World Banks appoints Juan Pablo Uribe as Division Director for Central America and the Dominican Republic

Panama City, July 7th 2025 - The World Bank has announced the appointment of Juan Pablo Uribe as the new Division Director for Central America and the Dominican Republic, effective July 1, 2025.Uribe will be based at the Bank's regional office in Panama City.

A Colombian national, Uribe brings a distinguished track record in public health, government management, and leadership across both public and private sectors. He joined the World Bank in 2000 as a Health Specialist for Latin America and the Caribbean, later serving as Sector Manager for East Asia and the Pacific. In 2021, he returned to the institution as Global Director for Health, Nutrition, and Population, and also led the Global Financing Facility (GFF).

Before rejoining the Bank, he served as Minister of Health and Social Protection of Colombia from 2018 to 2019. Prior to that, he was General Director of the Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá (2011-2018), among other roles in the private sector.

In his new role, Uribe will lead strategic dialogue and oversee operations in Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic, managing a portfolio of 62 projects totaling $7.6 billion.He will also work closely with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which supports the private sector, and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), which provides political and financial risk guarantees to investors-both part of the World Bank Group. This integrated approach aims to enhance the impact of projects and investments, fostering more sustainable economic development in the region.

His appointment follows a competitive selection process and succeeds Michel Kerf, who will assume the role of Regional Director for Digital Transformation for Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe and Central Asia.

This appointment reinforces the World Bank Group's commitment to working more closely with governments, the private sector, and civil society to build a more prosperous and inclusive future.

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

For more information on the World Bank's work in Panama, visit our website.

Visit us on Facebook.

Stay informed via Twitter.

Watch our YouTube channel.