WASHINGTON, DC (August 23, 2022) — World Resources Institute is pleased to announce that Felipe Ramírez will join WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities as Director of Urban Mobility in September, leading the program’s work to help cities build sustainable, equitable and high-quality transportation.

Ramírez brings extensive experience in urban planning and transport issues, implementing critical infrastructure and policies to improve public transit and wider urban transport systems. He most recently served as Secretary of Mobility for Bogotá, Colombia. He was also the former General Manager of TransMilenio, the Bus Rapid Transit system, in Bogotá, where he worked for six years.

“Felipe knows how important clean, equitable transport is for cities, and how we can get there,” said Rogier van den Berg, WRI Ross Center Acting Global Director. “He brings the vision and on-the-ground experience our mobility work needs to ramp up our support to cities in their just transition.” 

Urban mobility has long been a core area of work for WRI Ross Center. Ramírez will lead efforts globally across the many regions where WRI works to promote high-quality, integrated public transport systems that include bus rapid transit (BRT), auto-rickshaws, bicycling and walking, as well as cleaner-burning fuels and electric vehicles.

“There is nothing more exciting than working to improve the quality of life for people,” said Ramirez. “This is why working with WRI means so much to me. It’s a great opportunity to deepen my work in helping cities plan for sustainable, clean and inclusive mobility.”

During his tenure in Bogotá, Ramírez helped the city secure the largest 100% electric bus fleet in the world outside China in 2022. He has also worked to implement public bike-sharing, improve road safety in key school zones, make public transport employment more inclusive, and scale up the city’s transportation infrastructure. Ramírez has been instrumental in seeing Bogotá through the immense challenges of the pandemic and ensuring continued access to essential transportation.

He has more than 13 years of experience in developing, managing, and implementing projects in urban planning and urban mobility. He also worked as operations manager for Latin America for Steer Group, a global business consultancy.  

Ramírez holds a Master of Science in Regional and Urban Planning Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science, a Master of Science in Construction Engineering and Management and Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering and Industrial Engineering from Universidad de los Andes in Colombia.

Ramírez will be based in Washington, DC. He will work closely with Claudia Adriazola-Steil, Director of Health & Road Safety, and Ben Welle, Director of Integrated Transport & Innovation, both of whom have been serving as Acting Directors of Urban Mobility. On WRI’s electric mobility projects, Ramírez will work closely with Michael Doust, Director for Urban Efficiency and Climate.


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About World Resources Institute
World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global research organization that spans more than 60 countries, with international offices in Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico and the United States, regional offices in Ethiopia (for Africa) and the Netherlands (for Europe), and program offices in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Our more than 1,000 experts and staff turn big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity and human well-being. More information at www.wri.org.

About WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities
WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities is World Resources Institute’s program dedicated to shaping a future where cities work better for everyone. It enables more connected, compact and coordinated cities. The Center expands the transport and urban development expertise of the EMBARQ network to catalyze innovative solutions in other sectors, including air quality, water, buildings, land use and energy. It combines the research excellence of WRI with two decades of on-the-ground impact through a network of more than 370 experts working from Brazil, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, India, Mexico, Turkey and the United States to make cities around the world better places to live. More information at www.wrirosscities.org.