Luigi Laraia brings extensive experience to his role as Executive Secretary, drawing on years of service as a Board Member at the World Bank Group. In that capacity, he played a key role in negotiating significant initiatives, including the IPN Toolkit Reform and the establishment of the Accountability Mechanism. From 2023-2025, he served as the Dean’s Advisor, focusing on building multi-stakeholder partnerships, identifying strategic opportunities, and strengthening collaboration between the Board and Management.

Luigi also brings hands-on field experience, having managed United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country-Based Pooled Funds in Khartoum. He also worked as a social expert with the Caribbean Development Bank in Barbados and Haiti. Earlier in his career, he served as a development officer with the Italian Cooperation Agency in Latin America.

An Italian national, Luigi holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Latin American Studies from the University of London and a Master’s degree in Development Studies from the London School of Economics.

In addition to his work in development, Luigi is a passionate playwright. His productions—which explore themes such as sexual violence, climate change, and history—have been staged in New York City, Washington, D.C., Edinburgh, Bonn, and Nairobi, and have received multiple awards.