Discover best practices and trends from the Latin American and Caribbean private sector shared by IDB Invest specialists in agribusiness, development impact, energy, financial institutions, transportation, and more.
Blog authors
-
Maria Eduarda Gouvea BertoMaria Eduarda Gouvêa Berto is an economist with a master's degree in business administration (Pontifical Catholic University – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). She has more than two decades of professional experience, having worked in the private and public sectors and multilateral organizations. Since 2020, she has worked at the IDB's Water and Sanitation Division in Washington D.C. as a senior financial and institutional specialist. Previously, she worked a consultant for the International Finance Corporation on the PPP advisory team. She has worked for more than a decade structuring public-private partnerships in the infrastructure sectors in Brazil, with a particular focus on financial modeling and project finance. In 2017-2018 she held the position of Finance Secretary of the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She was also Managing Director of the Brazilian Project Structuring Company (EBP), a partnership between BNDES, Banco do Brasil, Itaú, Santander, Bradesco, Votorantim, Citibank and Haitong with the objective of advising governments on the structuring of projects infrastructure and mobilization of private capital (2014-2016).
-
Maria Isabel PalomerOperations Specialist of the Southern Cone Countries Department (CSC). The CSC Department develops and promotes strategies and programs with member countries and supports the execution of country-specific operations, among others. As Country Coordinator for Paraguay, she is responsible for supervising and supporting the fulfillment of the lending operations pipeline, monitoring portfolio performance, supporting the preparation of the Country Strategy, and ensuring coordination with the different operational areas of the Bank. She focuses on ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of operations and generating public-private synergies to maximize the development impact of interventions. María Isabel is a Commercial Engineer and holds a Master's degree in Government and Public Management from the University of Chile. Previously, she worked as a Senior Operations Associate in the Chile Country Office, supporting the supervision of the execution and monitoring of projects in the Bank's portfolio.
-
María Laura LanzalotMaría Laura Lanzalot is the Development Effectiveness Officer of IDB Invest in Argentina. María Laura supports the identification, design, monitoring and evaluation of projects and investments in order to maximize their impact on economic, social and environmental development, with a focus on projects with financial institutions. Additionally, she contributes in the implementation of economic analysis, impact evaluations and testing of innovative solutions. Previously, she worked in the Department of Development Effectiveness in Washington DC. Her areas of interest are economic development, financial inclusion and applied economics. She has a master's degree in economics from the Universidad de San Andrés (UdeSA) and a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA).
-
María Lucrecia MongeMaría Lucrecia Monge is currently Commercial Director of Women's products at G&T Continental. She is responsible for the development of a holistic program, both internally and commercially, for SMEs led by women in Guatemala. María Lucrecia has worked in the construction industry, as Key Account Manager in the telecommunications industry and as Coordinator of an Entrepreneurship Center at the academy. Since 2015, she has been actively participating as an assistant professor in business, entrepreneurship and marketing courses for Business Administration, Psychology, Gastronomy and Entrepreneurship degree course at the Francisco Marroquín University. She is passionate about entrepreneurship and business as a driver of the local economy, a marketing enthusiast, an avid reader and a life-long learner. She has a Bachelor of Business Administration with a specialty in Marketing and an Acton MBA in Entrepreneurship, both from the Francisco Marroquín University.
-
María Noel-VaezaMaría Noel Vaeza is the director of UN Women for Latin America and the Caribbean.
-
María Paula GerardinoMaria Paula Gerardino Gutierrez is a Senior Economist in the Office of Strategic Planning and Development Effectiveness of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Maria Paula's work focuses on supporting the design and evaluation of projects, as well as conducting research and impact evaluations on different topics. Her current research focuses on issues related to gender gaps, access to credit for small and medium enterprises, productivity and labor markets. Maria Paula has a doctorate in economics from Pompeu Fabra University.
