Ferdinando Regalia, an Italian citizen, is the Manager of the Social Sector (SCL) since October 16th, 2021.
Prior to his appointment, Ferdinando served as the Chief of the IDB Social Protection and Health (SPH) Division. In this capacity, Ferdinando oversaw IDB support to its borrowing member countries’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the areas of social protection and health.
During his tenure as SPH Chief, from 2010 to 2021, Ferdinando and his team led the implementation of innovative public–private partnerships and results-based financing mechanisms to tackle health inequities, such as the Mesoamerica Health Initiative. Ferdinando promoted research activities and projects that fostered quality- and sustainability-enhancing strategies in health, early childhood development and social protection and inclusion services, working on a range of enabling factors, including a more robust adoption of digital tools.
From 2008 to 2009, Ferdinando served as advisor to the Vice President for Sectors and Knowledge of the IDBG, providing quality oversight of operations as well as of the economic and sector research agenda of the Vice Presidency.
In 2007, he served as Chief of Social Policy and Economics at United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in South Africa providing technical assistance on design, financing, and implementation of social protection programs to governments and non-governmental organizations in Southern Africa.
Previously, Ferdinando worked as Social Development Specialist in the former Social Division of the Regional Operations Department 2 of the IDB, which he joined in 2000 as part of the Young Professionals Program.
Ferdinando holds a PhD in Economics from Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, Spain