The World Free Zones Organization (World FZO) is a global not-for-profit organization that provides one
authoritative, collective voice representing the interests of free zones around the world.
The World FZO was launched in Dubai, UAE, in May 2014, by its 14 founding members and under the auspices
of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and
Ruler of Dubai.
Registered in Geneva and headquartered in Dubai, the World FZO is the only truly international, multi-lateral
organization for zones in the world today.
A new global organization
The free zone concept, in its many forms, has gained popularity over the past few decades, particularly in the
emerging economies of Asia, the Middle East and Africa. From the first free zone at Shannon Airport in 1959,
the model has proliferated to the point where there are an estimated over 3000 free zones around the world, which
support approximately 100 million jobs.
In addition, to ensure they receive the international recognition and support they deserve, the role of these
zones as exemplars of modern infrastructure, as creators of employment opportunities, and as integrators of
services, logistics and transport networks, should be highlighted.
Zones have played a critical role in the economies of many countries and to ensure they have the greatest
possible impact, they need a global, unifying association to bring them together. One that can represent their
interests, share their achievements and support their continuous positive development. It is to address this need
that the World FZO has been created.
Objectives
The Board of Directors and Executive Management of the World FZO has established a number of key
objectives which form the mandate for the association and underpin all the World FZO’s activities:
1. Bring together free zones; regional, national, subnational and local free zone associations; consultants and advisors to free zones; free zone users; interested governmental organizations; and international trade related organizations, for knowledge exchange, education and training, networking and business development
2. Provide a forum for free zones around the world to learn, grow and prosper through unrivalled access to exclusive in-depth research and insights
3. Create ‘best in class’ standards for free zones that enhance the economic ecosystem both globally and in local markets, as well as guidelines for the establishment and administration of free zones
4. Gather, create, expand and disseminate the knowledge of, and about, free zones internationally
5. Improve the perception of free zones globally and position them as areas that make valuable contributions to the local economy and promote sustainable business
6. Provide specialized operational, administrative, educational and networking services to Members, Partners and Observers through trainings as well as physical and electronic resources
7. Support and advise new free zones internationally as they develop
8. Become the global through leader on free zones and issues relating to them
Founding Members
On 13 th and 14 th January 2014 a steering committee of 26 leaders and academics met to finalize the details on
the creation of a unifying non-governmental entity to bring together zones from across the globe to share their
achievements, exchange best practices and knowledge, support their continuous positive development and to
ensure the sustainability and continued success of the free zone model. This lead to the official launch of the
World Free Zones Organization on 19 th May 2014, in Dubai, UAE.
These are members of the steering committee and the first Board of Directors:
Dr. Mohammed Alzarooni
Director General of Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZA)
Martin Ibarra
Honorary President and founder of the Free Zones Association of the Americas (AZFA)
PC Nambiar
Director of SEZ Biotech Services PVT Ltd, Pune, India
Rose Hynes
Chairman of Shannon Group plc
Julie Brown
President & CEO of Georgia Foreign-Trade Zone
Kenneth Carlstedt
Global Trade Compliance Manager for Momentive
Isidoro Hodara
Isidoro Hodara, Director Zonamerica, Vicepresident Uruguay
Chris Ndibe
CEO of Carclon Group
Jose Luis Rodriguez
Director Comercial y Director de la Zona Franca Aduanera del Consorcio La Zona Franca De
Barcelona
Mehdi Tazi
Board member at TMSA, Tanger Med Special Agency and Managing Director of Tanger Free Zone
Francois Bost
Professor of Economic Geography at the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne (URCA) in France. He’s a
member of the laboratory HABITER (EA 2076).
The late Luis Pellerano
Former Executive President of Las Americas Industrial Free Zone
Nasser Al Madani
Assistant Director General at Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZA)