Jaime Díaz Palacios Email & Phone Number

Guatemala

Executive VP | Economic Growth | Integration Finance for Development | Infrastructure | Strategy | Operations | Impact

Cambridge, Massachusets

"The Edward S. Mason Program Mid-Career Master in Public Administration (Mason Program) is the oldest international program at Harvard University and a flagship international program" (www.hks.harvard.edu). After working as an economist, and working for solutions in public policy I joined a group of leaders engaged in solving complex problems around the world. Some skills developed:- Digital adaptation. In response to Covid19, I leveraged digital platforms to collaborate with… Show more "The Edward S. Mason Program Mid-Career Master in Public Administration (Mason Program) is the oldest international program at Harvard University and a flagship international program" (www.hks.harvard.edu). After working as an economist, and working for solutions in public policy I joined a group of leaders engaged in solving complex problems around the world. Some skills developed:- Digital adaptation. In response to Covid19, I leveraged digital platforms to collaborate with teams, to learn, and to deliver results. Flexibility and agility. - Managing in developing contexts. Thoughtful methods and practical ideas for policy implementation and project management. Some methods include plan-control, delivery units, agile, PDIA.- Complex and adaptive systems. Methods for 'systems thinking' for "analyzing modern systems that embody technological and social elements and operate within a changing environment." Some method includes Monte Carlo simulations, System Dynamics, and Agent-based Modeling, with applications for infrastructure, especially water, energy, transport, telecom, and others.-Analytics edge. Use data analytics to transform businesses and industries with applications in finance, justice, online platforms, transport, food distribution, energy, fairness bias, safeguards. Methods learned to include regression trees, random forests, text analytics, deep learning, stochastic optimization, clustering, social networks, etc.-Development strategy and digital competition. Analytical tools "to assess the development challenges faced by countries and regions" for economic development. A systematic way of thinking about competition issues in the New Economy, including ride-hailing apps, OTA, e-commerce, smartphones, smart cities, fintech, etc.-Skills developed with training and simulations: multiparty negotiations; verbal and written communication; persuasion; adaptive leadership. Show less

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Advised a multi-stakeholder international policy platform to deliver sustainable development solutions under complex situations and significant levels of uncertainty. I was responsible to represent the five countries of Central America (CA), out of eight covered in our office. Some skills developed during this work experience:►Critical thinking: in every project or board meeting, I advised throughout the identification of potential risks and opportunities and helped to advance in… Show more Advised a multi-stakeholder international policy platform to deliver sustainable development solutions under complex situations and significant levels of uncertainty. I was responsible to represent the five countries of Central America (CA), out of eight covered in our office. Some skills developed during this work experience:►Critical thinking: in every project or board meeting, I advised throughout the identification of potential risks and opportunities and helped to advance in adaptive challenges. Led the advisors’ working group for the Audit Committee, assessing regular financial matters and critical policy changes, including the approval of the financial sustainability framework, a crisis buffer, or the implementation of IFC 3.0. ►Ensemble learning to solve complex problems: I worked to create an environment of shared knowledge and commit to mutual understanding from the perspective of developing countries. Advised the Board’s work program, with a focus on macro, trade, development effectiveness, and operations, with more than 200 assignments, from which 30% were strategic issues and 50% operational. ►Analyzed disruptive infrastructure projects, including the authorization of InfraVentures in 2018, the approval of scaling solar in Egypt, and the Nachtigal Hydropower project. ►International negotiation and diplomacy: Negotiated and positioned several initiatives as representative of Central America. Participated as a Regional Representative in the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) or the Group of 24 (G24). As a result increase in voice for Central America. Led the creation of the Central American Staff Association for the IMF/WBG staff. ►Client focus: engaged with World Bank Management from the perspective of CA transmitting the needs of borrowing countries. For more information follow these links:●http://www.worldbank.org/en/about/leadership/directors/eds18●http://www.gafspfund.org/●https://www.g24.org/ Show less

