Susana Cordeiro Guerra has been appointed as Vice President for the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region at the World Bank Group, effective September 15, 2025. In her new role, she will oversee the bank’s work with 31 countries in the region and manage a portfolio valued at $41.5 billion in ongoing operations. She will be based at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Cordeiro Guerra is noted as the first Latin American woman to hold this position. Her background includes leadership roles focused on development effectiveness, institutional strengthening, and innovative finance. The World Bank states that she will lead efforts aimed at promoting jobs-driven development, achieving measurable results, and encouraging public–private collaboration across LAC.
“As I begin 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,” said Ms. Cordeiro Guerra. “Jobs not only provide income, they bring dignity, strengthen communities, and expand opportunity. By working with governments, the private sector, and local partners, we can create the conditions for investment and innovation that translate into more resilient economies and more prosperous societies.”
Before joining the World Bank in this capacity, Cordeiro Guerra held senior positions at the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), where she was responsible for strategy on fiscal and economic programs as well as promoting financial innovation. From 2019 to 2021, she led Brazil’s National Statistics Office (IBGE), managing a staff of 12,000 while modernizing national statistics and overseeing a population census. Earlier in her career she worked at various departments within the World Bank Group focusing on decentralization and subnational development.
Her academic credentials include a Ph.D. in Political Science from MIT, a Master’s degree from Harvard Kennedy School in Public Administration and International Development, and a Bachelor’s degree from Harvard College. She has published research on topics such as public sector innovation by front-line managers, higher education outcomes related to labor markets, decentralization policies, and regional disparities.
Cordeiro Guerra takes over from Carlos Felipe Jaramillo who now serves as Vice President for East Asia and Pacific.