The World Bank Group has announced the appointment of Brazilian Susana Cordeiro Guerra as vice president for the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region, a role she assumes immediately.
In her new position, Cordeiro Guerra will lead the Bank’s engagement with 31 countries across the region, overseeing a portfolio of ongoing operations valued at US$41.5 billion. She will be based at the World Bank’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Cordeiro Guerra, the first Latin American woman to hold this post, brings extensive experience in development effectiveness, institutional strengthening, and innovative finance. Her appointment underscores the Bank’s focus on driving an agenda of job-led development, measurable outcomes, and increased public-private collaboration in the LAC region.
“As I step into this role, my priority is to support Latin America and the Caribbean in creating quality jobs that are the foundation of inclusive growth and poverty reduction,” Cordeiro Guerra said in a statement. “Jobs don’t just provide income; they bring dignity, strengthen communities, and expand opportunities. By working with governments, the private sector, and local partners, we can create the conditions for investment and innovation that lead to more resilient economies and more prosperous societies.”
Prior to joining the World Bank, Cordeiro Guerra held senior leadership roles at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), where she led strategies on fiscal and economic programs, promoted data-driven decision-making, and advanced financial innovation. From 2019 to 2021, she served as head of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), overseeing 12,000 staff and leading the modernization of the country’s official statistics and national population census. Early in her career, she worked for the World Bank Group in various departments and regions on decentralization and subnational development.
Cordeiro Guerra holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a Master in Public Administration and International Development from the Harvard Kennedy School, and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Studies from Harvard College. She has published extensively on topics including frontline manager innovation in the public sector, higher education and labor market outcomes, and decentralization and regional disparities.
Cordeiro Guerra succeeds Colombian Carlos Felipe Jaramillo, who has been appointed vice president for East Asia and Pacific.
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16 September 2025