Washington D.C. Metro Area

I worked to advise the Executive Director for Mexico, Central America, Venezuela and Spain to provide clear and precise guidance to management on strategic and on corporate, regional and country level issues; to exercise oversight over operational, financial and institutional matters; and to approve financial resources by all World Bank Group entities. Some few goals comprise:►Evaluate strategic business perspective: developed analytical tools to understand the value of different… Show more I worked to advise the Executive Director for Mexico, Central America, Venezuela and Spain to provide clear and precise guidance to management on strategic and on corporate, regional and country level issues; to exercise oversight over operational, financial and institutional matters; and to approve financial resources by all World Bank Group entities. Some few goals comprise:►Evaluate strategic business perspective: developed analytical tools to understand the value of different scenarios presented during the negotiation of the shareholding in the Committee of Governance, such that the executive director and governors understand the key variables, the different options and they make informed decisions towards a compromise on the adoption of a new dynamic formula to allocate shares for new capital increases. ►Convey stakeholders to share knowledge: I worked to enhance partnerships among representatives from the private sector, civil society and government with the World Bank. Also, I worked to share knowledge through my participation in public forums as key speaker in high level events, such as the Green Innovation Days (Seoul, 2016) and Industry Competitiveness and Jobs Panel (Washington, 2017).►In-Depth understanding of relevant corporate decisions: providing feedback through reports, presentations, statements and oral interventions in board program ranging from the World Development Report in Governance (2016) to the approval of the new environmental and social safeguards policy. In general, I contributed with key business perspectives to the Board of Directors Work Program and engaged with different committees such as the Development Effectiveness to assess the impact of investments from the World Bank Group or specific operations in the region of Central America and Africa. For more information check out this link:●http://www.kgreengrowthpartnership.org/#Featured-Stories Show less

Guatemala

I led a brilliant team of professionals to design, to coordinate and to monitor the implementation of the National Agenda for Competitiveness. Acting secretariat of a high-level Steering Committee, with members of the private sector in a public-private council that oversaw the strategy. I had the opportunity to work as the director of the program and mentor in this organization, by delivering:►Organizational change. I led a team to effectively prepare and implemented a strategy to… Show more I led a brilliant team of professionals to design, to coordinate and to monitor the implementation of the National Agenda for Competitiveness. Acting secretariat of a high-level Steering Committee, with members of the private sector in a public-private council that oversaw the strategy. I had the opportunity to work as the director of the program and mentor in this organization, by delivering:►Organizational change. I led a team to effectively prepare and implemented a strategy to promote, assess and monitor reforms for competitiveness. Results: overall improvement of 60% of sub-indicators of the World Competitiveness Report and considered by the World Bank as Doing Business top reformers. ►Institutional sustainability. I designed an organizational model based on results with feedback mechanisms to adapt as challenges happen during implementation. The program grew from 12 to 45 staff based on results. The budget increased over 5x in 2015 compared to 2012. ►Evidence-based policymaking. Managed to become eligible for the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) to design projects for inclusive growth. Improved Guatemala's scorecard and carried out a study for binding constraints for development to prioritize areas for intervention. The investment project to enhance governance, infrastructure investment and human capital added up to USD28 million. ►Regional leader on competitiveness. Led as Chair of the Americas Competitiveness Forum, 2015. Coordinated the Northern Triangle Plan Alliance for Prosperity for Guatemala, 2014. Shared in the region our experiences to enable the business environment. For more information:● https://www.pronacom.gt/● https://www.mcc.gov/where-we-work/program/guatemala-threshold-program● http://riacnet.org/steering-committee-meeting-of-the-inter-american-competitiveness-network/ct_147/en/● https://www.iadb.org/es/project/GU0163 Show less

