Mr. JAMAL SAGHIR
Mr. Jamal Saghir is an Economist, expert in International Finance, Economic Development and Energy and Infrastructure with over 25 years of experience at the World Bank Group.
Mr. Saghir is currently Professor of Practice at the Institute for the Study of International Development at McGill University, Montreal, Senior Fellow at the Payne Institute, Colorado School of Mines and Distinguished Fellow for Economics and Development at the American University of Beirut. He is also Member of Board of directors of: CICA S.A; SATRAM HUILES SA; SAMC-COMBUSTIBLES SA and SM TANK, Switzerland; FFA Private Bank, Lebanon and Dubai; and the Global Center on Adaptation, Netherlands.
​
From 2010 to 2016, he was Director Senior Regional Adviser at the World Bank. He held directorships in Africa in agriculture and rural development, energy and infrastructure, environment, climate change, water, transport, and sustainable development. He provided intellectual and operational leadership and managed one of the largest departments of the World Bank Group with over 400 staff. He was responsible for a portfolio of nearly $25 billion. From 2000 to 2010, he was Director for Energy, Transport, and Water. In this capacity, he led the World Bank’s activities and guided its strategy, lending and operational strategy in the energy, water and infrastructure sectors. From 1990 to 2000, Mr. Saghir served in senior management and leadership roles in a variety of private and public sector development operations in Africa, Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe and the Middle East and North Africa. In 1999 he served as Sector Manager in the Middle East and North Africa region of the World Bank.
Prior to joining the World Bank, Mr. Saghir served as Resident Advisor to the Prime Ministry in Tunisia and Country Director for Scientex Corporation, Center for Privatization (1988-1990), and from 1985-1988, he held the positions of Economic Adviser and Chief of Staff to the Associate Minister of Finance and Privatization in Quebec (Canada). From 1982 to 1985, he served as Economist at the National Assembly of Quebec.
​
Mr. Saghir was appointed in 2009 by the UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-moon as core member of the United Nations Energy and Climate Change Advisory Group, and he was also appointed as core member of the Global Energy Assessment from 2008-2011. He contributed to the delivery of major reports to the UN Secretary General and international community on Energy and Climate Change. Mr. Saghir has contributed to over 50 publications, essays and books. He holds a B.A and M.A. in economics from Laval University, Canada He has also attended management executive programs at the Harvard Business School, Cambridge University and the International Institute for Management Development (IMD).
He is fluent in English, French, and Arabic.
