Pamela Cox, World Bank Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean announced the appointment of Gloria M. Grandolini as new Country Director for Colombia and Mexico. Ms Grandolini will be based in Mexico City and her appointment will be effective September 14th, 2009.
“As the new country director for Mexico and Colombia, Gloria will continue to work closely with these two key partner countries to facilitate innovative development solutions to respond to the impact of the global crisis and other long term challenges,” said Pamela Cox. “I am confident that she will build on our existing relationship and leverage the leadership of both countries to address global and regional issues.”
Since joining the World Bank in 1990 as part of the Young Professionals Program, Ms. Grandolini has held various positions, most recently as Director of the Banking and Debt Management Department in the World Bank Treasury where she oversaw the development and delivery of the Bank's financial products and services to clients and staff in 23 countries. Before that she was Senior Advisor to the Executive Director representing Italy, Portugal, Albania, Greece, Malta, and San Marino in the Board of the World Bank Group. Earlier in her career she worked as Country Economist for El Salvador and as Senior Financial Economist in the Latin America and the Caribbean region.
A national of Italy, Ms. Grandolini holds a Ph.D. in international economics and a master in law and diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, as well as a master’s degree in foreign service from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.
Ms. Grandolini will replace Mr. Axel van Trotsenburg, who has been appointed Vice President for Concessional Finance and Partnerships. Axel van Trotsenburg, an Austrian and Dutch national, has been the World Bank’s Country Director for Colombia and Mexico since July 1, 2007. The Concessional Finance and Partnerships Vice Presidency plays a pivotal role in the Bank’s efforts to scale up its International Development Association and Trust Fund support for clients hit hard by the crisis.
