Jo Puri

Dr. Jo Puri is a distinguished leader, renowned for her science-based strategic vision and evidence-based evaluations, who brings more than 28 years of experience in the multilateral sector. An Indian national, Jo was the UN Assistant Secretary General at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) until August 2024. She has experience in evaluating, designing, and implementing loan operations focused on climate finance, gender, nutrition and development portfolios across 100 countries. She has directed large global teams while also leading country advisory services work. She was the lead author of IFAD's strategy (2025-31) and its flagship Rural Development Report focusing on financing for rural transformation. She is also a thought leader on the concept of “resilience credits” and serves as an invited expert by the UNFCCC and UNEP, especially in high level groups focusing on adaptation. From 2017 to 2020, Jo was at the Green Climate Fund (GCF) as the first Head of the Independent Evaluation Office, where her execution of the First Performance Review provided the roadmap for the Fund’s strategic development and funding mechanisms. She also started the behavioral science lab and the data lab at the GCF. She was also the head of evaluation (and deputy executive director) of 3ie and is currently an adjunct associate professor at Columbia University, where she also served as Associate Research Scientist at the Earth Institute. Jo has worked previously at UNEP, UNDP and at the World Bank, and has published widely.