President Abinader taps new Banreservas chief in major leadership shuffle

Santo Domingo.- In a significant move for the country’s financial sector, President Luis Abinader on Sunday appointed Leonardo Aguilera Batista as the new Executive President of Banreservas, the Dominican Republic’s largest bank.

The designation, which was confirmed in presidential decree 461-25, is part of a series of government appointments signed by President Abinader on August 17. Aguilera, a veteran economist and consultant, will take over for Samuel Pereyra, who will now serve as Executive President of the Dominican Petroleum Refinery (Refidomsa)—a position Aguilera had held since 2020.

A career of economic expertise

The new Banreservas head is a prominent figure in both economic and political circles, bringing more than three decades of experience to the role. He is the founder and former president of the Cibao Economic Center (CEC), an influential think tank.

Aguilera has served as an economic advisor and political consultant across Latin America, with a professional background that includes work in Mexico, Haiti, and El Salvador. He is also a member of the Latin American Association of Political Consultants (Alacop) and is the author of several books on economics and politics.