Yasmin Saadat

Yasmin Saadat joined SEAF’s Board of Directors in 2019, bringing more than three decades of experience in development economics and investing in emerging markets.
She currently serves as a Senior Fellow at the Hunt Institute for Engineering and Humanity at Southern Methodist University where she researches technology application in promoting an inclusive economy in low-income communities.
Prior to her current position, Yasmin spent over 30 years at the World Bank and the IFC, working on macro and agricultural sector policy and lending operations in a variety of roles including, as an economist, investment officer, and operations manager of trade finance portfolio facilities.
Most recently, Yasmin served as the Product Head of the Commodity/Structured Trade Finance at the IFC where she launched and managed a newly created $1.5 billion line of business of structured trade finance with emerging market banks, and global traders.
From 2007 to 2009, Yasmin left the IFC to become a Principal Member and Chief Operating Officer of Potomac River Capital, at the time a newly established asset management company of a global macro hedge fund.
Yasmin holds a BA in Economics from Université des Sciences Sociales in Grenoble and an MA and a Ph.D.
in Development Economics and International Development from the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy at Tufts University.
She is a CFA charter holder.