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The Mayors Forum is the flagship annual gathering of the IDB Cities Network and a key platform for the Bank's work on urban development.
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Panelists Carlos Fernando GalánMayor of Bogotá Carlos Fernando Galán is the Mayor of Bogotá for the 2024-2027 term. He has extensive public service experience. He studied foreign service, with a concentration in international economics, at Georgetown University and completed a specialization in government, management, and public affairs at Universidad Externado de Colombia. He also pursued graduate studies in international affairs at Columbia University and earned a master's degree in public administration from New York University. He began his professional career in journalism as the Washington correspondent for Semana magazine, a writer and editor for Cambio magazine, and a journalist for El Tiempo. From 2008 to 2011, he served on the Bogotá City Council. He subsequently served as Colombia's Secretary for Transparency from 2012 to 2013, leading the implementation of the country's anti-corruption and transparency policy. In 2014, he was elected to the Senate, where he promoted discussions on land use, territorial planning, and the implications of climate change for land development. In 2023, he was elected Mayor of Bogotá as the candidate of the Nuevo Liberalismo party, receiving 1,499,734 votes-the highest number ever obtained by a mayoral candidate in the city's history.
 Alejandro Char ChaljubMayor of Barranquilla Alejandro Char Chaljub is a public leader from Barranquilla with extensive experience in public service and territorial management. He is recognized for advancing Barranquilla's urban and social transformation through a results-based governance model that has strengthened public trust. He is currently serving as mayor for the 2024-2027 term. He holds a degree in Civil Engineering and a specialization in Mining Project Engineering from Universidad del Norte, a specialization in Senior Management from Universidad de los Andes, and a master's degree in Project Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology. His public service career began in 1997 as a member of the Barranquilla City Council. He subsequently served as Governor of Atlántico in 2003. He has been elected mayor of Barranquilla for three terms-2008-2011, 2016-2019 and 2024-2027-each time by a wide electoral margin, with public approval ratings exceeding 90% during his administrations. He also served as Senior Presidential Advisor for the Regions. Throughout his administrations, he has led projects that have transformed the city and strengthened its competitiveness, public spaces, mobility, education, sustainability and economic development. These include the Gran Malecón, Todos al Parque, Barrios a la Obra, stormwater channelization projects and the transformation of public education. During his current term, he continues to advance initiatives to expand access to housing, strengthen financial inclusion, consolidate the District Care System for persons with disabilities and their caregivers, and promote tourism, innovation and sustainable development as drivers of well-being and growth in Barranquilla.
 Ana María IbáñezVice President for Sectors and Knowledge, IDB Ana María Ibáñez is a Colombian economist and has served as Vice President for Sectors and Knowledge at the Inter-American Development Bank since June 2023. She joined the IDB in 2019 as Principal Economic Advisor in the Vice Presidency for Sectors and Knowledge, where she coordinated and supervised the knowledge agenda in collaboration with the Bank's operational departments. Previously, she was a professor and dean of the School of Economics and director of the Center for Economic Development Studies at Universidad de los Andes. Her academic work has focused on migration, rural development and the consequences of armed conflict. She has also been a visiting professor and senior fellow at universities including Princeton and Yale. She holds an undergraduate degree in Economics from Universidad de los Andes and a master's degree and doctorate in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park.  Juan Pablo BonillaManager of the Climate Change and Sustainable Development Sector, IDB Juan Pablo Bonilla is Manager of the Climate Change and Sustainable Development Sector at the IDB. Previously, he served as Chief of Staff to the IDB's Executive Vice President and led the Sustainable Energy and Climate Change Initiative, which helped integrate these issues as strategic priorities for the Bank. He has more than 20 years of experience in environmental sustainability, climate change, and energy. Before joining the IDB, he worked as a senior specialist at the World Bank and served on the Executive Board of the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism. In Colombia, he served as Executive Director of Fundesarrollo, National Environmental Manager at the National Association of Entrepreneurs, Senior Advisor to the Vice President, Deputy Minister of the Environment, and Acting Minister of Environment, Housing, and Territorial Development. He holds a degree in civil engineering from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, a master's degree in engineering management and systems engineering, and a PhD in environmental and energy management from George Washington University.
