Private Roundtable: 2022 Economic Outlook for Latin America and the Caribbean

Event Summary This event has passed.

The Inter-American Dialogue is pleased to host a private, off-the-record discussion led by three outstanding experts—Ilan Goldfajn, Bill Maloney and Shelly Shetty—on the outlook for Latin American and Caribbean economies in the year ahead, as well as trends shaping the business environment in key countries of the region.

Last month, Ilan Goldfajn took over as the new director of the Western Hemisphere Department at the International Monetary Fund. Goldfajn was governor of the Banco Central do Brasil from 2016 to 2019. During his term, he was elected Central Banker of the Year by The Banker magazine and was named Best Central Banker by Global Finance magazine. Bill Maloney was named the World Bank’s chief economist for the Latin America and Caribbean region last July. A US national, he joined the Bank in 1998 and has held numerous senior-level positions there. Shelly Shetty is managing director for sovereigns at Fitch Ratings in New York and serves on the board of advisors of the Dialogue’s daily Latin America Advisor publication. She brings more than two decades of experience on Wall Street and Latin American ratings to the discussion.

The session will focus on a variety of questions, including:

  • What is the economic outlook for Latin America and the Caribbean in the year ahead, how much is the pandemic changing it, and what other factors, such as global geopolitical tensions and rising interest rates, are most shaping the region’s economies?
  • What structural problems are holding back the region’s recovery from the pandemic and its consequences? 
  • To what extent are recent and upcoming elections in countries such as Chile, Colombia and Brazil likely to bring major changes in economic policy?
  • How is the region’s business environment evolving, and what sorts of changes and opportunities hold the most promise for improving it?

We anticipate a lively and informed discussion with a group of corporate program members and special guests.

PANELISTS

Ilan Goldfajn

Director of the Western Hemisphere Department, International Monetary Fund (@igoldfajn)

Bill Maloney

Chief Economist for Latin America and Caribbean, World Bank

Shelly Shetty

Managing Director for Sovereigns, Fitch Ratings

MODERATOR

MICHAEL SHIFTER

President, Inter-American Dialogue (@MichaelShifter)