The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has announced the death of its fifth president, Dr. William Warren Smith, a prominent Caribbean development leader and Jamaican national, who died on January 30, 2026.
In a statement issued Friday, the President and staff of the Bank said they were “deeply saddened” by the passing of Dr. Smith, who led the regional financial institution from May 1, 2011, to April 30, 2021. He was first elected in October 2010 and re-elected for a second term in 2015.
During his decade-long tenure, Dr. Smith steered the CDB and its Borrowing Member Countries through a period marked by significant global and regional challenges, including two major international crises that had severe economic and social impacts on the Caribbean.
Under his leadership, the Bank strengthened its role as a key development partner, mobilising resources to support sustainable growth, resilience-building and social and economic transformation across member states. Dr. Smith placed strong emphasis on climate resilience, disaster risk management and innovative development financing, helping to design instruments that supported Caribbean countries in responding to natural disasters and external shocks.
He was also a strong advocate for good governance, sound economic management and robust regional institutions as essential pillars for inclusive and sustainable development. Colleagues have described him as a thoughtful and principled leader whose work was guided by a deep commitment to the people of the Caribbean.
Current CDB President Daniel M. Best paid tribute to his predecessor, describing Dr. Smith as a mentor and a guiding influence throughout his career.
“Dr. Smith devoted his life’s work to the proposition that Caribbean people deserve strong, modern institutions that are fully on their side,” Best said. “When he assumed office as President of CDB in 2011, he guided the institution through some of its most challenging moments with steadiness, resolve, and an unwavering belief in what the Bank could and should represent for the region.”
Best added that Dr. Smith’s legacy endures through the institution he helped strengthen, the people he mentored and the development path he helped shape for the Caribbean.
In recognition of his service, Dr. Smith received several honours, including Jamaica’s Order of Distinction (Commander Class), which was conferred on the country’s 54th anniversary of Independence.
The Bank said it will work with Dr. Smith’s family in the coming days to share details of arrangements to honour his life and contributions. A condolence book will be available for signing at the CDB’s Wildey Headquarters beginning 10 a.m. on Monday, February 2, 2026.
CDB extended condolences to Dr. Smith’s wife and family, friends and former colleagues, noting that the Caribbean has lost “a giant of the development movement” whose work and vision will continue to guide the region.
