The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has announced the selection of Daniel Best, who previously served as director of projects, as the institution’s seventh president.

The board of the CDB explained that its decision to appoint Best, a Barbados native, underscores its commitment to visionary leadership and sustainable development across the Caribbean region

“Mr Best brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the region’s development challenges and opportunities. With a distinguished career spanning over 20 years in development finance, policy planning, and infrastructure investment, he is well-positioned to lead the CDB into its next chapter of impactful regional transformation,” a release from the bank outlined.

As president, Best will oversee the CDB’s strategic direction, focusing on its core mandate to reduce poverty and inequality while fostering inclusive and sustainable growth. The bank, under Best’s leadership, will continue building on its legacy of addressing emerging challenges and leveraging opportunities in a rapidly changing global landscape.

With nearly three decades of experience in infrastructure development, development finance, project management, and strategic leadership, Best has split that time between the public and private sectors across the Caribbean and contributed significantly to advancing sustainable development in the region.

“Mr Best has worked with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) for over 15 years holding progressively senior positions, including director of the Projects Department. In this role, he managed the bank’s investment lending and grant portfolios and played a key role in fostering strategic partnerships with global and regional institutions,” the CDB shared.

The newly appointed president of the CDB currently serves as senior infrastructure and development advisor to the Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley – on secondment from CDB.

A holder of a Master of Business Administration from the University of Durham in England, Best also earned a master’s in construction engineering and management and a bachelor’s in civil engineering from The University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad. He is also an accredited Project Management Professional.

Best replaces St Lucian Dr Hyginus “Gene” Leon who “ceased to hold the office of the president of the bank” in early 2024 following the conclusion of an “internal administrative process”. In July, the regional bank said it began inviting nominations for the post with a view to end its search in August and announce a replacement in October.

In the interim, Vice President of Operations Isaac Solomon served as acting president while Bahamian economist Therese Turner-Jones, another consideration for CDB president, filled the post of vice-president of operations.