Mexico City, Jan 15: The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, announced the appointment of Sanaa Abouzaid as IFC’s Regional Director for Mexico and Central America.
Abouzaid, who previously served as IFC Country Manager for Mexico, takes on this newly created position as part of IFC’s strategic restructuring in this key geographic area. Due to its high growth potential and its privileged position within global value chains, Mexico and Central America represent a cornerstone for sustainable development across the region.
By fostering a more connected and dynamic market, IFC is betting on regional economic integration as an essential catalyst for the creation of quality jobs and the strengthening of local industries. This integrated vision will help position the region as a priority destination for investments that transform productive structures and improve social well-being.
“My mission is to consolidate the leadership of the private sector as a generator of jobs, strengthen opportunities for collaboration with the public sector, and significantly increase the attraction of new investments,” Abouzaid said. “I take on this role with the commitment to deepen our presence in Mexico and Central America under a vision that prioritizes economic integration as a driver of development.”
The new Regional Director for Mexico and Central America brings extensive knowledge of the region and its needs. Prior to arriving in Mexico last year, Abouzaid served as IFC’s Regional Manager for Central America, based in Panama City. In that role, she oversaw IFC operations in Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala, focusing on strengthening financial systems, expanding access to finance for small and medium enterprises—especially those led by women—and advancing sustainable infrastructure investments through public–private partnerships.
For more than two decades, Abouzaid has worked at IFC with private-sector companies across Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa, Asia, and Africa. She was IFC’s regional Corporate Governance Lead for MENA and is the author of the IFC Family Business Governance Handbook, translated into more than twenty languages. She is a founding member of the Corporate Governance Development Framework for Development Finance Institutions and has played a key role in designing governance methodologies for the sector.
A Moroccan national, Abouzaid holds an MBA in Finance and Investments from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Accounting from ISCAE. She speaks English, French, Arabic, Spanish, and Italian.
The geographic headquarters of IFC’s new Regional Directorate for Mexico and Central America will be in Mexico City.