Our Management Team
Ilan Goldfajn has served as president of the IDB Group since December 2022.
He has led a deep transformation of the Group, modernizing the institution’s governance, expanding its scale of financing by approximately 75% over three years, and improving the quality of operations to achieve greater impact for the people of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Under his leadership, the IDB Group launched IDBImpact+, an agenda that included a new institutional strategy with 17 structural reforms; a landmark $3.5 billion capitalization of IDB Invest, the Group’s private-sector arm, which doubled its capital and launched a new originate-to-share business model; and a crucial $400 million replenishment of IDB Lab, the Group's venture and startup arm, supporting a more scalable and sustainable business model.
Goldfajn has championed several regional and thematic initiatives, including Amazonia Forever, ONE Caribbean, América en el Centro, South Connection, BID for the Americas, the Alliance for Security, Justice, and Development, Ready and Resilient Americas, IDB Cares, and IDB LAC Minerals. In his first year, he led the Heads of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) Group toward a more cooperative and accountable approach. Through these efforts, he has positioned the IDB Group as a stronger partner to help the region seize the opportunities of a rapidly changing global economy.
Before joining the IDB Group, Goldfajn served as director of the Western Hemisphere Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2022, where he helped countries address unprecedented economic challenges. Earlier in his career, he worked as an economist at the IMF, from 1996 to 1999.
Goldfajn served as governor of the Central Bank of Brazil from 2016 to 2019 and deputy governor from 2000 to 2003. As governor, he led Brazil through a period of sharply declining inflation and interest rates while advancing reforms that increased competition, innovation, digitalization, and financial inclusion. He championed the BC+ agenda and helped lay the foundation for Brazil's fast-payment ecosystem.
In recognition of his leadership, he was named central banker of the year by The Banker magazine in 2017 and best central banker by Global Finance magazine in 2018.
His private-sector experience includes key positions in Brazil’s financial sector, including chief economist and partner at Itaú Unibanco, founding partner of Ciano Investimentos, partner and economist at Gávea Investimentos, and chairman of Credit Suisse Brazil’s Advisory Board.
Goldfajn has an extensive academic career. He taught graduate and undergraduate economics at universities in Brazil and the United States and has authored, edited, and published numerous articles and books.
Goldfajn holds a doctorate in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a master’s degree in economics from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
He is fluent in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and Hebrew.
We design and enable innovative and effective solutions that promote inclusive and sustainable development in the region.
Learn how our team is organized to fulfill our mission of improving lives in Latin America and the Caribbean.