IDB (Inter-American Development Bank)
General Manager, Caribbean Country Department
Therese Turner-Jones has been the IDB’s country representative for Jamaica since 2013. In 2017 her portfolio was expanded when she was promoted to general manager of IDB’s Country Department Caribbean Group (CCB). Her purview spans IDB operations in Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and her home country, the Bahamas.
A trained economist, Mrs. Turner-Jones has over 25 years’ experience in macroeconomics and economic development, with special emphasis on the Caribbean. She served the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in senior posts for over 20 years. She was a former Deputy Division Chief for the IMF’s Caribbean II Division, Western Hemisphere Department and a former advisor to the Executive Director for Canada, Ireland, and the Caribbean. Prior to joining the IMF, Mrs. Turner-Jones served as the Deputy Manager of the Research Department for the Central Bank of The Bahamas. She holds a master’s degree in Economics from the University of East Anglia, United Kingdom. She is also an alumnus of the University of Toronto, and United World Colleges (Lester Pearson College).
She has to her credit five research works with 17 citations including “Caribbean Renewal: Tackling Fiscal and Debt Challenges.” A member of the International Women’s Forum, Mrs. Turner Jones is passionate about financial inclusion, gender equity, children, vulnerable communities and the environment. She is an ardent champion of the IDB’s vision to improve lives in the Caribbean by creating vibrant economies where people are safe, productive, and happy. She believes strengthening client relations, country and civil partnerships are integral to the success of the IDB’s work. A fitness and tennis buff, she is married to Dennis Jones a former IMF economist. They are the proud parents of three daughters; Bronwyn Huggins, Eleanor and Rhian Jones.