Guatemala

Alma Matter. Universidad Francisco Marroquin was a place to thrive intellectually and to nurture academic excellence. Most of my teachers are my mentors, and I admire the career of many of my students. During my work as professor of UFM, I remark some of the courses taught and some achievements:►taught Econometrics, Macroeconomics, Advance Macroeconomics, Stata, Law and Economics, Introduction to Economics, Seminar on Entrepreneurship, Advance seminar on economics. ►I was the… Show more Alma Matter. Universidad Francisco Marroquin was a place to thrive intellectually and to nurture academic excellence. Most of my teachers are my mentors, and I admire the career of many of my students. During my work as professor of UFM, I remark some of the courses taught and some achievements:►taught Econometrics, Macroeconomics, Advance Macroeconomics, Stata, Law and Economics, Introduction to Economics, Seminar on Entrepreneurship, Advance seminar on economics. ►I was the youngest professor to teach Econometrics in the Department of Economics. ►Implemented workshops to teach the use of software for econometric analysis such as Eviews and Stata. Implemented and led the first team of users of Stata at UFM.►Prepared presentations, module assessment, and exam papers for the students to practice.For more information check out this link:● https://fce.ufm.edu/ Show less

Guatemala

Coordinated the first research team to measure the national level of entrepreneurship in Guatemala, in partnership with the Global Entrepreneurship Research Association (GERA), led by Babson Colleague.►Completed a sound instrument for measuring entrepreneurship in Guatemala, at micro level with representation at a national level, by building a consistent sampling technique with the national household surveys; complying the international standards of measurement; and taking into… Show more Coordinated the first research team to measure the national level of entrepreneurship in Guatemala, in partnership with the Global Entrepreneurship Research Association (GERA), led by Babson Colleague.►Completed a sound instrument for measuring entrepreneurship in Guatemala, at micro level with representation at a national level, by building a consistent sampling technique with the national household surveys; complying the international standards of measurement; and taking into consideration local characteristics and idiosyncratic matters. ►Coordinated the first national report for Guatemala and contributed in communicating this novel product that helps to understand entrepreneurship at the country level and enables to compare it internationally. ►Represented the national team in the annual discussions of the GERA where key discussions about the instrument of GEM and main uses were discussed and shared. Show less

Guatemala

Recommended and assessed a diverse set of economic policy options by rigorous research, using quantitative and qualitative methods for key challenges in job creation, macro, and trade, public finance, and productivity. Personally, CIEN was the best place to start working. I consider it as a network of highly regarded professionals in the policy stadium with inspiring ideas for development. While I worked in every area (and with all the directors), I thrived working in the economics… Show more Recommended and assessed a diverse set of economic policy options by rigorous research, using quantitative and qualitative methods for key challenges in job creation, macro, and trade, public finance, and productivity. Personally, CIEN was the best place to start working. I consider it as a network of highly regarded professionals in the policy stadium with inspiring ideas for development. While I worked in every area (and with all the directors), I thrived working in the economics department to develop systematic answers to problems deemed by high complexity in the development arena. CIEN trained me but also allowed me to coach new economists joining this center. My work at CIEN included:►Counsel to solve key development problems. My research contributed to design policy guidelines used by several public officials, civil society organizations and private sector organizations in the areas of macroeconomic policy, institutional economics, public finance, and private sector development.►Provided a high level of guidance. I co-authored several books on the topics of the informal economy, worked in research papers for private sector development; assessed the impact of policies of trade and economic integration; evaluated fiscal reforms; and researched on the grounds of entrepreneurship and productivity. I was able to implement sophisticated econometric tools using micro-data or macroeconomic variables. Regularly, presented updates of the macroeconomic variables using parametric and non-parametric models. ►Communicate key messages to policymakers. During my work at CIEN, I constantly worked by facilitating courses, press conferences and informed the key findings of the investigation we performed. Show less

London, United Kingdom

Master Of Public Administration - Mpa

Researcher, Impact Investment

Activities and Societies: https://www.hbs.edu/impact-investments/Pages/default.aspx Contributed studying the universe of impact investors.

Msc In Economics, Economics, Development

Bachelor Of Science (Bsc), Economics

Teaching Faculty

Teacher for the Leadership and Ethics A course.

Msc. Economics, Economics