he Inter-American Development Bank The Islamic Development Bank announced the appointment of Avinash Persaud as Special Adviser on Climate Change, following a competitive selection process. He will take office on January 16, 2024.
The Executive Board of the Islamic Development Bank approved the establishment of the Office of the Special Adviser on Climate Change in September this year. Persaud will report to Ilan Goldwagen, President of the Islamic Development Bank.
“We are very proud to have Avinash on board. His experience and knowledge of climate issues, as well as his work on small islands and vulnerable countries, will be a great asset to the IDB as we continue to advance our climate action,” President Goldwagen noted.
In addition to advising the President and senior executives of the IDB Group, Avinash 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 an essential role in ensuring the IDB Group’s climate ambition to achieve development in Latin America and the Caribbean in a sustainable and climate-friendly manner.
Persaud, who holds dual citizenship from Barbados and the United Kingdom, has more than 30 years of experience in development finance, public policy and academic affairs. Since 2018, he has served as the Barbados Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Climate, where he has been instrumental in driving investment in climate action and championing the role of finance in climate protection.
He is also a member of the COP28 Chaired High-Level Expert Group on Climate Finance, as well as the COP26 and COP27 Presidencies. He served as Chair of the Economic Commission of the Caribbean Community (2019-2021), a member of the International Monetary System Council of the World Economic Forum (2012-2018), and a Commissioner of the United Nations Financial Reform Commission (2009). -2010)).
Persaud previously worked as a senior executive at several major banks. He is the author of numerous publications, including academic and professional journals, with a focus on climate, fiscal policy, and financial innovation.
Avinash Persaud holds a 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 Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, DC from 2014 to 2016.
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