Aurelio Barria is Executive Vice President at leading Central, South American and Caribbean travel retailer Motta Internacional. He oversees the Panama-based company’s duty free and duty paid retail operations and its corporate and government relations. He has worked for Motta since 1992.

Before this he was General Manager of logistics operation CIECO (which distributed Parfums Christian Dior to duty free partners) in the Colon Free Zone, Panama and also previously held roles as Executive Director and President of the Panama Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture.

Aurelio was Founder of Panama National Civic Crusade, a citizens’ movement against the military dictatorship, from June 1987. He was in political exile in the USA from 1987 to 1989, later becoming Diplomat Deputy Chief of Mission/Economic Advisor at the Embassy of Panama in Washington DC. After this he was a member of the Panamanian government, acting as Executive Director of the Social Emergency Fund until 1992.