Rodrigo Garcia is a Bolivian economist and social entrepreneur who is well versed in private sector development and climate change adaptation. He was, until recently, an economist for the Strategic Planning and Knowledge Division at IDB Invest, the private sector financing branch of the Interamerican Development Bank (IDB) Group. Previously, Rodrigo worked for the World Bank and as a research fellow in the Research Department of the IDB, as well as for Compass Lexecon, one of the largest antitrust consultancy firms in the world. 

Rodrigo is also the co-founder and CEO of Suyana, a startup that offers climate insurance products for farmers in developing countries. The company has been awarded with grants and awards from prestigious institutions, including the Harvard Innovation Lab, Village Capital, and Google for Startups. Rodrigo holds a master’s degree in economics and development (MPA ID) from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Previously, he obtained a master’s degree in the economics of competition and market regulation from the Barcelona School of Economics, and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Tecnologico de Monterrey.

As part of the AsiaGlobal Fellows Program, Rodrigo conducted research on how the US and Chinese economic decoupling and consequent disputes will shape the regulatory and trade environments for digital services in developing countries. This is particularly relevant to how these countries can handle their insertion in global trade and their prospects for local economic growth.