Victoria Márquez-Mees has been appointed to serve as the new MICI Director

Ms. Victoria Márquez-Mees, a Mexican national, has been appointed by the Inter-American Development Bank Board of Directors (IDB) to serve as the Director of the Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism (MICI) for the period 2015 – 2020. This appointment is the result of an exhaustive and highly competitive process undertaken by the members of the Board.

The MICI is a last resort mechanism, independent from IDB Management that responds directly to the concerns of people affected by projects financed by the Bank. Its main goal is to ensure that Bank-financed operations comply with the operational policies of the Bank during their design and implementation.

On December 17, 2014, the Board approved revisions to the MICI policy. Among the changes was the creation of a new management structure that called for the appointment of a director. The MICI director is responsible for overseeing the operation and supervising the staff of the Mechanism, and reports to the IDB Board of Executive Directors. In order to ensure independence, the director is appointed to a five year term, with the possibility of one renewal for an equivalent period; once the director’s service to the MICI terminates, she will not be eligible for employment with the Bank in any capacity.

“It is for me a privilege to be appointed by the IDB Board of Executive Directors to lead the MICI during this new phase, not only because it is an opportunity to strengthen the Mechanism, building upon the experience gained over the past five years of work, but also because it is of the utmost importance for the IDB to have an independent and solid mechanism that operates transparently and impartially. Next steps include the appointment of coordinators and the roster of experts, something I have immediately started working on, because I know that with those appointments we will be in a better position to improve the lives of the people in the Region” said Victoria Márquez-Mees.

Ms. Márquez-Mees brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the position. She served more than four years as Executive Secretary and Interim Director at the Mechanism, is well-recognized for her work in the philanthropic and social sectors in both public and private institutions in Mexico and abroad, and her areas of expertise include strategic and financial planning, fundraising and the design and implementation of managerial policies and procedures for effective performance. Additionally, an important part of her professional life has been dedicated to the institutional strengthening of civil society organizations, in the areas of environment and health.

Ms. Márquez-Mees holds an honors degree in economics from the Universidad Iberoamericana of Mexico, a master´s degree in the same discipline from the University of Essex and post-graduate studies at the London School of Economics.