operational reliability and sustainability while strengthening the canal’s capacity to meet the future demands of global maritime trade. His experience combines extensive technical expertise with strong leadership and the management of highly complex projects.
Fábrega holds a degree in Civil Engineering from Universidad Santa María La Antigua, a master’s degree in Structural Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin, and an executive education credential from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
The Panama Canal Board of Directors also expressed its appreciation to Rubén Pérez Pinzón for his dedication and institutional commitment. Pérez Pinzón will continue serving as acting deputy administrator until the newly appointed deputy administrator assumes office.
