Anabel González Campabadal

Anabel González Campabadal

Navigating Global Trade, Geopolitics, and Economic Resilience

Core Intelligence Domain: Global Economics & International Trade
Location: Washington, D.C., USA & San José, Costa Rica | Languages: English, Spanish
Representation: Represented globally by PSpeakers Global Intelligence

Anabel González Campabadal is a globally recognised architect of international trade policy, economic development, and strategic investment. Currently serving as the Vice President for Countries at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), she brings decades of high-level multilateral and government leadership to the forefront of global economic strategy. Her strategic foresight into supply chain resilience, geopolitical shifts, and sustainable growth has guided nations, international organisations, and multinational corporations through complex periods of global market volatility.

As a leading authority on the intersection of macroeconomics and geopolitics, Anabel González has operated at the highest echelons of international governance. Before her appointment at the IDB, she served as the Deputy Director-General at the World Trade Organization (WTO), where she facilitated critical global trade negotiations, championed trade integration, and spearheaded initiatives to make international commerce more inclusive and sustainable. Her tenure at the WTO was marked by her efforts to modernise global trade frameworks amidst unprecedented pandemic-related supply chain disruptions and rising geopolitical tensions.

Her distinguished career also includes serving as the Senior Director of the World Bank Group’s Global Practice on Trade and Competitiveness, where she led a vast portfolio of projects across over 100 countries, designing investment climates and driving economic growth programmes. In her home country, as the Minister of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica, she was instrumental in integrating the nation into global value chains, significantly boosting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and leading Costa Rica’s accession process to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Additionally, she served as the Chief Negotiator for the Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) and negotiated monumental free trade agreements with China and the European Union.

Beyond her institutional leadership, Anabel González has contributed profound thought leadership as a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE). Her proprietary research and frameworks focus on reshaping global supply chains, leveraging trade for poverty reduction, and accelerating the transition to a green economy. She is a highly sought-after advisor for C-suite executives and government leaders seeking to decode complex macroeconomic trends and build resilient, future-proof international strategies.

Core Speaking Themes & Strategic Frameworks

• The Future of Global Trade: Deciphering the shifting dynamics of international commerce, tariff policies, and the modernisation of multilateral trade systems.
• Supply Chain Resilience in a Volatile World: Strategic foresight on navigating geopolitical disruptions, nearshoring, friendshoring, and the reconfiguration of global value chains.
• Geopolitics and Economic Security: Understanding how shifting alliances, great power competition, and regulatory changes impact global market access and corporate strategy.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) & Competitiveness: Proprietary insights into creating attractive investment climates, fostering innovation, and driving sustainable economic development.
• Sustainable and Inclusive Growth: Leveraging international trade to accelerate the green transition, empower women in the global economy, and drive poverty reduction in emerging markets.

Career Highlights & Major Achievements

• Vice President for Countries at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) (2023–Present).
• Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) (2021–2023).
• Senior Director of the World Bank Group’s Global Practice on Trade & Competitiveness.
• Minister of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica (2010–2014), leading the country’s OECD accession and major free trade agreements.
• Chief Negotiator for Costa Rica during the CAFTA-DR negotiations.
• Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE).
• Extensive advisory roles globally, including the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Future Councils.

Key Takeaways

• Macroeconomic Foresight: Equip leadership teams with the intelligence required to anticipate global trade shifts and macroeconomic volatility.
• Supply Chain Strategy: Actionable frameworks for mitigating risks associated with supply chain bottlenecks and geopolitical fragmentation.
• Investment Intelligence: Master the dynamics of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to identify high-yield opportunities in emerging and established markets.
• Sustainability as a Growth Driver: Learn how aligning corporate strategy with global green transition goals and inclusive trade policies can unlock long-term profitability.
• Strategic Policy Navigation: Gain an insider’s perspective on how international trade policies are formulated and how businesses can proactively adapt to regulatory changes.