MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

World Bank names new LatAm, Caribbean Chief Economist

Maloney is happy to be returning to a region that “I have grown to feel is my own.”

The Washington DC headquarters of the World Bank Thursday announced William Maloney has been appointed as of July 1 as its new Chief Economist for the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Region.

The duties of the Chief Economist are to provide guidance on strategic priorities and technical quality of economic analysis in the region, as well as to develop major regional economic studies, among other roles.

“Latin America and the Caribbean face unprecedented challenges exacerbated by the COVID 19 pandemic and I’m honored to have the opportunity to lead a team dedicated to finding solutions that will help the region move to a more dynamic and inclusive growth path,” Maloney said through a WB statement.

“I started my career at the World Bank in Latin America and the Caribbean and am happy to be returning to a region that I have grown to feel is my own.”

Maloney, a U.S. national, joined the Bank in 1998 as Senior Economist for the Latin America and Caribbean Region. He held various positions including Lead Economist in the Office of the Chief Economist for Latin America, Lead Economist in the Development Economics Research Group, Chief Economist for Trade and Competitiveness and Global Lead on Innovation and Productivity.

He was most recently Chief Economist for Equitable Growth, Finance and Institutions (EFI) Vice Presidency.

From 2011 to 2014 he was Visiting Professor at the University of the Andes and worked closely with the Colombian government on innovation and firm upgrading issues.

Maloney received his PhD in Economics from the University of California Berkeley (1990), his BA from Harvard University (1981), and studied at the University of the Andes in Bogota, Colombia (1982-83).

His research activities and publications have focused on issues related to international trade and finance, developing country labor markets, and innovation and growth, including several flagship publications about Latin America and the Caribbean.