 Tatiana GallegoChief of the Housing and Urban Development Division, IDB Tatiana Gallego Lizón is Chief of the Housing and Urban Development Division within the IDB's Climate Change and Sustainable Development Sector. An urban planner and engineer with more than 20 years of experience in international development, she leads the Bank's agenda on housing, urban development, climate resilience, and infrastructure financing for cities in Latin America and the Caribbean. Previously, she worked at the Asian Development Bank, where she served as Director of the Urban Development and Water Division in the Southeast Asia Department. In that role, she spearheaded pioneering initiatives in urban climate resilience, cross-border economic zones, and corridor development. She also has experience in the private sector and in research. She holds a degree in engineering and a PhD in environmental engineering from Imperial College London, as well as a master's degree in policy studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies.
 Maria Camila UribeCoordinator of the IDB Cities Network and Principal Technical Lead, IDB María Camila Uribe serves as Principal Technical Lead in the IDB's Housing and Urban Development Division, where she also coordinates the IDB Cities Network. Previously, she served as the IDB Representative in Chile, helped coordinate the IDB Group's Institutional Strategy, and headed the Committee and Board Services Section of the Bank's Secretariat. She has more than 18 years of experience in the Colombian public sector. During her career, she served as Bogotá's Secretary of Planning, Director of Land Registry and Taxation, and an advisor to Colombia's Ministry of Finance and Public Credit and National Planning Department. Her career spans urban planning, institutional management, public finance, and local government strengthening. She holds a degree in economics from Universidad de los Andes, a master's degree in public administration from Harvard Kennedy School, and a master's degree in urban studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
 Ramiro López-GhioIDB Group Country Representative in Colombia Ramiro López-Ghio is the IDB Group Country Representative in Colombia. He previously served as the IDB Representative in Belize and as the Bank's Chief of Operations in Colombia. He is the author and co-author of several institutional publications on sustainable development, fiscal policy, governance and urban development. These include studies on the Colombian central government's fiscal rule, municipal interdependence in the Bogotá metropolitan region, and the challenges and opportunities for sustainable, resilient and inclusive development in Belize.
 Alejandro AravenaChilean architect, founder of ELEMENTAL and Pritzker Prize Laureate Alejandro Aravena is a Chilean architect and the founder and executive director of ELEMENTAL, an organization dedicated to developing projects of public interest and social impact in areas including housing, public space, infrastructure and transportation. He graduated as an architect from Universidad Católica de Chile in 1992 and established his own practice in 1994. He has led ELEMENTAL since 2001. In 2016, he received the Pritzker Architecture Prize and served as curator of the Venice Architecture Biennale. He has also received the Gothenburg Award for Sustainable Development, the RIBA Charles Jencks Award and the ULI J.C. Nichols Prize. He currently chairs the Pritzker Prize jury.
 Klaus WowereitFormer Governing Mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit is a German lawyer and politician who served as Governing Mayor of Berlin from June 2001 to December 2014. He studied law at the Free University of Berlin and passed the Second State Examination in Law in 1981. He began his political career in the Berlin district of Tempelhof and was elected to the Berlin House of Representatives in 1995. He subsequently served as spokesperson for budgetary policy and chair of the Social Democratic Party's parliamentary group. During his tenure as mayor, consolidating Berlin's finances was one of the principal challenges facing his administration. He also served as President of the German Federal Council, or Bundesrat, from November 2001 to October 2002 and as Germany's Plenipotentiary for Cultural Affairs under the Treaty on Franco-German Cooperation from 2007 to 2010.
 Enid SlackDirector of the Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance, University of Toronto Enid Slack is Director of the Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance at the University of Toronto's School of Cities. The institute focuses on the fiscal health and governance challenges facing cities and urban regions in Canada and around the world. She has 40 years of experience in municipal finance and governance. She has advised governments and international organizations-including the World Bank, UN-Habitat, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the International Growth Centre-in countries including Brazil, Chile, Colombia, India, Mongolia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. She has authored several books and articles on property taxation, intergovernmental transfers, municipal restructuring, and municipal infrastructure finance. In 2012, she received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of her work on urban issues.
 Manuel OrozcoDirector at S&P Global Ratings Manuel Orozco is a director at S&P Global Ratings and a member of the Sovereign Ratings and International Public Finance team, where he leads credit analysis for Latin American countries, including Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil. He assesses the strength of public finances, debt burdens, fiscal and monetary flexibility, and the macroeconomic performance of sovereign governments in the region. His expertise focuses on Latin American countries' credit risk and fiscal sustainability. Orozco regularly participates as a panelist and spokesperson at regional economic and financial forums, where he presents the criteria used to assess sovereign risk and analyzes the main challenges countries in the region face in preserving macroeconomic stability and the sustainability of their public finances.
