About the IDB

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is the largest multilateral provider of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean, with a cumulative lending of $118 billion, offering substantial business opportunities. The Bank has an annual lending capacity of $8.5 billion and is generating business opportunities in the form of approximately 6,000 contracts for goods and services per year. The project pipeline for 2003-2005 includes: $6.3 billion for Transportation; $4.3 billion for Energy, $3.1 billion for Water & Sanitation; $1.5 billion for Urban Development and Housing; and $801 million for Environmental Protection. IDB lending in the past year for projects specifically in the private sector surpassed $415 million (combined loans and guarantees of the Multilateral Investment Fund and Private Sector Department), and mobilized over $194 million from commercial lenders. For detailed information about the IDB and its activities, we invite you to visit our website, http://www.iadb.org.

Isabel Hagbrink is involved in the coordination of the IDB's outreach programs in its various member countries, including procurement, information, and business development programs. Ms. Hagbrink joined the Private Sector Department of the IDB in 1999 and was involved in project finance work for private infrastructure projects and the hiring of consultants as part of the due diligence of these projects. A Swedish national, Ms. Hagbrink previously worked as the economic and commercial advisor for two years at the Delegation of the European Commission in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. She holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in Business Administration and Economics from the Stockholm School of Economics and an M.A. degree in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Gene Harris has been serving in his present position since September 2002, encouraging and assisting U.S. firms in accessing the IDB's funding in 26 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. From 1998 to 2002, he served as Senior Commercial Officer, U.S. Commercial Liaison Office with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in London. He joined the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service in 1983 and served in increasingly senior Commercial Officer positions based in Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt, in Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire (covering all of West Africa and all of Sub-Sahara Africa for African Development Bank-funded project procurement by U.S. firms), in Dublin, Ireland, and in Nairobi, Kenya (covering 18 countries in East and Central Africa). Mr. Harris holds a Ph.D from Boston University and a a B.A. and M.A. in Government and International Affairs from George Washington University.

Sponsoring Organizations

New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center
Louisiana Economic Development
City of New Orleans
MetroVision Economic Development Partnership
Port of New Orleans
Schaffer & Associates International
World Trade Center of New Orleans

 

In Cooperation With

Ark-La-Tex Regional Export & Technology Center
Baton Rouge Center for World Affairs

Consular Corps of New Orleans

International Center of Lafayette
International Trade Council/Red River Region

Louisiana District Export Council

Louisiana International Trade Center/SBDC

Louisiana Tax Free Shopping

Louisiana Technology Council

World Affairs Council of New Orleans

World Trade Club of Greater New Orleans

Cost: $25 for members of the sponsoring organizations and companies. 
$30 for non-members.

If you are a WTC member, the registration fee can be charged to your account number noted on the registration form. 

Click here for driving directions to the WTC.