ST MICHAEL, Barbados – The Board of Governors of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has announced the election of Barbadian Daniel Best as the seventh president of the institution, noting that the appointment underscores the bank’s “commitment to visionary leadership and sustainable development across the Caribbean region.”

Best has nearly three decades of experience in infrastructure development, development finance, project management, and strategic leadership in both the public and private sectors across the Caribbean. Fifteen of those years were spent at the CDB where, as director of the Projects Department, he managed the bank’s investment lending and grant portfolios and played a key role in fostering strategic partnerships with global and regional institutions.

In announcing the decision on Wednesday, the CDB said “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.”

As president, Best will oversee the bank’s strategic direction, focusing on its core mandate to reduce poverty and inequality while fostering inclusive and sustainable growth.
CDB’s vice-president for finance, Trinidadian Gregory Hill and Bahamian Therese Turner-Jones had also been considered for the position.

The newly appointed president holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Durham in England, as well as a Master’s degree in Construction Engineering and Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of the West Indies.