 David JacksonSenior Advisor at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs David Jackson is a Senior Advisor at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA). He has more than 30 years of experience in local development and subnational finance. From 2013 to 2024, he led the United Nations Capital Development Fund's (UNCDF) Local Transformative Finance Practice globally, the organization's center of excellence for local government finance in developing countries. He has served as a decentralization advisor to the Government of Indonesia and the United Nations Development Programme and led UNCDF's Asia-Pacific office, where he created a mechanism that enabled local governments to access climate finance. He also helped launch the Málaga Coalition and the International Municipal Investment Fund. He is currently a non-resident fellow at New York University's Center on International Cooperation and a member of the Scientific Committee of the OECD World Observatory on Subnational Government Finance and Investment.
 Sebastián NietoHead of the Regional Development Dynamics Division at the OECD Development Centre Sebastián Nieto Parra is Head of the Regional Development Dynamics Division at the Development Centre of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). He has extensive experience analyzing the economies of Latin America and the Caribbean and designing development policies. His work has focused on fiscal policy, infrastructure investment, connectivity policies, and the political economy of emerging economies. Before joining the OECD, he was an economist covering Latin America at Banco Santander in Madrid. Prior to that, he worked at Colombia's central bank and the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit on financial sector regulation and mortgage market development. He holds a PhD in economics and completed postgraduate studies at the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po) and the Toulouse School of Economics. He has authored numerous publications on economic development, fiscal policy, infrastructure, and public-sector reform in Latin America and the Caribbean.
 Ana María CadenaSecretary of Finance for Bogotá Ana María Cadena has served as Bogotá's Secretary of Finance since January 2024. Before taking this position, she served as Director General of the Pension and Parafiscal Management Unit, where she led the implementation of the Formal Employment Support Program during the pandemic. She has more than 20 years of experience in the Colombian public sector and has held leadership positions at the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit, the National Planning Department, Colpensiones, and Colombia's central bank. She holds a degree in economics and a master's degree in social anthropology from Universidad de los Andes, as well as a master's degree in local economic development from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her career has been distinguished by her ability to combine expertise in economic and social policy formulation with the management of large-scale public programs.
 Emelith BarrazaSecretary of Finance for Barranquilla Emelith Barraza Barrios is Barranquilla's Secretary of Finance for the 2024-2027 term, a position she previously held from 2016 to 2019. She has more than 20 years of experience managing the district's public finances. Throughout her career at the Barranquilla Mayor's Office, she has served as district treasurer, head of the Budget Office, and an advisor to the Finance Secretariat. She has also been a full professor at Universidad del Norte and a researcher at Fundesarrollo. She holds a degree in economics from Universidad del Atlántico, a specialization in finance, and an MBA from Universidad del Norte. During her first term as head of the Secretariat, she led key fiscal restructuring initiatives, including the completion of the Liability Restructuring Agreement. This process strengthened the district's financial sustainability and enabled it to access financing on more favorable market terms.
 Francisca RojasExecutive Director of the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University Francisca Rojas is Executive Director of the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University, a center dedicated to advancing public innovation in cities around the world. In this role, she leads an international team of specialists and researchers, connects municipal governments with innovative solutions, and directs capacity-building programs for professionals in more than 200 cities. She has more than 20 years of experience in urban planning, finance, and data analysis. Previously, she worked in the Housing and Urban Development Division of the Inter-American Development Bank, where she facilitated more than USD 1 billion in lending for urban development and investment projects in Latin America. She also served as a project planner for the Anacostia Riverfront Initiative in Washington, D.C., and as an advisor to Chile's Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. She holds a PhD in urban and regional planning and a master's degree in urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Kennedy School.
