David Freedman is the World Bank Group Representative in Timor-Leste and Group¡¯s engagement with the Government of Timor-Leste and private sector clients.? Originally from the UK, David trained as an economist at the University of Nottingham and University of British Columbia. He was awarded the ESRC, Universitas-21, and Law and Social Science scholarships for outstanding students and completed B.Sc and M.Sc with distinction.?
David was an ODI Fellow in Papua New Guinea from 2011-2013 and has spent the past decade working on economic policy and private sector development in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. He joined the World Bank Group in 2021 as the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Timor-Leste Resident Representative. In July 2025 he was appointed as World Bank Group Representative for Timor-Leste with responsibility for leading World Bank, IFC, and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency¡¯s engagement in the country.?
Before joining the World Bank Group, David worked for the Asian Development Bank in several roles including Head of Economics, Strategy, and Programming in Cambodia. He has an extensive network in Timor-Leste and the surrounding region and speaks several languages including Chinese, Spanish, and Tetun.?