About the blog

Beatriz Navarro

Beatriz Navarro es consultora en comunicación estratégica para la Oficina de Integridad Institucional. Fue representante del Ministerio de Hacienda en la Embajada de México en EE.UU. y consultora en el Banco Mundial. Es abogada del Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México y cuenta con un magister en derecho y diplomacia de The Fletcher School, Tufts University (EE.UU.) y una especialidad en business communications en Harvard.

Benigno López

Benigno López Benítez, a Paraguayan citizen, was appointed IDB's Vice President for Sectors and Knowledge as of November 16, 2020. Prior to joining the IDB, he served as Minister of Finance of Paraguay since August 2018. In that role, he led a comprehensive tax-reform initiative aimed at improving the progressive capacity of the tax system, increasing government revenue to finance health and education reforms, and incentivizing labor formalization. He also coordinated efforts to restructure the pension system, reform public expenditure and the civil service, implement a results-based budgeting system, and promote e-government reform to improve public-sector functions and foster private-sector innovation. As Minister, Mr. López led Paraguay’s emergency economic planning in response to the COVID-19 crisis. He also directed efforts to implement systemic education reform, improve human capital and promote research. Among his transparency and anti-corruption initiatives, he led work to ensure his country’s compliance with the updated standards of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). From 2014 to 2018, Mr. López served as Chairman of the Social Security Institute, Paraguay’s employer-based health insurance and pensions system. During his tenure, he worked with board members to restructure the institution’s debt, professionalize its administration and – in collaboration with IDB Invest – structure and diversify its investment portfolio. In 2013, Mr. López was appointed Executive Legal Director and member of the board of Itaipú Binacional, which administers the world’s largest hydroelectric dam, on the Paraguay-Brazil border. His efforts centered on increasing operational efficiency, consolidating the company’s governance structure and developing a strategy to increase funding for corporate social responsibility. From 2012 to 2013, Mr. López served as Senior Advisor to the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C. Previously, he worked for more than two decades at the Central Bank of Paraguay. As Board Director from 2007 to 2012, he provided strategic vision for initiatives on inflation targets and financial inclusion. Efforts to prevent money laundering and terrorism financing resulted in the country’s removal from the FATF blacklist. As head of the legal department, he helped produce the framework to ensure the Bank’s institutional strength and independence. Mr. López holds a law degree from Paraguay’s Catholic University and a Master of Laws degree from Georgetown University.

Bianca Conde

Bianca Conde has a double degree in Biology and Marine and Atmospheric Science from the University of Miami and a Masters in Environmental Management from Duke University. She has over eight years of experience in corporate sustainability with a deep knowledge of embedding ESG into corporate strategies and management in systemic and cross-cutting way. Currently, Bianca is the Sustainable Business and MSME Officer at IDB Invest where she supports clients in implementing initiatives that provide for positive impact and contribute to sustainable development in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Blended Finance Team

The Blended Finance team oversees the deployment of IDB Invest concessional funds towards highly additional and catalytic projects, where actual or perceived risks are too high for commercial finance alone. The team includes seven professionals with transversal responsibility in funds management and projects’ origination, structuring and execution: Ana Carolina Aquino, Joan Miquel Carrillo, Pilar Carvajo, Stephanie Eder, Eduardo Gutiérrez, Elee Muslin, Matthieu Pegon and Mengxue Tang (previous team members that contributed to past posts: Laura Giraldo).

Bruno Sbardellini Cossi

Bruno heads the Corporate Governance practice of IDB Invest, the private sector arm of the Inter-American Development Bank, where he has dedicated the past eight years to advancing impactful and sustainable development throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. He currently chairs the Corporate Governance Development Framework (CGDF), a global platform of over 40 development finance institutions working to promote high standards of corporate governance. Bruno's work is centered around crafting and enhancing governance frameworks that promote transparency, ethical leadership, and equitable growth. His rich background – including an LL.M. degree from Columbia University, a role as a Corporate Law Professor in Brazil, and a CFA in ESG – along with a prior decade as a transactional attorney, equip him with a unique multidisciplinary approach. Bruno's global perspective and comprehensive expertise are instrumental in driving positive change and fostering inclusive financial ecosystems in the communities IDB Invest serves.