 Cecilia Vaca JonesExecutive Director of Breathe Cities Cecilia Vaca Jones is Executive Director of Breathe Cities, a global initiative of Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Clean Air Fund, and C40 Cities that supports cities in reducing air pollution and improving public health. She has more than 25 years of experience in social development and people-centered urban policies. She served as Ecuador's Coordinating Minister for Social Development, where she led comprehensive welfare policies targeting children, women, Indigenous communities, and people with disabilities. She also served as Executive Director of the Bernard van Leer Foundation, where she promoted early childhood development through urban planning and public-space design. She holds a master's degree in social policy for sustainable development from the University of Bologna and an executive master's degree in cities from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
 Maria VassilakouFounder of Vassilakou Urban Consulting and Former Deputy Mayor of Vienna Maria Vassilakou is the founder and director of Vassilakou Urban Consulting, through which she advises cities, governments, organizations, and companies worldwide on strategies for green and equitable urban transformation and transition management. From November 2010 to July 2019, she served as Deputy Mayor of Vienna, overseeing urban development, traffic and transport, climate protection, energy planning, and citizen participation. During nearly a decade in this role, she led a broad transformation agenda that helped consolidate Vienna's position at the top of major international quality-of-life rankings, including developing one of Europe's most affordable public transportation systems. She studied linguistics and psychology at the University of Vienna and holds a master's degree from the LSE Cities program at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She is also a member of the expert panel for the European Union Mission "100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030."
 María Fernanda LemosPhD in Urbanism and Professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro María Fernanda Lemos holds a PhD in urbanism and is a professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), where she coordinates the Urbanism Laboratory. She was also affiliated with the university's Interdisciplinary Center for the Environment for 15 years. Within the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), she served as a Coordinating Lead Author of the chapter on Central and South America for the Working Group II contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6). She is currently a Coordinating Lead Author of the chapter on Adaptation of Human Settlements, Infrastructure and Industry Systems for the Working Group II contribution to the Seventh Assessment Report (AR7). She is co-director of the Latin American Hub of the Urban Climate Change Research Network and a collaborating researcher with the Brazilian Research Network on Climate Change (Rede Clima). At the SIMACLIM Synthesis Center, she served as a coordinating author of the report Green-Blue Resilient Cities and is currently a co-author of the report Just Transition and Adaptation. She is a member of the Scientific Committee on Climate Adaptation and Resilience of the Government of the State of Rio Grande do Sul and of the Rio de Janeiro City Council. She also serves as a full member of the Scientific Advisory Chamber of the Brazilian Federal Government's Interministerial Committee on Climate Change. Her research focuses on urban planning and design, with particular emphasis on sustainability, urban resilience, climate justice, and climate change adaptation in cities.
 Alice CharlesDirector of Cities, Planning and Design at Arup Alice Charles is Arup's Director of Cities, Planning and Design, where she leads cross-cutting urban strategies and partnerships with international organizations worldwide. She has more than 20 years of experience in sustainable urban planning, urban regeneration, housing, infrastructure, and city design, and has advised governments, city leaders, and businesses on strategies for decarbonization, resilience, and improving quality of life. She serves on the Board of the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction, co-chairs the Earthshot Prize Cities Working Group, and participates in advisory bodies for UN-Habitat and the Urban Finance Commission for the Sustainable Development Goals. Previously, she led the World Economic Forum's work on cities, infrastructure, and urban services. She holds a degree in environmental planning from Queen's University Belfast, an MBA from University College Dublin, and a master's degree in global leadership from the World Economic Forum. She is also a chartered member of the Royal Town Planning Institute.
 Shirley RodriguesMember of the C40 Cities Board of Directors and Former Deputy Mayor of London Shirley Rodrigues is a member of the C40 Cities Board of Directors, Chair of the Breathe Cities Advisory Committee, and a Commissioner for Our Common Air. In these roles, she works to reduce air pollution and its effects on public health and the climate. From 2016 to 2024, she served as London's Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, where she led globally recognized initiatives to address the climate emergency, improve air quality, and restore urban nature. During her tenure, she oversaw the implementation and expansion of London's Ultra Low Emission Zone-the largest clean-air zone of its kind in the world-and developed inclusive policies to help the city achieve net-zero emissions by 2030 and strengthen its resilience to climate impacts. Previously, she led the global climate finance portfolio at the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, where she developed the organization's first cities strategy and supported climate initiatives in China and Brazil.
