Masood Ahmed, the President of the Center for Global Development (CGD), has announced his decision to step down at the end of the year. Ahmed has been in the position for seven years and has played a crucial role in the organization's growth and impact.
The Center for Global Development issued a press release on September 27th, revealing Ahmed's decision to step down. During his tenure, Ahmed has led the CGD to significant achievements. The organization has nearly doubled its budget and staffing, expanded its European affiliate, CGD Europe, and enhanced its influence in key policy areas related to global development.
Lawrence Summers, Chair of the Board at CGD, expressed his gratitude for Ahmed's leadership and highlighted his future involvement with the organization. Summers stated, "I am immensely grateful to have had the opportunity to work closely with him over the last seven years—and I am pleased that he will continue to be associated with CGD's future work in the areas of his expertise." Summers will lead the board of directors in the search for a new president.
Ahmed also commented on his time at CGD, stating, "It has been a privilege to lead CGD and to work alongside colleagues who are truly dedicated to ensuring that our economic research is not only academically rigorous but also has policy impact. I am excited to see what the future holds for CGD—I know it will continue to drive change and push the world's top decision-makers to base policy on what the evidence shows." Prior to joining CGD in 2017, Ahmed had a successful 35-year career with organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and the UK Department for International Development (DFID).
The Center for Global Development, founded in 2001 by Edward Scott Jr., C. Fred Bergsten, and Nancy Birdsall, is a global think tank organization dedicated to addressing issues such as global poverty, global health, sustainable and stable economies, education, and other development areas. The organization conducts research and publishes reports to influence policy decisions made by world leaders and members of global prosperity movements.