SHARON Weber is Jamaica's new ambassador to Venezuela.

Her appointment was announced Monday by Foreign Minister Senator A J Nicholson, who said "Jamaica's interests will be well served by the skill and expertise that Mrs Weber will bring to the table as our representative in Caracas".

Weber, who is a board director of the PetroCaribe Development Fund, is expected to assume her new duties in September.

While this will be her first head of mission appointment, Weber is no stranger to the Jamaican foreign service, having previously served as deputy head of the Jamaican mission in Germany (1991-1995); first secretary, economics and trade in Washington (1985-1991); and deputy director, European Affairs Department (1996-1997).

The ambassador-designate is the holder of a bachelor's degree in international relations from the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, a master's degree in business administration from the George Washington University, Washington DC and a master's degree in applied economics from the Johns Hopkins University, Washington, DC.

In addition to the PetroCaribe Development Fund, Weber is board director of the Sugar Company of Jamaica. Prior to this, she was also board director of the Jamaica Mortgage Bank (2004-2007) and the Agricultural Credit Bank, which was merged with the National Development Bank and the National Investment Bank (1998-2000).