 Adriana Soto CarreñoSecretary of the Environment for Bogotá Adriana Soto Carreño is Bogotá's Secretary of the Environment. She has more than 20 years of experience designing and managing environmental public policies and climate change mitigation and adaptation programs. Previously, she served as Deputy Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, an advisor to the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology, and Environmental Studies, and an associate researcher at Fedesarrollo. She also served as Director of The Nature Conservancy for Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru and as Senior Advisor for Latin America at the Wildlife Conservation Society. She served on the boards of the Green Climate Fund of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Colombia's Adaptation Fund. She holds a degree in economics from Universidad de los Andes, where she also earned a master's degree in public policy.
 Paula AcostaChief of the State Institutional Capacity Division, IDB Paula Acosta is Chief of the State Institutional Capacity Division at the IDB. She has more than 25 years of experience designing, implementing, and evaluating public policies, institutional reforms, and multisectoral programs. Before joining the Bank, she held various high-level positions in the Colombian government, including Deputy Minister of Finance, Deputy Minister of Social Security, Deputy Director of the National Planning Department, and Director of the Government Implementation Unit in the Office of the President. She has also served on boards of directors across various sectors and taught at the School of Government at Universidad de los Andes. She holds a degree in industrial engineering from Universidad de los Andes and completed graduate studies in economics at Georgetown University, as well as in public administration and political science at Universidad de los Andes.
 Oliver WiseExecutive Director of the Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence at Johns Hopkins University Oliver Wise is Executive Director of the Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence (GovEx) at Johns Hopkins University. GovEx helps governments use data and artificial intelligence effectively to improve residents' lives. His career spans leadership in using data and Al at the local and federal levels of government. From 2022 to 2025, he served as Chief Data Officer at the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he led data governance programs and strategies on Al and open data. He also served as Acting Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, overseeing the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Previously, he founded and led the New Orleans Office of Performance and Accountability, where he advanced pioneering data-driven tools for public management.
 Juan CorvalánDirector of the Laboratory for Innovation and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Buenos Aires Juan Corvalán is Director of the Laboratory for Innovation and Artificial Intelligence (IALAB) at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) School of Law, the first laboratory of its kind at a law school in Ibero-America. He also serves as Deputy Attorney General for Administrative and Tax Litigation at the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires and directs UBA's Continuing Education Program in Artificial Intelligence and Law. He has extensive experience applying artificial intelligence to the legal field and modernizing public institutions. He holds a PhD in law and a master's degree in artificial intelligence and is a visiting professor at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University in France. He has also collaborated with MIT and delivered presentations before the United Nations, the Organization of American States (OAS), and the French Council of State. He has written numerous books and publications on artificial intelligence, law, and public innovation.
 Fernando de Pablo MartínDirector General of the Digital Office of the Madrid City Council Fernando de Pablo Martín has served as Director General of the Digital Office of the Madrid City Council since July 2020. In this role, he leads the "Madrid Capital Digital" strategy, which aims to drive the digital transformation of both the city and the City Council, as well as develop digital government and municipal strategies for data and artificial intelligence. He holds a degree in telecommunications engineering from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and has more than three decades of experience modernizing the public sector through technology. He served as Director General for the Promotion of E-Government from 2009 to 2011, was a member of the Commission for the Reform of Public Administrations and chaired the State Commercial Corporation for the Management of Innovation and Tourism Technologies (SEGITTUR) from 2017 to 2018. He subsequently served as the Government of Spain's Secretary General for Digital Administration from 2018 to 2020. He has also collaborated with international organizations such as the OECD, the European Union, and the IDB, and has received various awards in recognition of his career achievements.
 María Teresa FernándezSecretary General of the Barranquilla Mayor's Office María Teresa Fernández is Secretary General of Barranquilla. She is an attorney and public management specialist with more than 20 years of experience. In her role, she leads institutional strengthening efforts and builds public-private trust through administrative transparency. She previously served as Secretary of Culture for both the Barranquilla District and the Atlántico Department, promoting efficient, data-driven public policies. In recognition of her outstanding career and social impact, she received the 2022 City Leader Award.
 Adolfo Meisel RocaPresident of Universidad del Norte Adolfo Meisel Roca is President of Universidad del Norte in Barranquilla. He is a leading authority on the economic and social history of the Colombian Caribbean. For more than 15 years, he served as manager of the Cartagena branch of Colombia's central bank, Banco de la República, where he led the Center for Regional Economic Studies and spearheaded the creation of the Regional Compensation Fund. From 2013 to 2018, he subsequently served as a member of the Board of Directors of Banco de la República. He holds a degree in economics from Universidad de los Andes and a specialization in archaeology from Universidad del Norte. He also holds a master's degree and a PhD in economics from the University of Illinois, a master's degree in sociology from Yale University, and completed advanced studies in international economics at the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. He has authored and edited numerous books and articles. His research has focused on regional economic disparities and education's role in reducing poverty and inequality.
