Michèle Laird

Michèle Laird is Senior Vice President for Programs at Pact. Pact is an international nonprofit that works globally building solutions for human development that are evidence-based, data-driven and owned by the communities they serve. Responsible for all of Pact’s programs and country offices, Laird leads Pact’s largest team of diverse technical and geographic experts across the global organization, including in global health, governance, energy, environment, climate change, mining, livelihoods, capacity development and innovation. She brings to this role over 25 years working in all facets of global development and over 30 years of experience in financial, economic and policy analysis across sectors. Laird is an interdisciplinary expert who seeks integrated solutions to development challenges. An executive-level professional, Laird has decades of experience developing strategy, building teams, growing business units, leading change processes, ensuring technical excellence and managing complex, large-scale programs at global, regional and country levels.

Previously, she served as Regional Vice President for Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean at Abt Associates. Laird has led and implemented numerous projects across Africa, Asia, Latin America, Middle East and Eastern Europe. Sectors have included climate change, clean energy, economic growth, governance, agriculture and health. Across projects, Laird has sought to mobilize public and private financing to advance Sustainable Development Goals. Her technical expertise ranges from designing venture capital funds directing investment to increase sustainable economic growth to developing green bond roadmaps.

Prior to Abt Associates, Laird led the Economics Department of the American Chamber of Mexico. Before that she worked for USAID’s Regional Office of Central American Programs based in Guatemala and for USAID/Sri Lanka, focusing on regional financial harmonization and investment mobilization, respectively. She began her career in investment banking, working for Dillon, Read & Co Inc. in NYC where she focused on mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance.

Laird earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Brown University where she majored in Computer Science. She received her Master of Public Affairs degree, focusing on International Economic Development, from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin.