The Global Environment Facility has selected Colombian energy and climate policy expert Diego Mesa Puyo as its next chief executive officer and chairperson, placing him at the helm of one of the world’s most influential environmental financing organizations.
The GEF Council announced the appointment on Wednesday following what it described as a rigorous, transparent and merit-based selection process. Mesa Puyo is expected to begin his four-year term in early October 2026.
His tenure will coincide with the GEF’s ninth funding cycle, known as GEF-9, and the final years leading up to major international environmental targets set for 2030.
Mesa Puyo said he was honoured to take on the position at a decisive time for global climate and environmental cooperation.
“Countries need trusted partners that can help turn ambition into action,” he said in a statement. He added that he looks forward to working with member countries, the GEF Secretariat and international partners to attract investment, integrate environmental solutions and produce measurable benefits for communities and the planet.
Mesa Puyo brings experience in government, international finance, energy policy and sustainable development. Before his appointment, he served as deputy chief of the Climate Policy Division at the International Monetary Fund.
He previously served as Colombia’s minister of mines and energy during the country’s 2018–2022 administration. In that role, he helped lead reforms intended to expand renewable energy development and encourage private-sector participation in Colombia’s energy transition.
According to the GEF, those reforms attracted more than $3 billion in private investment and helped transform Colombia from a country with limited variable renewable energy capacity into one of Latin America’s fastest-growing clean-energy markets.
Mesa Puyo also contributed to the development of energy-transition and climate legislation designed to incorporate sustainability into Colombia’s broader economic and development policies.
Richard Bontjer, co-chair of the GEF Council and council member representing Australia, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea, said Mesa Puyo has the experience needed to guide the organization through a challenging period for international environmental action.
Bontjer said the appointment provides an opportunity for the GEF to improve access to financing for vulnerable countries, including Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries. He also emphasized the importance of community-led solutions, international partnerships and private investment.
Maher Abdelrahim, chair of the GEF Council’s Selection and Review Committee, said the committee believes Mesa Puyo possesses the leadership and vision required to build on the institution’s existing work and deliver stronger environmental results.
The GEF provides funding to developing countries for projects addressing biodiversity loss, climate change, pollution, land degradation and other environmental challenges. It also supports countries in meeting their commitments under major international environmental agreements.
Donor countries have initially pledged $3.9 billion to the GEF Trust Fund for the ninth replenishment period.
Among the priorities identified for GEF-9 are expanding integrated environmental programs, increasing the use of blended public and private financing, improving organizational efficiency and supporting cooperation across governments and civil society.
The funding period is also expected to place greater emphasis on Indigenous Peoples and local communities, while strengthening assistance for developing countries that face disproportionate environmental and climate risks.
As CEO and chairperson, Mesa Puyo will oversee not only the main GEF Trust Fund but also the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, the Least Developed Countries Fund and the Special Climate Change Fund. These funds help countries advance biodiversity conservation and adapt to the effects of climate change.
Over the past three decades, the GEF family of funds has provided more than $27 billion in financing and helped mobilize an additional $155 billion for environmental programs in developing countries.
Mesa Puyo will succeed interim CEO and chairperson Claude Gascon, who has led the organization since December 2025.
Gascon said the GEF plays an important role in bringing countries together and demonstrating how international cooperation can produce positive environmental outcomes. He expressed confidence that Mesa Puyo would carry the organization’s momentum forward as the international community approaches its 2030 targets.
The leadership transition comes as governments face mounting pressure to close global financing gaps, accelerate climate action and reverse the continuing loss of biodiversity.
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