Council of the Americas Welcomes Felipe Jaramillo as Co-Chair of Its Trade Advisory Group

Washington, DC, March 18, 2022 — Council of the Americas (COA) is pleased to welcome Carlos Felipe Jaramillo, vice president for Latin America and the Caribbean Region at the World Bank, as co-chair of COA’s Trade Advisory Group (TAG). Jaramillo joins Christopher Padilla, vice president for government and regulatory affairs at IBM, in co-chairing the TAG, a leading platform for policy-level idea generation and guidance related to hemispheric trade and investment.

In joining TAG, Jaramillo pointed to the challenges facing the region as countries seek to restore growth following two years of pandemic uncertainty and global instability. “The only way that growth can be assured in the long-term is for governments, the private sector, and multilateral institutions like the World Bank to work together to promote trade and investment, with the goal of creating prosperity and improving the well-being of all people in the Americas,” Jaramillo said.

Welcoming Jaramillo as co-chair, Padilla highlighted his regional expertise and long-time advocacy of trade as a major driver of growth. “It’s a pleasure to join with someone of Felipe’s caliber to promote private sector-led trade and investment in the Americas. Felipe and his team at the World Bank are helping governments and businesses work together to fuel sustainable and equitable growth," said Padilla. "He will bring an even greater breadth of perspective and knowledge to the Trade Advisory Group as we advocate for policies that help the region’s entrepreneurs, companies and communities thrive.”

Eric Farnsworth, vice president of COA in Washington, DC, added, “Felipe’s commitment to rules-based trade and inclusive growth is second to none among regional experts, and he puts his beliefs into action every day from his post at the World Bank. We are truly grateful for his willingness to join our members in promoting strategic thinking about the broader hemispheric trade agenda, especially as leaders prepare to meet for the Summit of the Americas in June.”

In advance of the first U.S.-hosted Summit of the Americas in a generation, Council of the Americas is stressing the need for leaders to promote trade as an integral element of the Summit and broader hemispheric agenda.

Press contact: mediarelations@as-coa.org

Carlos Felipe Jaramillo oversees World Bank relations with 31 countries and a portfolio of ongoing projects, technical assistance and grants of almost $32 billion. A Bank official for over two decades, his previous roles include positions as senior director of the Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment Global Practice and as country director in the Latin America and Caribbean Region. Prior to joining the Bank, Jaramillo held positions in Colombia’s Ministry of Finance, Central Bank, Ministry of Trade, and National Planning Department. Jaramillo holds an M.A. and a Ph.D in development economics from Stanford University.

The Trade Advisory Group (TAG) is made up of Council member representatives and invited experts, the TAG advocates for open markets, trade facilitation, and rules-based trading systems in the Western Hemisphere. Over the past decade, the TAG has supported trade promotion agreements between the United States and regional partners. The TAG was an early supporter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, and strongly advocated for the passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on trade.

Founded over 50 years ago, Council of the Americas is the premier international business organization whose members share a common commitment to economic and social development, open markets, the rule of law, and democracy throughout the Western Hemisphere. The Council's membership consists of leading international companies representing a broad spectrum of sectors, including banking and finance, consulting services, consumer products, energy and mining, manufacturing, media, technology, and transportation.