Jacqueline Strasser Higgins, Head Public Sector Solutions NA, Swiss Re
At Swiss Re, Jackie leads a team that designs, originates and executes innovative risk management & transfer solutions with public entities in North America. Previously, Jackie was the Head of Global Partnerships, International Finance Corporation (IFC), World Bank Group. Prior to IFC, she was appointed by the White House to serve as Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the President of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the US government's development finance institution, where she developed OPIC’s strategic relationships and helped manage its 250-person staff and operations.
From 2009 to 2010, she also served as OPIC's CFO, managing the agency’s $83M annual operating budget and $15B investment portfolio in more than 105 emerging markets. Before joining OPIC, Jackie spent eight years at the White House Office of Management and Budget, leading oversight of the budget, policy, programs, and management of various international development and finance agencies. In 2004, Jackie served as principle economic advisor to Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister and the Iraqi Ministry of Finance. She has also worked at an internet trade finance company, African Development Bank, Technoserve, the Council on Foreign Relations, and Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising. Jackie holds an M.I.A in finance and economic development from Columbia University and a B.A. in political science and history from Colgate University.