Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Publications
Languages
Timeline
Generic

Natalia Salazar

Bethesda,MD

Summary

Skilled economist with robust background and over 25 years of experience in economic policy decision and reform-making, technical analysis and research in the fiscal and financial sector area and technical assistance in public financial management topics. Strong focus on team management and collaboration and adapting to changing needs to drive impactful results. Experienced in handling numerous projects at once while ensuring accuracy. Known for reliability and effective communication in high-stakes environments.

Overview

33
33
years of professional experience
7
7
years of post-secondary education

Work History

Senior Economist

International Monetary Fund, IMF
01.2021 - Current

FADM1 Senior Economist (01/21/2020 - current)

  • Lead and participate in CD missions on PFM topics (macro-fiscal forecasting and macro-fiscal frameworks, fiscal rules, medium-term fiscal frameworks, budget process and budgeting for SDGs, SOE and climate change-related risks, public investment management, governance diagnostic, cash management and TSA) for M1 countries (Algeria, Bosnia Herzegovina, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Spain, Tanzania, The Gambia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
  • Conduct applied research on quasi-fiscal implications of central bank crisis interventions, macro fiscal frameworks for low-income and fragile countries, and collect, organize, and analyze information on fiscal rules and fiscal councils and update IMF databases, manuals and related working paper.
  • Contribute to build tools for capacity development on PFM issues and implement the tool on climate-related fiscal risks in CD missions.
  • Assist area departments by advising on possible PFM reform measures.
  • Manager of the DGREFORM project on supporting the Ministry of Finance of Spain to align the State Budget to the SDGs.
  • Capacity building and presentations on macro fiscal frameworks, fiscal risks, and budgeting for the SDGs.

Fiscal Economist for Lebanon (10/01/2021 - 10/31/2023)

  • Contribute to SLA discussion and negotiation and Article IV reports.
  • Identify PFM gaps and participate in the design of needed reforms (SOE, Governance, Budget System Law).

Deputy Director and Research Associate

Fedesarrollo (Economic Think-tank, Colombia)
09.2010 - 12.2019

Deputy Director from 01/012015 to 01/15/2019 and from 09/01/2010 to 12/31/2011 and research associate between 01/16/2017 to 12/31/2019 and from 01/15/2006 to 12/31/2007. Also worked as economist from 01/15/1994 to 06/15/1999.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and contribute to policy-oriented research and analysis on macroeconomic, fiscal, and banking/financial sector topics.
  • Act as technical secretary of the Independent Tax Commission (2015) and Independent Public Spending Commission (2017) with the objective to provide reform recommendations to the Colombian government. While working at Fedesarrollo, I was appointed by the government as an member of the Independent Fracking Commission.
  • Contribute to prepare, review, and edit institutional periodical publications.
  • As deputy director, contribute to managerial and administrative tasks and reports to the Executive Board (size of the institution: aprox. 25 senior economist -research associates, 20-25 junior economists and assistants, 15 administrative staff).
  • Represent the director and institution in national and international academic events.
  • Contribute to prepare and review institutional periodical publications.

Technical Vice Minister/ Dir. Macroeconomic Policy

Ministry of Finance and Public Credit of Colombia
11.2007 - 08.2010

Technical Vice minister (March 2009 – August 2010)

