Introducing Dr. Fernando Lopez, recipient of the 2023 Mark S. Wrighton Award for McDonnell Academy Alumni—an honor that celebrates distinguished alumni who demonstrate outstanding leadership, global engagement, and continued dedication to the values of the McDonnell Academy.
In this conversation with Laura Benoist, director of the McDonnell Academy, Dr. Lopez discusses his time as a Scholar at WashU, his career path since graduation, and how he continues to contribute to the McDonnell Academy community while inspiring the next generation of global leaders.
Fernando Lopez currently works as a consultant in financial economics and is an expert in pension markets. He has led studies for the Interamerican Development Bank (IADB) on strategies to boost occupational retirement savings and to incorporate sustainability considerations and climate change risks in the investments of pension funds in Latin America. Since 2015, Fernando serves as the “McDonnell Academy Envoy for Chile”, helping to recruit future Scholars for the McDonnell International Scholars Academy and strengthen the ties of Washington University with local partners in Chile.
My experience in the McDonnell Academy transformed the way I look at the challenges of our world and has led me to think beyond traditional paradigms.