-
Mariana CoelloMariana is an Investment Officer at IDB Invest in Honduras, which she joined in 2017. She is responsible for developing new businesses and structuring sustainable projects in Honduras in sectors such as transportation, energy, water and sanitation, social infrastructure, agribusiness, telecommunications, media and technology, manufacturing, tourism and financial institutions. Before joining the IDB Group, she was Head of Corporate Business and SMEs in the credit area of Banco Ficensa, where she managed and structured projects in various sectors, acquiring more than fourteen years of experience in corporate banking. Mariana earned a master’s degree in business administration (MBA) from Florida International University (USA) and two master’s degrees in business management and Public Management from Universidad Tecnológica Centroamericana (UNITEC), and a professional degree in agribusiness administration engineering from Escuela Agrícola Panamericana (both in Honduras)
-
Marielle del ValleSenior Development Effectiveness Officer at IDB Invest. She works on the structuring, supervision and evaluation of projects with financial intermediaries and investments funds, and of trade finance operations, ensuring they promote social and economic benefits for the region. Prior to joining IDB Invest she worked as a consultant in the Office of Strategic Planning and Development Effectiveness and the Vice presidency of Countries of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and as senior economic specialist at the Central Bank of Peru.
-
Marina PolMarina Pol es jefa de estrategia y planeamiento de BID Invest. Se unió al Grupo BID en 2016 luego de pasar casi una década en cargos de diversa responsabilidad en FSG (Facility Solutions Group) y antes en McKinsey y ESADE. Marina tiene una extensa experiencia en consultoría y evaluación estratégica con corporaciones, fundaciones, organizaciones sin fines de lucro y agencias gubernamentales. Asimismo, ha asesorado a multinacionales líderes en los EE.UU., Europa y América Latina en temas de estrategia comercial y desarrollo e implementación de valor compartido, así como en estrategias de responsabilidad social corporativa. Marina posee un BA y un MBA de ESADE, España y una maestría en administración internacional de la ex Community of European Management Schools (España y Alemania), hoy CEMS, the Global Alliance in Management Education.
-
Mario CamargoMario Camargo is a seasoned Senior Investment Officer with extensive expertise in infrastructure and energy finance at IDB Invest. Mario has a proven track record leading high-value investment projects exceeding US$5 billion. He specializes in origination, analysis, negotiation, and structuring of complex project finance and corporate finance transactions across Energy, Water, Social Infrastructure, and Transport sectors. Mario holds a bachelor's and master’s degree in business administration from Montpellier Business School in France, and a Master’s of Science in Foreign Service from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
-
Marisela AlvarengaMarisela Alvarenga is a global financial leader with over two decades of experience spanning private banking, capital markets, and multilateral development institutions. Recognized for her strategic vision and execution, she has built a distinguished career driving sustainable finance, financial innovation, and growth across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Currently serving as Managing Director and Chief of the Financial Sector Division at IDB Invest—the private sector arm of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group—Marisela shapes the institution’s strategic engagement with banks, fintechs, insurers, cooperatives and other financial actors across LAC. She plays a key role in positioning the financial sector as a catalyst for development, championing innovative financing structures and market-building initiatives that mobilize private capital at scale. Her leadership has helped mainstream green, social, and sustainable finance across the region, with a strong emphasis on deepening financial health, supporting women-led businesses, and advancing climate-resilient investments. Prior to joining the IDB Group, Marisela held senior leadership roles in corporate and investment banking at Citibank and Banco Cuscatlán, including Regional Director for Corporate Finance in Central America. In these roles, she led cross-border transactions and built regional platforms that strengthened access to finance for corporates and institutional clients. Marisela holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Business Administration from the School of Economics and Business, and an MBA from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, complemented by executive studies at the Otto Beisheim School of Management (WHU) in Germany. She has also completed specialized programs in Impact Investing and Sustainable Finance from leading institutions in the United Kingdom. Fluent in the language of both markets and mission, Marisela is a sought-after voice on the intersection of finance, sustainability, and innovation. She is passionate about scaling solutions that advance financial health, climate resilience, and inclusive development in emerging markets.
-
Marta Ruiz-ArranzMarta Ruiz-Arranz is Principal Economic Advisor in the Department of Countries of Central America, Haiti, Mexico, Panama and the Dominican Republic of the Inter-American Development Bank and previously served as economic advisor for the Andean region. Before joining the IDB in 2015, Marta worked for 12 years at the International Monetary Fund, where she was Deputy Division Chief in the Department of Fiscal Affairs. Marta Ruiz-Arranz received her Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University.