 Karen MaguireSenior Counsellor at the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities Karen Maguire is a Senior Counsellor at the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities and a member of the Centre's senior management team. She has more than 20 years of experience at the OECD, where she has led and contributed to work on urban, rural, and local economic development; regional innovation; entrepreneurship; employment and skills; the social economy; and culture. Previously, she managed the OECD's Local Employment and Economic Development Programme and spent more than a decade working with the Regional Development Policy Committee. In these roles, she provided analysis, data, and technical assistance to national and subnational governments to strengthen local development policies. Before joining the OECD, she worked in public policy research at the Urban Institute and in public finance at UBS. She holds a bachelor's degree in economics and sociology from the University of Chicago and a Master's in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School.
 Shuprotim BhaumikPartner at HR&A Advisors Shuprotim Bhaumik is a partner at HR&A Advisors, an economic development and real estate consulting firm with more than 30 years of experience helping clients structure innovative financing approaches and public-private partnerships for large-scale infrastructure and redevelopment projects across the United States and internationally. He has a proven ability to unlock complex development opportunities and deliver financially viable solutions that create lasting value for communities and investors. In Latin America and the Caribbean, he has led teams developing infrastructure and real estate strategies in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica. Before joining HR&A, he led AECOM's economics practice in North America and served as Senior Vice President at the New York City Economic Development Corporation.
 Greg ClarkSenior Advisor on Global Cities and Urban Innovation at New London Architecture Greg Clark is one of the world's leading experts on cities, investment, and sustainable urban transitions. Over more than three decades, he has advised over 400 cities, 50 national governments, and 20 multilateral institutions, including the OECD, the World Bank, the European Investment Bank, and the IDB, as well as global investors and corporations. He has chaired more than 20 international advisory boards supporting cities such as New York, São Paulo, Bogotá, Mexico City, Barcelona, Vienna, and Oslo in reshaping their investment and governance strategies. Previously, he served as Senior Advisor on Cities to the UK Government and as an advisor to HSBC Group on urban affairs. He also chaired the OECD Cities and Regions Forum for 20 years. He has authored numerous books and reports on cities and investment. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to urban and regional economic development.
 Ana María AljureCity Manager, Barranquilla Mayor's Office Ana María Aljure is City Manager for the Barranquilla Mayor's Office. In this role, she coordinates the work of the district secretariats and departments and oversees strategic projects, promoting initiatives that strengthen the city's social, economic, and cultural development. She has extensive experience in public administration at both the district and national levels. At the Barranquilla Mayor's Office, she served as Procurement Coordinator and subsequently as Secretary General from 2016 to 2019. At the national level, she served as Director of Procurement at the National Roads Institute (INVIAS), Vice Minister of Talent and Social Appropriation at the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, and Director General of the Agustín Codazzi Geographic Institute (IGAC). She holds a law degree from Universidad Libre, a specialization in administrative law, a master's degree in law and business administration, and a master's degree in innovation in digital law and legal technology. She further complemented her executive education with a Multinational MBA and an Executive MBA from ESADE, strengthening a strategic vision that integrates leadership, innovation, institutional transformation, and public management for territorial development.
 Roberto Angulo SalazarDistrict Secretary for Social Integration of Bogotá Roberto Angulo Salazar is an economist from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. He holds a master's degree in Economics from Universidad Nacional de Colombia and a master's degree in Urban Economic Development from University College London. He has more than 20 years of experience designing and implementing public policies related to poverty reduction, inequality and social mobility. At Colombia's National Planning Department, he served as Deputy Director for Social Promotion and Quality of Life and National Coordinator of Sisbén, and contributed to the creation of the Multidimensional Poverty Index. He also served as Director of Cash Transfers at the Department for Social Prosperity, where he led programs such as Familias en Acción and Jóvenes en Acción. Before assuming his current position, he participated in the design and coordination of the Bogotá Solidaria system, the precursor to the Guaranteed Minimum Income strategy. He has served as Bogotá's District Secretary for Social Integration since January 2024.
