(Updated to add the starting date)
Ilan Goldfajn was elected president of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) today during a Special Meeting of the Bank’s Board of Governors. The meeting was held at IDB Headquarters in Washington, D.C., with delegations attending virtually and in person.
Nominated by Brazil, Goldfajn will take office for a five-year term on December 19, 2022.
As president, Goldfajn will manage the operations and administration of the Bank, which works with the public sector of Latin America and the Caribbean. In addition, he will chair the Board of Executive Directors of the IDB and the Board of Executive Directors of IDB Invest, which works with the region's private sector. The president also chairs the Donors Committee of IDB Lab, the Bank’s laboratory for innovative development projects.
To be elected president, a candidate must receive a majority of the total voting power of the IDB’s member countries as well as the support of at least 15 of the 28 regional member countries (26 borrowing member countries, plus Canada and the United States). The IDB has a total of 48 member countries, with offices in all borrowing countries as well as in Europe and Asia.
The Board of Governors is the Bank’s highest authority. Each member country appoints a governor, whose voting power is proportional to the capital in the Bank subscribed by his or her country. Governors are typically finance ministers, central bank presidents, or other high-ranking economic authorities.
The Board of Governors holds annual meetings to review Bank operations and make key policy decisions. It also occasionally holds special meetings, including to elect a president.
Goldfajn will be the IDB’s seventh president. He follows Reina Irene Mejía Chacón a.i. (2022); Mauricio Claver-Carone (2020-2022); Luis Alberto Moreno (2005-2020); Enrique V. Iglesias (1988-2005); Antonio Ortiz Mena (1971-1988); and Felipe Herrera (1960-1971).
Additional Information:
About the IDB
The Inter-American Development Bank is devoted to improving lives. Established in 1959, the IDB is a leading source of long-term financing for economic, social and institutional development in Latin America and the Caribbean. The IDB also conducts cutting-edge research and provides policy advice, technical assistance and training to public- and private-sector clients throughout the region.
About IDB Invest
IDB Invest, a member of the IDB Group, is a multilateral development bank committed to promoting the economic development of its member countries in Latin America and the Caribbean through the private sector. IDB Invest finances sustainable companies and projects to achieve financial results and maximize economic, social and environmental development in the region. With a portfolio of $15.3 billion in asset management and 375 clients in 25 countries, IDB Invest provides innovative financial solutions and advisory services that meet the needs of its clients in a variety of industries.
About IDB Lab
IDB Lab is the innovation laboratory of the IDB Group, the leading source of development finance and expertise for improving lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. The purpose of IDB Lab is to drive innovation for inclusion in the region, mobilizing financing, knowledge, and connections to test earlystage private sector solutions with the potential to transform the lives of vulnerable populations affected by economic, social, and environmental conditions. Since 1993, IDB Lab has approved more than US$ 2 billion in projects deployed across 26 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Bachelet,Pablo A.
