Governor appoints Ríos Pierluisi as new DDEC secretary

Gov. Jenniffer González Colón noted that economic development and commerce secretary-designate Carlos Ríos Pierluisi has worked across multiple roles within the agency and has earned the confidence of private‑sector leaders.

By THE STAR STAFF

Gov. Jenniffer González Colón announced Monday the appointment of attorney Carlos J. Ríos Pierluisi as the new secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC by its acronym in Spanish), following a meeting at La Fortaleza with representatives from private‑sector organizations and business groups.

Ríos Pierluisi is slated to succeed Sebastián Negrón Reichard, who resigned as secretary from the DDEC along with 10 other senior officials across the agency, after concluding that the mutual trust required to carry out the responsibilities of the position no longer existed.

The governor said the appointment is part of her administration’s effort to strengthen Puerto Rico’s economic development agenda and advance initiatives focused on job creation, investment and long‑term growth.

“Puerto Rico needs to continue advancing with a clear vision of economic growth, business strengthening, and the creation of opportunities for our people,” González Colón said.

She added that Ríos Pierluisi brings “experience, knowledge, and the capacity to lead this important work.”

González Colón also underscored the importance of maintaining close collaboration between the government and the private sector to accelerate strategic projects and improve the island’s investment climate. She noted that Ríos Pierluisi has worked across multiple roles within the agency and has earned the confidence of private‑sector leaders.

The governor said Ríos Pierluisi’s background includes experience managing federal funds, overseeing contracting and compliance processes, and negotiating with local and international companies.

“He is a person of integrity who enjoys the trust of the private sector, and I know he will execute our economic development program effectively,” she said.

Ríos Pierluisi holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Villanova University, a Juris Doctor from the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) School of Law, and a master of laws degree from Georgetown University.

He began his career with internships at Jiménez, Graffam & Lausell, the Puerto Rico Court of Appeals, and the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. He later worked at Bird, Bird & Hestres and served as a research assistant to UPR Law School Dean Vivian I. Neptune Rivera.

After passing the bar in 2016, Ríos Pierluisi returned to Bird, Bird & Hestres before joining the Puerto Rico Supreme Court in 2017 as a law clerk for Associate Justice Mildred G. Pabón Charneco.

Ríos Pierluisi entered public service in 2019 at the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO). He later became general legal counsel and legislative affairs adviser at DDEC, and in 2023 was appointed to serve as PRIDCO’s deputy executive director. His work there included debt restructuring efforts, islandwide demolition projects, and the development of new industrial design prototypes.

In 2025, Ríos Pierluisi became DDEC’s deputy secretary and later that year was appointed executive director of the Roosevelt Roads Local Redevelopment Authority, where he has overseen redevelopment and infrastructure initiatives at the former naval base.