Workshop table moderators Luis SchloeterSenior Specialist in Housing and Urban Development, IDB Luis Schloeter is a senior specialist in the Housing and Urban Development Division of the Inter-American Development Bank. An urban economist and infrastructure project manager with over 15 years of experience, he works on topics including urban financing, public-private investment, public asset management, value capture, and resilience. He has participated in programs and studies across various Latin American and Caribbean countries, developing tools to evaluate the economic benefits of investments and strengthen cities' capacity to finance and execute urban projects. He holds a Master of Science in Urban Economic Development from University College London, with a dissertation on evaluation of public-private partnerships in urban transportation in Latin America, and a Master's degree in Urban Planning and International Development from New York University.
 Laura Feliza VélezEarly Childhood Development Consultant, IDB Laura Feliza Vélez is an Early Childhood Development Consultant at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), where she advises the regional Early Childhood Development team on governance, institutional architecture, quality assurance, and early childhood mental health. She has more than 15 years of experience in social protection public policies, working with government agencies, multilateral organizations, and international institutions. Previously, she served as Deputy Director of Technical Management for Early Childhood Services at the Colombian Institute for Family Welfare (ICBF), where she led the implementation of Colombia’s comprehensive early childhood development policy. She holds a degree in Psychology from Universidad de los Andes and a Master of Social Work (MSW) from New York University (NYU).
 Benjamín RosethSenior Specialist in State Modernization, IDB Benjamín Roseth is a senior specialist in State Modernization at the IDB based in Bogotá, Colombia, coordinating the Bank's work in this country on public management and digital governance. He leads the IDB's knowledge agenda on digital government and coordinates state modernization work in the country. He has led research on digital transformation, simplification of administrative procedures, automation, and quality of public services, contributing to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of public administration. Benjamín holds a Master's degree in International Relations with a specialization in Economic Development from Columbia University.
 Pedro GaraySenior Sector Advisor, IDB Pedro V. Garay is a Sector Senior Advisor at the IDB, based in Washington, D.C., a position he has held since August 2021. Before taking on this role, he served in the same organization as Lead Economist, Senior Economist, Counselor, and Country Economist, developing a sustained career in economic analysis and advisory services for the Latin America and Caribbean region. His profile combines experience in technical leadership, strategic advisory, and work on international economic development issues. He is an economist by training and has postgraduate studies and specializations from institutions such as Kansas State University, Harvard Kennedy School, and Columbia University, in addition to a Master's degree in Economic Sciences from the National University of Tucumán.
 Matías LinceSpecialist in Housing and Urban Development, IDB Matías Lince is a specialist in Housing and Urban Development at the IDB. An architect and urban planner with experience in the design and implementation of housing programs, socio-urban integration, and neighborhood improvement. He has supported operations in Southern Cone countries and participated in studies on housing policies, public spaces, and urban transformation. Previously, he worked as Chief of Cabinet in the General Directorate of Housing Improvement in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Among his recent work are research studies on housing improvement programs and the urban integration experience of Barrio Mugica in the Argentine capital. Matías holds a degree in Architecture from the University of Buenos Aires.
 Nathalie BadouiSpecialist in Housing and Urban Development, IDB Nathalie Badoui is currently a specialist in Housing and Urban Development at the IDB based in Brasilia, Brazil. She has over 10 years of experience in urban development, specialized in territorial planning and governance. Additionally, she has focused her work on integrating climate action into urban policies and investments. Before joining the IDB, she was Senior Manager for Integrated Climate Action at the World Resources Institute in São Paulo, Brazil, where she led a pilot program focused on integrating climate action into local priorities and policies. Nathalie holds a Master's degree in Local Economic Development from The London School of Economics and Political Science and a Master's degree in Urban Development from Sciences Po.
 María Camila QuinteroSpecialist in Housing and Urban Development, IDB María Camila Quintero is a specialist in Housing and Urban Development at the IDB. She has over 10 years of experience in urban development, leading the design, preparation, and implementation of high-value urban investment programs in Latin America and the Caribbean. She has supervised loan operations exceeding US$600 million and technical cooperation programs in urban resilience, improvement of informal settlements, and local economic development. She has extensive experience in high-level engagement with federal and subnational governments, multilateral donors, and civil society in several countries in the region. She holds an Executive Master of Science in Cities from The London School of Economics and Political Science, a Master's degree in Latin American Development from King's College London, and an MBA from Bentley University.