Responsibilities

  • Lead and participate in technical analyses and discussions related to the management of fiscal, monetary, and macroeconomic policy, banking and financial regulation and financial regulation of the health and pension sectors. Participate in the reforms planning, formulation, and implementation.
  • In the fiscal policy area, lead, coordinate, and participate in the budget process (macro-fiscal projections and Medium-term Fiscal Framework, MTFF), monitor compliance with fiscal targets and, when necessary, bring proposals for corrective action to the Fiscal Policy Committee (CONFIS) and Economic Policy Council (CONPES-Cabinet), cash management committee, among others. Analyze the fiscal impact of tax, public expenditure, pension, and health reforms.
  • Represent the Minister and participate in the analysis and discussions on monetary policy with members of the Board of Directors and staff of the Central Bank of Colombia (the Minister is member and chair of the board). Responsible for the coordination between the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Colombia.
  • Support the Minister for the debate on policy measures and reform proposals on the fiscal, monetary policy, banking and financial policy, financial regulation of health and pensions areas with the different stakeholders (President and Cabinet, Congress, technical teams of government institutions, international financial institutions, credit rating agencies and local and international financial investors, private sector, and media).
  • Represent the Minister and participate in different boards of directors (Foreign Reserve Committee, Regulatory Agency of the Hydrocarbon Sector (ANH), board of directors of the territorial pension fund (FONPET) and board of directors of the sovereign oil fund (FAEP), among others).
  • Management of a group of aprox. 40-50 staff (technical and administrative) and participate in hiring process/evaluation processes.

General Director of Macroeconomic Policy (November 2007 – March 2010)

Responsibilities

  • Lead, coordinate, and participate oi preparation of the macro-fiscal components of the Medium-term Fiscal Framework, MTFF (macro-fiscal projections and medium-term fiscal strategy).
  • Monitor budget execution and its compliance with fiscal targets and raise alerts to the Minister and Fiscal Policy Committee when necessary.
  • Contribute to the analysis of monetary policy.
  • Contribute to the analysis of the macro-fiscal impact of reforms.
  • Contribute to the preparation to the MTFF, in-year and year-end reports, and other reports on macroeconomic, fiscal, monetary, and banking/financial sector topics.
  • Support and represent the Minister and vice minister in meetings and events.- Management of a groups of aprox. 10-12 staff (mainly technical).

Vice President

ANIF (Economic Think Tank, Colombia)
10.2002 - 01.2006

Responsibilities

  • Lead, coordinate, and participate in the different macroeconomic and sectorial research and analyses, and periodical reports.
  • Participate in the organization and development of events to disseminate the results and recommendations of the different studies and analyses (large events in Bogota and main Colombian cities, aprox. 500-1.200 attendants).
  • Assist the President in the management of the institution and its staff (aprox. 20 people, 12 technical) and in the reporting to the Board of Directors.

Deputy Division Chief/Advisor to General Director

National Planning Department of Colombia
03.1999 - 08.2002

Responsibilities

  • Lead and participate in the analysis of macroeconomic, financial and sector regulation issues (focus on monitoring the recovery of the financial sector after the 1999 crisis).
  • Participate in research on financial sector and other issues (e.g. economic impact of the Colombian armed conflict).
  • Assist the Deputy Director in coordinating the elaboration of economic policy documents on priority economic and social policy issues, in which all related government institutions participate, for their discussion and approval in the Cabinet.

Economist of the Economic Research Department

Banco De La Republic De Colombia (central Bank)
09.1991 - 08.1993


Responsibilities

  • Participate in research on fiscal and monetary issues.

Education

Master of Arts - Economics

Universidad De Los Andes
Bogota, Colombia
06.2007 - 11.2007

Master of Arts - Journalism

Georgetown University
Washington
07.2013 - 12.2014

Bachelor of Arts - Economics

Universidad De Los Andes
Bogota, Colombia
01.1986 - 07.1991

Publications

In English:

