Jamal Saghir

Professor of Practice

Jamal Saghir was appointed as a Professor of Practice at ISID in April 2016. He brings to McGill a wealth of experience in development. Mr. Saghir is also Affiliated Scholar at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut; and Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, D.C. He received his MA in economics from Laval University. Mr. Saghir joined the World Bank in 1990.

From 2010 to 2016, he was director of sustainable development and senior regional adviser at the World Bank. He held directorships in water, agriculture and rural development, energy and infrastructure, environment, climate change, transport, and sustainable development. He provided intellectual and operational leadership and managed one of the largest departments of the World Bank Group with over 400 staff. He was responsible for a portfolio of nearly $25 billion.

From 2000 to 2010, he was director and chair of the World Bank Group’s Boards for Water, Energy and Transport. In this capacity, he led the bank’s activities and guided its lending and operational strategy in the energy and infrastructure sectors.

From 1990 to 2000, he served in senior management and leadership roles in a variety of private-sector development organizations, restructuring operations in Africa, Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. He has deep experience in infrastructure project finance, developing innovative financing and risk management instruments, as well as implementing high-profile infrastructure investments, public-sector policy, and private-sector development.

Prior to joining the World Bank, he served as Resident Advisor to the Prime Ministry in Tunisia and Country Director for Scientex Corporation, Center for Privatization (1988-1990), and from 1985-1988, he held the positions of Economic Adviser and Chief of Staff to the Associate Minister of Finance and Privatization in Quebec (Canada). From 1982 to 1985, he served as Economist at the National Assembly of Quebec.

Mr. Saghir was appointed in 2009 by the UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-moon as core member of the United Nations Energy and Climate Change Advisory Group, and he was also appointed as core member of the Global Energy Assessment from 2008-2011. He contributed to the delivery of major reports to the UN Secretary General and international community on Energy and Climate Change. Mr. Saghir has contributed to several publications, essays and books.