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Inter-American Development Bank President Luis Alberto Moreno receives honorary degreeThunderbird School of Global Management President Ángel Cabrera awarded the president of the Inter-American Development Bank Luis Alberto Moreno, an honorary Doctor of International Laws during Thunderbird’s graduation ceremony Dec. 12 in Glendale, Ariz. Moreno, who is an alumnus of Thunderbird and the former Ambassador of Colombia to the United States, also delivered the commencement address.

In its 62 year history, Thunderbird has bestowed just 34 honorary degrees. This rare acknowledgement has been awarded to such international figures as: Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Douglas Daft – the former chairman and CEO of Coke, Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater,  Vaclav Havel – the first president of the Czech Republic,  U.S. Ambassador to Finland, Barbara Barrett and Steve Forbes, Chairman and CEO of Forbes and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Magazine.

“Those who Thunderbird has honored with a degree have been selected because they exemplify the ethos of Thunderbird – an abiding respect and understanding of other cultures, high ethical standards, and a belief that business can be a powerful force for creating sustainable prosperity,” Cabrera said. “His tremendous commitment to the ideals for which Thunderbird stands and his unwavering efforts to alleviate poverty, foster peace and stimulate prosperity, make Luis Alberto Moreno more than deserving to join the distinguished fraternity of those who have received an honorary degree from Thunderbird.”

Moreno, who has served as the president of the Inter-American Development Bank since 2005, has had a very distinguished career and been instrumental in numerous efforts that have had a lasting impact on the world. He served as Columbia’s Ambassador to the U.S. for seven years, during which he built strong bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress for passage of more than $4 billion in U.S. assistance programs for Columbia. These resources have contributed to a material positive transformation of the security and economic situation in Colombia. Ambassador Moreno was also instrumental in the renewal and extension of the Andean Trade Preferences Act (ATPA), and was one of the leading promoters of negotiations towards a Colombia-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.

Moreno has served in both the public and private sectors in Columbia, including as a representative for the Andean Region of WestSphere Capital, a private equity firm focusing on investment opportunities in Latin America, and as senior advisor to a $10 billion banking and finance group from 1994 to 1997.

During the administration of President César Gaviria, Moreno worked in the Colombian Government in a variety of leadership positions, including Minister of Economic Development. During his tenure, he modernized the Ministry and its subordinated agencies, and led the design and implementation of Colombia’s industrial policy and competitiveness strategy. He was also in charge of part of the Government’s social investment portfolio, notably its low-income housing strategy. As Minister, he was responsible for the regulation and oversight of all private corporations and the formulation and enforcement of industrial and intellectual property norms. In these areas he cooperated with neighboring governments in the context of what is now the Andean Community of Nations.