 Sandra BuitragoSpecialist in Disaster Risk Management, IDB Sandra Buitrago is a specialist in the Disaster Risk Management Unit of the Inter-American Development Bank. She works as a specialist consultant in disaster risk management, contributing to the improvement, updating, and quality control of RiskMONITOR, a platform developed by the IDB that facilitates understanding of disaster risks and performance in risk management for member countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. She has experience in risk governance. Sandra holds a degree in Architecture from the National University of Colombia, a Master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the National University of Colombia, and an MBA with a specialization in Financial Management from IEP-CEU Madrid.
 Marta Rubio-CodinaLead Economist and Specialist in Early Childhood Development, IDB Marta Rubio-Codina is a lead economist and specialist in early childhood development in the Social Protection and Labor Markets Division of the IDB. She has extensive experience in the design, implementation, and evaluation of programs and services for early childhood at scale, as well as in measuring their quality and outcomes in child development. She has co-designed modules on this subject for national surveys in Mexico and Ecuador. Her research has been published in academic journals such as British Medical Journal, PLOS Medicine, Science Advances, Journal of Development Economics, and American Economic Review. Before joining the IDB, she was a senior researcher at the Institute for Fiscal Studies in London. She holds a doctorate in Economics from the University of Toulouse.
 Lamine SowLead Sector Specialist and Coordinator of the Sub-sovereign Financing Program, IDB Lamine Sow is a lead sector specialist and coordinator of the IDB's Sub-sovereign Financing Program. He has extensive experience in analysis and management of sub-sovereign credit risk, evaluation of financing operations, and coordination of programs at the regional level. Before joining the IDB in 2026, he was Director of the French Development Agency for Colombia (2022-2026), Deputy Director of the Regional Directorate for the Southern Cone in Brazil (2018-2022), head of the Credit Risk Assessment Division at AFD (2012-2018), analyst and head of Financial Communication in AFD's Finance Department (2007), and Senior Mission Head at Ernst & Young Audit in Paris (2003-2007). He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and a graduate of ESCP Business School in Paris.
 Ana María PintoHead of the Transport Division, IDB Ana María Pinto is head of the Transport Division of the Inter-American Development Bank. She has over 20 years of experience in the transport and infrastructure industry, specialized in transport policy and planning, infrastructure development, and project management. During her career at the IDB, she has led strategic initiatives that promote regional collaboration and implement sustainable transport solutions. Previously, she worked as Infrastructure Manager at CEMEX and in the National Planning Department, where she expanded her experience in policy formulation and its impact on urban development. She is currently an internal member of the Sanctions Committee of the IDB Group. Ana María holds a Master's degree in Administration and Development Planning from University College London.
 Zoila LlempénSenior Specialist in the Fiscal Management Division, IDB Zoila Llempén is a senior specialist in the IDB's Fiscal Management Division, where she leads technical support for countries across Latin America and the Caribbean seeking to strengthen their fiscal management systems, with an emphasis on the quality of public spending and public investment management. She has more than 15 years of experience in public administration. Before joining the Bank, she held several positions in the Government of Peru, including Director of Public Expenditure Quality and Director General of the Public Budget at the Ministry of Economy and Finance. In these roles, she promoted reforms to improve the efficiency and quality of public spending and played a key role in coordinating financing for the COVID-19 emergency response and supporting the country's economic recovery. Her expertise includes budget management, public investment efficiency, and the incorporation of climate and resilience criteria into national investment systems. She holds a degree in economics from Universidad del Pacífico and a master's degree in public administration and international development from Harvard Kennedy School.
 Mariano CristoforettiTechnical Consultant in Urban Development and Housing, IDB Mariano Cristoforetti is a technical consultant in the Urban Development and Housing Division of the Inter-American Development Bank. A specialist in urbanism, urban policies, and project management with experience in implementing social integration and urban development programs. He has participated in initiatives for informal settlement upgrading and integrated urban planning in Argentina. Previously, he served as head of cabinet in the urbanization of Barrio Mugica in Buenos Aires, where he led social and economic integration strategies, and as provincial director of Strategic Communication in departments of the Government of Buenos Aires Province. He holds a Diploma in Cities and Urban Policies from Torcuato Di Tella University, focused on public policy analysis, and completed a program in Leadership and Political Analysis at CIAS University Institute.
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