Dr. Vinod Thomas
World Bank Country Director and Vice President (Brazil)

Biography

Vinod Thomas is Country Director for Brazil and Vice President of the World Bank. He has held the position of Country Director since October 2001. Since then, he has overseen the preparation of the Brazil Policy Notes, which helped shape the dialogue with the government; of the Brazil CAS, which sets the framework for Bank assistance to Brazil during the next four years; of over US$ 5.2 billion in seven programmatic structural adjustment and 26 investment operations; and has participated in key events with the government, including as part of the delegation that traveled to India with President Lula. Since Mr. Thomas assumed his position as Country Director, the Bank has significantly expanded its knowledge-based products for Brazil with the creation of a GDLN center in Brasilia and a network of partners throughout the country.

Until 2001, Mr. Thomas was Vice President of the World Bank Institute (WBI), where he sharpened the Institute's focus and quality and expanded its mandate and impact.

Mr. Thomas' expertise includes knowledge-sharing and training, trade policy, macroeconomic adjustment, macro-sectoral links, environmental policy, agricultural policy, urban economics and poverty measures.

Prior to heading WBI, Mr. Thomas held positions as Chief Economist for the World Bank in the East Asia and Pacific Region, Chief Economist for Asia. He was the staff Director for the 1991 World Development Report, entitled “The Challenge of Development” which assessed the world's development experience. He was also Chief of Trade Policy and Principal Economist for Colombia.

He joined the Bank in 1976. From 1979 to 1981, Mr. Thomas was a Visiting Professor and Advisor of Urban Studies at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil. Before joining the Bank, Mr. Thomas lectured at Vassar College. He has a PhD in Economics from of the University of Chicago. He is the author of over 12 books and numerous journal articles.

Panels

	Panel #2 - Assessing the future of Latin America
	Saturday March 6th, 2004 - 9:50 to 11:15 AM