Economist, Environmental Pioneer, Human Rights Advocate, and Spiritual Leader

Visionary leader with nearly three decades of distinguished service at the World Bank and United Nations, pioneering integrated approaches to global challenges across economic, environmental, social, and spiritual dimensions.

PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

First Environmental Economist at the World Bank. Pioneered frameworks integrating environmental considerations into macroeconomic policy, influencing over 50 country programs. Special Representative to the United Nations (1996-2003). Represented the World Bank at the highest diplomatic levels, influencing key international resolutions. Institutional Focal Point on Human Rights. Integrated human rights into development financing, impacting multi-billion dollar projects. Founder, Zambuling Institute for Human Transformation. Global platform advancing spiritually-informed approaches to economics and governance. Author of over 100 publications shaping global discourse on economics, sustainable development, and spirituality.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Zambuling Institute for Human Transformation | Founder and President | Santiago, Chile | 2005 - Present Global institute integrating human values into economic and public policy frameworks. Advisory services delivered to over 50 international organizations, governments, and civil society groups.

The World Bank | Senior Adviser to the Managing Director | Washington D.C. | 2003 - 2005 Strategic counsel on human rights integration, directly advising the Managing Director on high-stakes policy and diplomatic engagements.

The World Bank | Director and Special Representative to the UN | Geneva | 1999 - 2003 Principal liaison between the World Bank and the UN system. Represented the Bank at the WTO and served as Institutional Focal Point on Human Rights.

The World Bank | Director and Special Representative to the UN | New York | 1996 - 1999 Cultivated strategic partnerships with over 20 UN bodies. Advanced sustainable development principles within UNDP and ECOSOC.

The World Bank | Principal Natural Resource Economist & Green Team Leader | 1993 - 1996 Mainstreamed environmental considerations across over 100 Bank operations.

The World Bank | Principal Evaluation Officer | 1987 - 1993 Led evaluations across hundreds of World Bank projects. Authored the Annual Review of Evaluation Results of 1987.

The World Bank | Principal Economist, West Africa | 1983 - 1987 Formulated macroeconomic policies across Senegal, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Chad, and Gambia.

The World Bank | First Environmental Economist | 1977 - 1983 Authored foundational policy papers on fisheries, forestry, land management, and biodiversity.

Banco Central de Chile | Macroeconomist | 1968 - 1972 Research on monetary policy, interest rate policy, and credit allocation.

Universidad Católica de Valparaíso | Professor of Economics | 1968 - 1972

PUBLIC LEADERSHIP

Presidential Candidate, Chile, 2013 — sustainable development platform, 2.35% of national vote. Senatorial Candidate, Maule Region, 2017 — environmental protection and climate action platform.

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Natural Resources & Economic Development | University of Wisconsin, Madison | 1976 M.Sc., Resource Economics | University of Wisconsin & University of Rhode Island | 1974 B.A. in Economics & Commercial Engineering | Universidad de Chile | 1970 Executive Education | Harvard University

SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP

Spiritual Teacher and Master | 2000 - Present. Pioneer of Spiritual Medicine. Mayan Priest (Kamalbe), known as Chul Chulul. Buddhist Spiritual Leader, known as Dzambling Cho Tab Khen (World Healer). Founder of Neljor Sa (Earth Yoga) and the Latin American Network of Socially Engaged Buddhism.

SELECTED AWARDS

2025 Eirene Award, World Peace Organization. 2023 World Growth Forum Person of The Year. Diamond Peace Award (2005). Lifetime Ambassador of Peace (2001). World Healer Award (2002). Honorary Doctorate in Science, International Free University for Alternative Medicine.

GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT

Keynote speaker at the World Summit for Social Development, Rio+20, and the World Civil Society Forum. Featured at UN forums including ECOSOC and the Commission on Human Rights. Lecturer at Harvard, Oxford, London School of Economics, McGill, and DePaul.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Healing Our Planet, Healing Ourselves (2020). Conscious Sustainability Leadership (2020). Human Rights-based Sustainable Development (2013). El Tao de la Política (2017). Spirituality, Economics And Sustainable Development (2000). Over 100 policy papers on economics, human rights, and global development.

LANGUAGES

English (Fluent), Spanish (Native), French (Intermediate), Portuguese (Comprehension)

PERSONAL

Born in Santiago, Chile, September 26, 1947. Father of three and grandfather of seven. Committed to integrating economic, social, environmental, and spiritual dimensions toward a more just and sustainable world.