Cristina Stefan appointed as Head of Advisory at the Centre for Disaster Protection

The Centre for Disaster Protection (the Centre) is delighted to announce the appointment of Cristina Stefan as its new Head of Advisory. Cristina brings a wealth of experience in advising humanitarian organisations, countries and multilateral development banks in designing pre-arranged finance solutions, such as sovereign insurance products; agricultural insurance schemes; insurance-linked securities; and other alternative risk transfer products.

During her five-year tenure with the Centre, Cristina has helped build the Centre’s reputation for quality client service delivery and thought leadership. She has been instrumental in catalysing innovative disaster risk financing solutions such as the first-of-its-kind indemnity insurance instrument for the humanitarian sector. Her deep technical expertise and prior experience in fragile contexts have been critical in supporting the World Bank’s adaptive social protection programme (SASPP) in the Sahel region, where she led on the development of a number of country-level risk diagnostics and engagements with stakeholders from the humanitarian sector working in the region. As a pandemic and epidemic risk financing expert, she has also influenced international policy discussions in global health, including leading the development and launch of the first sovereign insurance product against epidemics in Senegal. 

Prior to joining the Centre, Cristina played a key role in the World Bank’s financial response to the 10th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2019, as well as the design and launch of the first meso-insurance scheme for the agricultural sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

Cristina holds a master’s degree in actuarial science from the University of Economics in Bucharest and a Diploma from the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, UK.

Commenting on her appointment, Cristina Stefan said:

“I’m honoured to accept this appointment. I look forward to contributing to the strategic development of the Centre for Disaster Protection and expanding the reach of more and better pre-arranged finance solutions in vulnerable countries. I’m also excited to be working closely with international actors seeking quality advice when operationalising their crisis and climate risk response products around the world.”

Daniel Clarke, Director of the Centre for Disaster Protection, added:

“Cristina’s appointment as Head of Advisory reflects her exceptional contributions to the Centre’s clients and the broader sector. Over the past five years, her contributions have been critical for the development of innovative solutions, such as the first indemnity insurance product for a humanitarian pooled fund. Cristina brings both technical expertise and humility, and her commitment to the Centre’s values have strengthened the Centre’s reputation for high-quality, impartial work. We are confident that under her leadership, the Advisory team will continue to support pre-arranged financing solutions that help vulnerable countries better manage disaster risks and protect their communities.”