The World Bank has tapped Dr. Susana Cordeiro Guerra to steer its Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) division, handing her responsibility for guiding economic programs in 31 nations and managing a US$41.5 billion project portfolio.
Her appointment places her at the center of efforts to address a region grappling with inequality, fragile job markets, and the aftershocks of global economic uncertainty. From Washington, she will direct policies and partnerships designed to link governments, private industry, and civil society in pursuit of stronger, more resilient economies.
Cordeiro Guerra is the first Latin American woman to occupy this post — a point underscoring both her professional ascent and the Bank’s intent to sharpen its regional focus. She has pledged to place employment at the heart of her strategy, framing jobs as not only a source of income but also as a driver of dignity and stability.
Before this role, she was a senior figure at the Inter-American Development Bank, where she advanced fiscal programs and data-driven decision-making, and previously headed Brazil’s national statistics agency. She has also spent time within the World Bank itself, contributing to governance and decentralization work.
Armed with degrees from Harvard and MIT, Cordeiro Guerra succeeds Carlos Felipe Jaramillo, who moves on to lead the Bank’s operations in East Asia and the Pacific.
Her arrival signals a recalibration: a shift from broad regional programming toward a sharper emphasis on practical results — jobs, competitiveness, and measurable social impact.
