The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) announced the appointment of Avinash Persaud as Special Advisor on Climate Change, following a competitive selection process. He will take his position on January 16, 2024.  

The IDB’s Board of Executive Directors approved the creation of the Office of the Special Advisor on Climate Change in September of this year. Persaud will report to the IDB president, Ilan Goldfajn. 

“We’re very proud to have Avinash on board. His experience and expertise on climate matters, and his work on small islands and vulnerable countries, will be a fantastic asset to the IDB, as we continue to seek to elevate our climate work,” said President Goldfajn.  

In addition to advising the President and senior IDB Group executives, Persaud will work to strengthen coordination and synergies within the IDB Group and with external partners to achieve greater impact. The Special Advisor will play a pivotal role in ensuring the IDB Group’s climate ambition to achieve development for Latin America and the Caribbean in a sustainable, climate-friendly way. 

A dual national of Barbados and the United Kingdom, Persaud has over 30 years of experience in development finance, public policy, and academia.  Since 2018 he is Special Climate Envoy to the Prime Minister of Barbados, where he was instrumental in boosting investment in climate action and advocating for the role of finance in climate protection.   

He is also a member of the High-Level Expert Group on Climate Finance of the COP28 Presidency, as well as COP26 and COP27 Presidencies. He has served as Chairman of the Caribbean Community’s Commission on the Economy (2019-2021), Member of the World Economic Forum’s Council on the International Monetary System (2012-2018), and Commissioner of the UN Commission on Financial Reform (2009-2010).   

Persaud served previously as a senior executive at several major banks.  He has authored multiple publications, including academic and professional journals, with particular emphasis on climate, financial policy, and financial innovation.  

Persaud holds a bachelor’s degree in international Monetary Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.  He was an Executive Fellow at the London Business School from 2010 to 2014 and a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, D.C., from 2014 to 2016.