  • “Quasi-Fiscal Implications of Central Bank Crisis Interventions”, con J. Hooley, A. Khan, C. Lattie, I. Mak, y A. Sayegh y P. Stella, IMF – Working Paper WP/23/114, June 2023.
  • “Improving Fiscal Management in the METAC Region: The Role of Macro-Fiscal Units”, with Jonas Frank, Regional Notes 5, 2021.
  • “Malta: Fiscal Transparency Evaluation”, with Torben Hansen, Stephen Farrington and Yugo Koshima. September 2018.
  • “Fiscal risk management for development: The case of Colombia”. Background Paper, World Development Report, World Bank, 2014.
  • “Development of Colombian Bond Markets” (with Mauricio Cárdenas, Marcela Meléndez and Camila Aguilar). In Borenztein, E., Cowan, K., Eichengreen, B. and Panizza, U. (Eds.), Bond Markets in Latin America: On the Verge of a Big Bang? Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2008.
  • "A Long-Lasting Crawling Peg: Political Determinants of Exchange Rate Policy in Colombia" (with J. C. Jaramillo and R. Steiner). In J. Frieden and E. Stein (eds.): The Currency Game: Exchange Rate Politics in Latin America, John Hopkins University Press for the Inter-American Development Bank, Washington D.C., 2001.
  • "The Impact of Liberalization and Foreign Investment in Colombia’s Financial Sector" (with A. Barajas and R. Steiner). Journal of Development Economics, 63, 1, 2000. Also, in IMF Working Papers, WP/99/150, November 1999 and Documento CEDE, 99-16, 1999.
  • “Interest Spreads in Banking in Colombia, 1974-1996” (with A. Barajas and R. Steiner), IMF Staff Papers, vol. 46, 2, June 1999.
  • “Interest Spreads in Banking: Costs, Financial Taxation, Market Power and Loan Quality in the Colombian Case, 1974-1996" (with R. Steiner and A. Barajas), IMF Working Paper, WP/110/1998.


In Spanish


(Fiscal policy: tax policy and revenue administration, central government structural balance and fiscal sustainability, public sector balance sheet, fiscal and economic impact of the hydrocarbon activity and fracking in Colombia, public expenditure reviews, fiscal and economic considerations around the coffee sector policy and the quasi-fiscal price stabilization fund in Colombia, fiscal  of tax benefits for leasing transactions, fiscal risks: fiscal impact of judicial decisions, inflation tax and monetary financing of the government)


  • “Justicia y Gasto Público” (with Francisco Fernández and Diego Gutiérrez) Cuaderno de Fedesarrollo 67, 2018.
  • “Informe sobre efectos ambientales (bióticos, físicos y sociales) y económicos de la exploración de hidrocarburos en áreas con posible despliegue de técnicas de fracturamiento hidráulico de roca generadora mediante perforación horizontal (fracking)”, Reporte Final. With Miguel Gonzalo Andrade, Leonardo David Donado, John Fernando Escobar, Mario García, Manuel Ramiro, David Neslin, Osmel Manzano, Diego Andrés Rosselli, Juan Pablo Ruiz, Carlos Alberto Vargas, David Yoxtheimer, and José Armando Zamora.
  • “Comisión del gasto y la inversión pública-informe final, 2017”, independent members of the Committee: Raquel Bernal, Jorge Iván González, Juan Carlos Henao, Roberto Junguito, Marcela Meléndez, Armando Montenegro, Juan Carlos Ramírez, José Darío Uribe, Leonardo Villar; Technical secretary and editor: Natalia Salazar. Fedesarrollo.
  • “Comisión de expertos para la equidad y la competitividad tributaria,” 2015. independent members of the Committee: Ricardo Bonilla, Rosario Córdoba, Alfredo Lewin, Oscar Darío Morales, Soraya Montoya, Guillermo Perry, Julio Roberto Piza, Miguel Urrutia, Leonardo Villar. Chair of the Committee : Santiago Rojas (Head of the Tax Revenue Administration). Technical secretary and editor: Natalia Salazar. Fedesarrollo.
  • "Colombia: consideraciones de economía política sobre el proceso de reformas tributarias”. In J.R Cabello y F.J. Díaz, eds.: Caminos para la reforma. Estrategia política de un acuerdo fiscal, CIEPLAN, Santiago de Chile, 2013.
  • “La política de precios del café en Colombia” (with Roberto Steiner and Alejandro Becerra). Coyuntura Económica y Social, December 2015.
  • “El régimen de seguridad social en salud: problemas financieros, medidas adoptadas y retos para el futuro próximo” Notas Fiscales, 6, 2011, Ministry of Finance and Public Credit.
  • “El impacto del leasing sobre la inversión y el empleo” (with Pilar Cabrera and Alejandro Becerra). Cuadernos de FEDESARROLLO, 35, 2011.
  • “El balance del sector público y la sostenibilidad fiscal en Colombia” (with Echeverry, J.C., Piraquive, G., Salazar, N., Angulo, M.V., Numpaque, C.M., Fainboim, I. and C.J. Rodríguez). Archivos de Macroeconomía, 115, 2002.
  • “El balance estructural del Gobierno Central en Colombia” (with Diego Prada). Archivos de Macroeconomía, 226, June 2003. Also in Coyuntura Económica, March 2004.
  • "Monetizar la deuda pública: ¿Cómo no se nos había ocurrido antes?"(with R. Steiner). in Coyuntura Económica, December 2000.
  • “El Efecto Tanzi, la sustitución de monedas y la tasa de inflación optima en Colombia”. ESPE – Ensayos sobre Política Económica, Banco de la República, 22, 1992.
  • “Sobre la naturaleza del ajuste fiscal en Colombia” (with A. Carrasquilla). ESPE-Ensayos sobre Política Económica, Banco de la República, 21, 1992.


