New CEO selected for Discover Puerto Rico

Discover Puerto Rico CEO Jorge L. Pérez

By The Star Staff

After evaluating the profiles of more than 100 executives and interviewing more than 20 candidates from Puerto Rico and beyond, the Discover Puerto Rico board of directors has announced the selection of Jorge L. Pérez as the new chief executive officer (CEO) of the organization.

Discover Puerto Rico is a private, nonprofit destination marketing organization (DMO) dedicated to promoting Puerto Rico as a premier tourist destination.

Pérez, who will start his new role on Sept. 15, is a distinguished executive with more than 20 years of experience in economic development, administration, and the destination, events, and entertainment management industries. He is recognized for his transformative leadership and has played a key role in evolving Puerto Rico’s tourism and economic ecosystem, positioning the island as a world-class destination for conventions, entertainment, and high-impact events.

Pérez has spent the past 15 years with Legends/ASM Global, a company that operates many of the world’s leading venues. He currently holds the position of regional general manager, overseeing the Puerto Rico Convention Center, the Puerto Rico Coliseum, the Coca-Cola Music Hall, and the Antiguo Casino. He also holds the prestigious Certified Venue Executive (CVE) certification from the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM). Notably, in 2022, he was recognized with the “All Star” distinction by VenuesNow magazine for his outstanding leadership during a period of significant expansion and growth in the Convention District’s facilities. Under his vision and leadership, the Puerto Rico Coliseum, Coca-Cola Music Hall and Convention Center have received multiple accolades and are recognized among the top venues worldwide in ticket sales and events, according to Billboard and Pollstar.

“Jorge’s professional experience is extensive and impeccable,” stated Raúl Bustamante, chairman of the board of directors of Discover Puerto Rico. “I am confident that as the leader of this organization, he will stimulate travel demand to our destination and continue the tourism boom we have experienced this decade.”

The transition process will last three months, during which Pérez will provide external strategic oversight in addition to his responsibilities. That role involves collaboration between the DMO and the management of group and convention properties to ensure alignment with the destination’s promotional strategies, and so that the facilities sold by Discover Puerto Rico are maintained to generate maximum economic impact.

“I embrace this challenge with great enthusiasm, recognizing the DMO’s critical role in developing the visitor economy and tackling the current challenges in the industry,” Pérez said. “Over the past four years, I have witnessed a renaissance in tourism, and Puerto Rico is uniquely positioned to establish itself as a world-class destination. I am confident that by collaborating with the DMO’s team, the government, and the private sector, we can achieve our goals.”

Bustamante emphasized that the new CEO possesses all the qualities the board was seeking for the position, including extensive experience in the tourism industry, in-depth knowledge of Puerto Rico, and the ability to align the objectives of the public and private sectors.