In 2003 Guy Pfeffermann founded the Global Business School Network on the principle that skilled management is critical to successful international development.
After 40 years as an economist at the World Bank, including 15 years as Chief Economist at the International Finance Corporation, he saw too often how lack of management talent was impeding economic and social development in communities throughout the developing world. Now as CEO of GBSN, which started at the IFC and is today an independent nonprofit, Guy oversees programs and events that harness the expertise and passion of a worldwide network of leading business schools to strengthen the institutions and educators who deliver management education for the developing world. GBSN’s unique approach pairs a robust network of experts with efficient administration to build institutional capacity, foster collaboration and disseminate knowledge, all aimed at promoting management education that delivers international best practice with local relevance.
Born in Montauban, France, Mr. Pfeffermann received his Licence en Droit et Sciences Economiques in Paris in 1962 and was awarded first prize, Concours General, a French national inter-university essay competition. He was a Besse scholar at St. Antony’s College, Oxford from 1962-65 and received a B.Litt. (Oxon.) in 1967 for his thesis: “Industrial Labor in Senegal”.
Mr. Pfeffermann joined the World Bank in 1966, where he served as Chief Economist for the Latin America and Caribbean Region from 1979-87 and Chief of Debt and Macroeconomic Adjustment division from 1987-88. He was the Director of the Economics Department and Chief Economist for the International Finance Corporation from 1988-2003. From 2000-2003 he was also an Adjunct Professor at Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies. From 2003-2007, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the GlobalGiving Foundation.
He published “Paths out of Poverty – The Role of Private Enterprise in Developing Countries (IFC, 2000).
His most recent publications (with Nora Brown) include “Empowering tomorrow’s African entrepreneurs and managers: the Global Business School Network,” Journal of International Relations and Development (2011), “Counting on Agribusiness,” SAISPHERE: Growth Ahead for Global Agriculture (2012) and “Leadership and management quality: Key factors in effective health systems”, World Hospitals and Health Services (2012).
He is currently on the Advisory Board of the Association of African Business Schools (AABS)