President Daniel Best and the staff of the Caribbean Development Bank mourn the passing of Dr. William Warren Smith, the Bank’s fifth President, who served from 2011 to 2021.
A distinguished Caribbean development practitioner and proud son of Jamaica, Dr. Smith led the Bank through a decade marked by profound global and regional shocks. Under his stewardship, CDB strengthened its role as a trusted development partner, advancing climate resilience, disaster risk management, good governance, and innovative financing solutions for the region.
We extend our deepest condolences to his wife and family, friends, and former colleagues. The Caribbean has lost a giant of the development movement, and we honour a legacy defined by integrity, service, and unwavering commitment to the region’s people.