Ilan Goldfajn
Ilan Goldfajn | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 12, 1966 Haifa, Israel |
| Occupation | Economist |
| Known for | Governor of the Central Bank of Brazil, Director of IMF Western Hemisphere Department, President of the Inter-American Development Bank |
Ilan Goldfajn (; born 12 March 1966) is an economist with dual Israeli-Brazilian nationality, who has served as governor of the Central Bank of Brazil and as director of the International Monetary Fund's Western Hemisphere Department. In December 2022, he assumed the presidency of the Inter-American Development Bank.
Biography
Born in Haifa, Israel, Goldfajn completed his undergraduate studies in economics at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He obtained a master's degree from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro and earned his doctoral degree at MIT, where he was advised by Stanley Fischer and Rudi Dornbusch.
In May 2016, Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles appointed him as governor of the Central Bank of Brazil. During his tenure, Goldfajn implemented regulatory reforms that facilitated entry for new competitors in Brazil’s financial services industry, fostering innovation, digital transformation, and the expansion of fintech. His initiatives enhanced the competitiveness of Brazil’s financial markets.
Goldfajn received recognition as central banker of the year by The Banker in 2017 and was honored as best central banker by Global Finance magazine in 2018.
He was designated Director of the IMF's Western Hemisphere Department in September 2021, commencing his role in January 2022. In this capacity, he contributed to IMF programs tackling economic issues across the region and played a key role in developing climate-related policy frameworks, notably the IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Facility.
Following his election as president of the Inter-American Development Bank in November 2022, he officially began his mandate in December.
Goldfajn’s experience in the private sector includes positions such as chief economist and partner at Itaú Unibanco, founding partner at Ciano Investimentos, partner and economist at Gávea Investimentos, as well as chairman of Credit Suisse Brazil's Advisory Board.
He has provided consultancy services to organizations including the World Bank, United Nations, and IMF. Additionally, he has taught economics both in Brazil and the United States and authored numerous publications. Goldfajn is fluent in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and Hebrew.
Bibliography
- Francesco Giavazzi, Ilan Goldfajn, Santiago Herrera, Inflation Targeting, Debt, and the Brazilian Experience, 1999 to 2003, MIT Press, 2005, ISBN 978-0-262-07259-5
- Ilan Goldfajn, André Minella, Capital Flows and Controls in Brazil: What Have We Learned?, National Bureau of Economic Research, 2005