The new president of the Inter-American Development Bank has been on a whirlwind global listening tour, meeting with various constituencies, shunning grand statements, and certainly not making headlines. It’s being met with a huge sigh of relief.
Ilan Goldfajn’s subdued management approach is a substantial shift from his predecessor, Mauricio Claver-Carone, who was ousted in a messy and public ordeal last fall after being accused of having an improper relationship with a staffer and unfairly promoting her.
Goldfajn, a former Brazilian central bank chief, faces a tough task at IDB. Importantly, he has to improve morale among staff, according to Latin America experts, who have largely welcomed the new president. And he will have to improve relations between the bank and its client countries, especially now that the region faces slowing economic growth.
About the author
Shabtai Gold
Shabtai Gold is a Senior Reporter based in Washington. He covers multilateral development banks, with a focus on the World Bank, along with trends in development finance. Prior to Devex, he worked for the German Press Agency, dpa, for more than a decade, with stints in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, before relocating to Washington to cover politics and business.