Joaquin Franco
Joaquin Franco is Vice President of Airport Services and Passenger Experience at Tocumen International Airport, Panama’s main international gateway and one of the leading hub airports in the Americas.
With a multi-disciplinary background spanning aviation, finance, consulting, marketing and commercial strategy, Joaquin has held leadership positions in both the public and private sectors. Prior to joining Tocumen, he served in senior investment and financial advisory roles in Sweetwater Securities for eight years, following earlier experience with global firms including Deloitte, EY and Philip Morris International.
At Tocumen, he leads initiatives focused on enhancing passenger experience, operational efficiency, commercial performance and service innovation across one of Latin America’s most important connecting hubs. His work is centred on transforming passenger journeys through data-driven decision making, operational excellence and customer-centric strategies.
Joaquin holds an MBA from Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, and a degree in Banking and Finance with an emphasis on Marketing, and a degree in Business Administration, from Universidad Latina de Panamá.
ArticleBeyond the persona: listening to passengers and building a more human airport – International Airport Summit speaker preview
Joaquin Franco, Vice President of Airport Services and Passenger Experience at Tocumen International Airport and International Airport Summit 2026 speaker, explains why moving beyond passenger personas and listening more closely to real traveller needs is helping build a more inclusive, human-centred airport experience.