Captain Juan E. Maltez is Executive Regional Director – Americas at Global Maritime Consultants Group and former Director-General of Seafarers at the Panama Maritime Authority. A master mariner with 12 years at sea, he later led a team that modernized Panama’s crew services, issuing more than one million electronic certificates, and earning ISO 9001:2015 for all services provided by the DGGM Training and Certification. At GMCG, he leads strategic government engagement across the Americas, promoting maritime-sector opportunities—spanning skills development, employment, and industry growth—while also overseeing the regional operations of the company’s offices.