(Banking and financial sector: determinants of interest rate spreads, financial repression and financial liberalization, banking crisis and reforms, investment regime of insurance companies and private pension funds, and housing market prices)


  • “Qué tan desalineados están los precios de la vivienda en Colombia?” (with Roberto Steiner, Alejandro Becerra and Jaime Ramírez). ESPE, Vol.31, No. 70, 2013.
  • “Resultados de las fusiones bancarias en Colombia” (with Camila Salamanca). Carta Financiera, 133, May, 2006.
  • “Evolución y determinantes del margen de intermediación en Colombia”. Coyuntura Económica -Edición Especial 35 años, December, 2005.
  • “Represión financiera y márgenes de intermediación”. Carta Financiera, October, 2005.
  • “El leasing en Colombia: diagnóstico e impacto sobre la inversión y el crecimiento” (with María Angélica Arbeláez and Fabio Villegas). Cuadernos de Fedesarrollo, 13, 2004.
  • “La crisis financiera y la experiencia internacional” (with C. E. Parra). Boletines de Divulgación Económica, 1, January 2000.
  • “¿Hay un estancamiento en la oferta de crédito?” (with J. C. Echeverry). Planeación y Desarrollo, Vol. XXI, 1 and 2, 2000, and in Archivos de Macroeconomía, 118, 1999.
  • “Perspectivas de la industria aseguradora, 1997-2010” (with S. Zuluaga). Cuadernos FEDESARROLLO, 3, 1998.
  • “El margen de intermediación bancaria en Colombia” (with R. Steiner and A. Barajas). Coyuntura Económica, 4, 1997.
  • “Efectos de las restricciones legales en las inversiones de los inversionistas institucionales: Un Modelo de Simulación” (E. Lora). Memorias Segundo Taller Asobancaria, 1996.


(Economic impact of the armed conflict in Colombia)


· “¿Nos parecemos al resto del mundo? El conflicto colombiano en el contexto Internacional”,(with J. C. Echeverry and V. Navas). Archivos de Macroeconomía, DNP, 143, 2001.


Languages

English
Full Professional
French
Full Professional
Spanish
Native or Bilingual

Timeline

Senior Economist

International Monetary Fund, IMF
01.2021 - Current

Master of Arts - Journalism

Georgetown University
07.2013 - 12.2014

Deputy Director and Research Associate

Fedesarrollo (Economic Think-tank, Colombia)
09.2010 - 12.2019

Technical Vice Minister/ Dir. Macroeconomic Policy

Ministry of Finance and Public Credit of Colombia
11.2007 - 08.2010

Master of Arts - Economics

Universidad De Los Andes
06.2007 - 11.2007

Vice President

ANIF (Economic Think Tank, Colombia)
10.2002 - 01.2006

Deputy Division Chief/Advisor to General Director

National Planning Department of Colombia
03.1999 - 08.2002

Economist of the Economic Research Department

Banco De La Republic De Colombia (central Bank)
09.1991 - 08.1993

Bachelor of Arts - Economics

Universidad De Los Andes
01.1986 - 07.1991
Natalia Salazar