Distinguished Economist and Warwick Economics alumnus awarded Honorary Degree

Dr Mahmoud Mohieldin (PhD Economics 1995), United Nations (UN) Climate Change High-Level Champion and UN Special Envoy on Financing the 2030 Agenda received an Honorary Doctor of Science for his role in leading reforms in Egypt and addressing climate change challenges, conferred on him at the Department of Economics degree ceremony on 23 July 2024.

Listen to Dr Mohieldin discuss his career and some of the challenges he has tackled in conversation with former Head of Department Alan Roe

Sustainability Agenda

In his honorary degree acceptance speech Mahmoud Mohieldin said:

“Warwick ranks in the top 10 universities globally for its responsible consumption and production, one of the important Sustainable Development Goals. The University’s aspiration to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030 mirrors my own work at the IMF, World Bank and the UN. Our common vision has been to be evidence-based, research driven, and globally minded as we engage with national and regional officials to work at the local level. I understand this dual role implicitly.”

Dr Mohieldin emphasised the importance of bringing the national and regional policies to local communities, ‘respecting diverse perspectives and seeking ways to give voice to the poor, the powerless in the corridors of power.’

Addressing Warwick Economics graduates he said:

“Your pathways will be diverse, but your destination of learning and service can be the same.

“I know that each one of you will contribute to progress in our world because Warwick has prepared you well to do so.”

Mahmoud Mohieldin’s career

Since graduating from Warwick with a PhD in Economics in 1995, Mahmoud Mohieldin has established himself as both an academic economist and a leading expert in international finance and development. In addition to his roles with the UN focusing on addressing climate change challenges, he also serves as the Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund representing the Arab States and The Maldives.

Previously, Dr Mohieldin was the Minister of Investment of Egypt from 2004-2010, establishing his reputation for effective and strategic management and, building on his Warwick PhD, leading a programme of major regulatory reforms in Egypt’s financial system that greatly benefited the private investment climate. In 2005 Mahmoud was appointed Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, a point in his career at which he started his distinguished work in sustainable development.

More recently, he served as the World Bank Group Senior Vice President for the 2030 Development Agenda, United Nations Relations and Partnerships. He managed a major shareholder review, ensured the fast-track approval of loans to tackle Ebola, and strengthened the relationship between the World Bank and the United Nations.

In 2020 Mahmoud became the UN Special Envoy on financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and in 2022 he was made Climate Change High-Level Champion for the COP27 that took place in Sharm El-Sheikh, a key position in the development of the next stages of the 2015 Paris Climate Accord. Mahmoud’s role as the Special Envoy is to promote collective action by all UN agencies, its partners, the private sector and member countries to scale up finance to deliver the UN's sustainable development goals and to help address existing financial barriers. Mahmoud has also served on several Boards of Directors in the Central Bank of Egypt and the corporate sector.

He is a Professor of Economics and Finance at the Faculty of Economics and Political Science, Cairo University and as a Visiting Professor at several renowned universities in Egypt, South Korea, the UAE, the UK and the US. He continues to publish extensively in English and Arabic in leading journals of economics, finance and development.

Dr Mohieldin holds another honorary degree from the American University in Cairo (Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa) in recognition of his public work focusing on economic reform, development and inclusion.

We congratulate Mahmoud on the Honorary Doctor of Science degree, a third qualification from Warwick, and express our gratitude for the time he spent with us in the Department during his visit in July.

Photo from left to right: Baroness Cathy Ashton, Chancellor of the University of Warwick; Dr Mahmoud Mohieldin, Professor Ben Lockwood, Head of Department of Economics

The interview with Mahmoud was conducted by Alan Roe,Honorary Professorial Fellow and former Head of the Department of Economics, recorded on 24 July 2024 by Sheila Kiggins.

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Dr Mahmoud Mohieldin's personal website