Founder and Co-owner of Companies in several industries in Latin America
Founding CEO of the Global Adaptation Institute
Chairman World Economic Forum Council on Climate Change
Former Managing Director of the World Bank Group
Former Minister of Finance of El Salvador

Dr. Juan José Daboub, Ph.D. is the Founding Chief Executive Officer of the Global Adaptation Institute (www.gain.org) and the Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Climate Change (www.weforum.org). He has taught at Princeton University and is a member of several Boards of Directors, including in the USA, The United Arab Emirates, and Central America. He owns and co-owns companies in El Salvador and in the USA.

As Managing Director of the World Bank, from 2006 to 2010, Dr. Daboub oversaw operations in 110 countries in Africa, the Middle East, East Asia and Latin America. He was also responsible for the oversight of the Human Development and Sustainable Development Networks, the Information Systems Group, the World Bank Institute, and the Department of Institutional Integrity.

Prior to the World Bank, Dr. Daboub joined with El Salvador’s President Francisco Flores to develop the non-profit organization America Libre Institute. As leader of that organization, Dr. Daboub implemented proven public policies to promote liberty, stability and growth throughout Latin America.

From 1999 to 2004, Dr. Daboub served concurrently as El Salvador’s Minister of Finance and as Chief of Staff to President Flores. In these high profile dual roles, Dr. Daboub helped to navigate his native country through several regional economic challenges including securing and sustaining El Salvador’s investment grade rating, “dollarizing” the economy, and completing a Free Trade Agreement with the United States. During this period, he also oversaw the emergency reconstruction of El Salvador after two major earthquakes in 2001.
Dr. Daboub’s leadership began in the private sector, where he led his family-owned businesses for nearly a decade before joining the Board of CEL, El Salvador’s electric utility, and presiding over El Salvador’s electric distribution companies.

Subsequently, he was named President of ANTEL, the state-owned telecommunications company, which he re-structured and privatized through a competitive and transparent process that also de-monopolized that strategic sector. He held high Government positions in El Salvador for 12 years (1992-2004), working for three different Administrations without belonging to any political party.

Dr. Daboub holds a Bachelors of Science, Masters of Science and a PhD in Industrial Engineering from North Carolina State University. He is married with four children.