Author Bio
Lucas Figal Garone
Lucas Figal Garone is Lead Economist of Development Impact for Latin America and the Caribbean at IDB Invest, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
He has more than 15 years of experience leading the design, monitoring, and evaluation of public and private sector development projects with the aim of maximizing their impact. He also leads economic analyses, studies, impact assessments, and testing of innovative solutions for the generation and dissemination of knowledge linked to the operational experience of IDB Invest, its clients, and the public-private sector in the region.
Previously, he worked in the Competitiveness, Technology, and Innovation Division, and the Strategic Planning and Development Effectiveness Division at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in Washington, D.C.
Lucas is also Visiting Professor in the Economics Department at the Universidad de San Andrés (UdeSA) and coordinator of the SIDPA productive development initiative.
His areas of expertise and interest include development economics, productive development, impact evaluation, and applied economics. His recent research includes publications in World Development, Regional Science and Urban Economics, Research Policy, The Journal of Development Studies, Small Business Economics, Research in Economics, Journal of Development Effectiveness, Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, IDB WP Series, IDB Invest Development through the Private Sector Series, and chapters in several books.
He holds a PhD in Economics from UdeSA, where he also obtained his Master's degree in Economics, after completing his Bachelor's degree in Economics at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA).
Posts by Lucas Figal Garone
Beyond the Cash Gap: How Reverse Factoring Is Unlocking Growth for MSMEs
An IDB Invest study in Mexico estimates that the adoption of reverse factoring is associated with a 27% increase in companies’ sales.
Does Credit Access Create Jobs? New Evidence from 30 Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean
A new IDB Invest study measures how $1 million in credit translates into new jobs for MSMEs across the region.
How to Measure Job Creation in Development Projects
Development finance institutions need to know how many jobs their investments support and create, yet obtaining reliable data is a challenge. To address this, IDB Invest is piloting a new framework to measure the contribution of development project portfolios to employment in Latin America and the Caribbean.
How can Anchor Companies Boost Access to Finance for Their MSME Suppliers?
Increasing access to alternative sources of financing for credit-constrained MSMEs is critical, and supply chain finance has emerged as a viable solution. Reverse factoring—whereby the supplier sells its invoices to a financial intermediary for fast cash, and the buyer guarantees payment of these invoices—shows particular promise.
Can Digital Credit Boost E-commerce among MSMEs?
Reaping the rewards of e-commerce is a challenge for many MSMEs. The solution may lie in the so-called “digital credit” offered by fintech companies within commercial platforms that bypass traditional banks.
TechFins, MSMEs and ecommerce are reshaping the economic development of the LAC region
First it was the FinTechs. Now, TechFins and their expansion through MSMEs lead a new digital economy in Latin America and the Caribbean.