Jaime Saavedra

With over 25 years of work experience in poverty reduction, economic policy, and education, I am currently the Human Development Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at The World Bank. In this role, I oversee the design and implementation of the human development strategy and portfolio in the region, covering health, education, social protection, and labor sectors. Previously, at the World Bank, I was the Global Director of the Education Practice at The World Bank, where I led a team of more than 300 professionals and managed a portfolio of over $24 billion in more than 80 countries. I was also Global Director of PovertyReduction and Equity, where I co- led the redefinition of the institutional mission around the twin goals of elimination Extreme Poverty and boosting Shared Prosperity. I also serve as a board member of Teach For All, a global network of organizations that aims to expand educational opportunity and equity and board member of Unesco’s international Institute of Education Planning. Between 2013 and 2016, I served as Minister of Education in Peru, implementing a teachers’ career reform, policies to support foundational learning, a broad secondary education reform and implemented a new University Law. Before, I was Executive Director of GRADE, Group of Analysis for Development , a leading think tank in Peru. I have taught at Harvard University, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Peru and Universidad del Pacífico My core competencies include strategic vision, stakeholder engagement, policy analysis, and innovation. My mission is to promote human development as a key driver of economic and social progress, and to leverage my expertise and experience to support the World Bank's goals of ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity. I have a PhD in Economics from Columbia University, New York and a Licenciatura from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú.