Liliana Benitez is a Senior Energy Economist with the World Bank’s Energy Global Practice. Her current work is on power sector reform, investment project finance and innovative business solutions for Middle East and North Africa client countries, with a main focus on energy sector operations and analytics targeting inclusive development and poverty reduction in fragile and post-conflict settings.
Prior to joining the World Bank, Ms. Benitez was a Senior Energy Advisor at the Canadian Federal Government (Department of Natural Resources), where she managed the design and implementation of various programs and policies on: renewable energy, wind-hydrogen-diesel systems for remote communities, and deployment of offshore renewable energy technologies. In this position, she also represented Canada in the Executive Committee of the International Energy Agency's Implementing Agreements on Costs of Wind Energy, Wind-Hydro Integration, and the Social Acceptance of Wind Energy. Prior to joining the Canadian Public Service, she worked as energy economist at the Institute of Integrated Energy System (IIESVic) in Canada, the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Austria, the Stockholm Institute for Transition Economies (SITE) in Sweden, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Ecuador. Ms. Benitez served as assistant professor of applied economics at University of Bucharest and a contributing writer for the economic section of the “Romanian Daily”.
Ms. Benitez holds a Master's degree (with Honors) in Economics from the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest, Romania and a Master's degree in Public Administration from University of Victoria, Canada.
Prior to joining the World Bank, Ms. Benitez was a Senior Energy Advisor at the Canadian Federal Government (Department of Natural Resources), where she managed the design and implementation of various programs and policies on: renewable energy, wind-hydrogen-diesel systems for remote communities, and deployment of offshore renewable energy technologies. In this position, she also represented Canada in the Executive Committee of the International Energy Agency's Implementing Agreements on Costs of Wind Energy, Wind-Hydro Integration, and the Social Acceptance of Wind Energy. Prior to joining the Canadian Public Service, she worked as energy economist at the Institute of Integrated Energy System (IIESVic) in Canada, the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Austria, the Stockholm Institute for Transition Economies (SITE) in Sweden, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Ecuador. Ms. Benitez served as assistant professor of applied economics at University of Bucharest and a contributing writer for the economic section of the “Romanian Daily”.
Ms. Benitez holds a Master's degree (with Honors) in Economics from the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest, Romania and a Master's degree in Public Administration from University of Victoria, Canada.