Camila Rodríguez Taylor

Camila is a Senior Climate Advisor for IDB Invest, working at the Advisory Services Division at IDB Invest. She is responsible for assessing the Paris Alignment of transactions and estimating climate finance. She designs, develops and executes IDB Invest advisory services to help clients adopt climate resilience and decarbonization measures. Before joining the IDB Group, Camila worked in the climate change units of the Ministry of Agroindustry and the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of Argentina. She has more than 15 years of experience in sustainable finance, climate risk and resilience, and decarbonization pathways. Camila holds a master's degree in Environmental Management with a specialization in Climate Change from the School of Environmental Studies at Yale University (USA) and a degree in environmental engineering from the Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina.

Carina Pasut

Carina Pasut is an agribusiness investment officer at IDB Invest, based in Buenos Aires. She is a specialist in structuring financial solutions, sustainability and impact. She has professional experience in developing and executing businesses in the agribusiness sector in countries such as Argentina, Chile and Peru. In addition to her experience in the IDB group, Carina worked in companies linked to agribusiness, holding various positions in the finance and investment analysis sector. She has an Executive MBA from the IAE Business School, and an economist degree from the University of Buenos Aires.

Carlos Almiro Melo

Carlos is Director of Sustainability & Risk Management at BRK Ambiental. For over 10 years, he has held leadership positions in infrastructure companies. He lived 7 years in Europe leading the sustainability practice of a spin-off center sponsored by four multinationals (Santander, Mapfre, Telefônica and 3M). In BRK, he leads the ESG Strategy and Corporate Risk Cycle. Carlos is graduated in Administration, MsC in Administration and Doctorate in Sustainable Development and Climate Change from Universidad de Alcalá – Madrid – Spain.

Carlos Narváez

Carlos Narváez is the lead agribusiness investment officer at IDB Invest. He is a specialist in structuring financial solutions, sustainability and impact. He has professional experience in the development and execution of high-profile agribusiness deals in countries such as Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Venezuela. In addition to his experience at the IDB group, Carlos worked at CAF, Banco Santander, and BBVA in various project finance and investment banking positions. He holds a master's degree in finance from IESA and a degree in economics from Universidad Central de Venezuela.

Carlos Otárola

Carlos Otárola es especialista en finanzas y asuntos de riesgo. Se unió al Grupo BID en 2001 como oficial de inversiones en la oficina de Costa Rica. Ha ocupado varios puestos en la organización en las áreas de originación, supervisión, gestión de riesgos y finanzas. Ha estado involucrado en proyectos corporativos, instituciones financieras, inversiones directas de capital y fondos de inversión desarrollados en América Latina y el Caribe. Ha sido miembro activo de varios comités relacionados con aprobaciones de crédito, supervisión de carteras, finanzas y tesorería. Actualmente se desempeña como jefe de análisis de negocios en BID Invest.

Carlos Roberto Argüello

Carlos Sánchez Reboiro

Carlos is an Investment Management Officer in the Equity & Mezzanine Finance Team at IDB Invest, which he joined in 2018. He is responsible of sourcing, selecting, originating, structuring, closing and supporting the supervision of the equity and mezzanine transactions (including venture capital), across all sectors of IDB Invest. Before joining the IDB Group, he worked for Banco Santander as an Export and Agency Financial Analyst, at the Spain’s Economic and Commercial Office in China, and for the economic consulting firm, Intermoney, in Madrid. Carlos earned a master’s degree in International Business Management from the Instituto Español de Comercio Exterior and has an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Universidad Autónoma de Madrid with an specialization in Finance from Syracuse University.