Jorge A. Godoy is an Investment Officer in IFC’s Financial Institutions Group (FIG) in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region. He is currently based in Mexico City and has been with IFC since 2016. Like many IFC staff, Jorge finds immense purpose in his work and its positive impact on the wider world. At IFC, he combines his passion for global finance with meaningful work, building a fulfilling and dynamic career. In this interview, Jorge shares how he became interested in international development, his perspectives on financial inclusion, and his proudest moments at IFC.
Please tell us about yourself.
Born in Managua, Nicaragua, my journey took a defining turn at just one year old when my family moved to Honduras. I remember being nine years old in school, when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I confidently said ‘Economist’ because I heard it meant I’d get to work in a bank—and I wanted to be a banker. Since then, I’ve lived in six different places, embracing each experience along the way. Years later, I pursued that childhood dream, majoring in Economics and launching my career at a local private bank in Nicaragua. After a few job changes and graduate studies, I discovered my true calling: banking with purpose. I believe in financial inclusion and its power to fight poverty.
Since 2006, I've worked in development finance, starting at the grassroots level in rural Nicaragua and rising to IFC. Along the way, I've been fortunate to have my amazing parents and sisters, a fantastic partner, and my brilliant six-year-old daughter, who reminds me daily of the importance of creating equal opportunities for girls and women to make this a livable planet for everybody.
When did you join IFC and what does your work involve?
I joined IFC's FIG department in 2016 working as an Investment Officer in Panama and later Mexico leading impactful investments across Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. In 2022, I shifted to FIG’s Banking on Women (BOW) team in Washington, DC, supporting regional teams in integrating gender perspectives into all kinds of investments. I also spearheaded FIG’s inclusive finance business, focusing on the gender and climate intersection, and co-managed our relationship with the Goldman Sachs Foundation for blended finance resources under the Women Entrepreneurs Opportunity Facility (WEOF).
WEOF is a partnership between Goldman Sachs and IFC that provides financing and support to women-owned small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in emerging markets.
In March 2025, I returned to FIG and LAC, based in Mexico, to continue strengthening financial sector partnerships and advance sustainable finance and financial inclusion.
What is your proudest moment at IFC?
I've had some pretty memorable moments in my career at IFC, but two really stand out businesswise.
First, during the pandemic between March and September 2020, I led three investment projects simultaneously for what are probably the three most important banks in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and El Salvador.
Joining IFC's BOW team was another defining moment. In my first year, we doubled financing for women-owned SME's to over US$800 million globally. By FY24, FIG more than doubled its gender inclusive finance delivery, reaching US$3.19 billion in new commitments – the most gender inclusive year in IFC history. As I return to LAC, BOW has now invested and mobilized over US$10 billion across 307 financial institutions in 83 Emerging Market and Developing Economy (EMDE) countries, driving support for women and women-led businesses.
Beyond business milestones, one of my proudest achievements was being a finalist for the 2023 World Bank Group Mentor of the Year award. Coaching and mentoring junior staff remains a passion of mine as I believe it is essential for strengthening our institution's values.
Are you a dedicated professional interested in contributing to the World Bank Group’s mission to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet? If so, please review our open roles and consider joining IFC.