Mr. Best is the 7th President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the Region’s sole indigenous multilateral development finance institution based in Barbados. A highly professional and diverse leader, Mr. Best was a Senior Infrastructure and Development Advisor to the Office of the Prime Minister of Barbados, seconded from his role as Director, Projects Department at CDB. With over 30 years of experience as a Civil Engineer, Project Management Professional, and Development Banker, he is known for his ability to foster strong working relationships and leading teams to success.

Under his leadership, the CDB Projects Department was able to transform the lives of approximately 1.6mn Caribbean people in the areas of education, access to resilient infrastructure and expansion of inclusive opportunities to women and girls. He not only spearheaded the Bank’s collaboration outreach to other regional IFIs but also led the development of the Bank’s first Sustainable Financing Framework and created the window to mobilise private capital for regional development. Mr. Best graduated from the University of Durham with a Master of Business Administration and holds a Master of Science in Construction Engineering and Management from the University of the West Indies (St. Augustine). He is widely recognised back as a regional authority in the ideation and delivery of resilient inclusive development solutions that meet the transformational needs of the Caribbean. His leadership, professionalism, and understanding of the value of collaborative relationships have been key to his success.

Todd Rosenstock is Director of CGIAR Climate Action, leading global science and partnerships to accelerate adaptation and low-emission development in food, land, and water systems. He brings nearly 20 years of experience, including 14 with CGIAR, working across Africa, Asia, and the Americas and managing multi-institutional teams. Dr. Rosenstock has published widely, including in top-tier journals on adaptation, mitigation, and the prioritization of climate actions, and contributed to the IPCC’s 6th Assessment Report. He is dedicated to ensuring that CGIAR science delivers measurable outcomes for farmers, governments, and development partners globally.