BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS — May 4, 2021 — Dr. Hyginus “Gene” Leon today took office as President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), becoming the sixth chief executive of the regional multilateral institution. The seasoned economist brings 35 years of experience in economics, financial policy development and executive management, more than 20 of which were spent with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He succeeds Dr. Wm. Warren Smith who retired on 30 April after 10 years as President.
High on Dr. Leon’s agenda is supporting CDB’s Borrowing Member Countries through the COVID-19 recovery while advancing the Bank’s mandate for harmonious growth and development of member countries. His vision calls for a comprehensive development approach that embodies three principles: Re-Imagine for sustainability; Re-Balance for systemic integrity; and Re-position for competitive advantage and effectiveness. Dr. Leon holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Southampton (UK) and a BSc in Economics from the University of London. He previously served as IMF Senior Resident Representative for Jamaica, led IMF programmes in Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Tanzania, and earlier served as Director of Research at the Central Bank of Barbados.