Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS, has been named to the international World’s Top 250 Civic Leaders list, which recognizes 250 leaders from around the world working in areas such as development, governance, philanthropy, and social mobilization.

The selection is an initiative of the Civic Engagement Collective, a US-based platform founded in 2021 and dedicated to promoting civic engagement, socioeconomic inclusion, and community empowerment. The list is developed with the support of FOCO Digital Corp and partner organizations, including the Haiti Executive Board, the DuSable Heritage Association, and the Economic Planning Council.

Paula was recognized in the Community category, under the Development field, highlighting her leadership at IDIS and her contributions to strengthening strategic philanthropy and the culture of giving in Brazil.

The international list features professionals from different sectors, including representatives of multilateral organizations, development finance institutions, governments, and civil society organizations. Other Brazilian leaders featured include Anacláudia Rossbach, from UN-Habitat; Aloizio Mercadante, from the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES); Ilan Goldfajn, from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB); and Dilma Rousseff, from the New Development Bank (NDB).

“Being included on this list alongside leaders from different countries and fields of expertise is a recognition that goes beyond my individual journey. It is also an opportunity to highlight the strength of Brazilian philanthropy and the work we do at IDIS to strengthen social investment and the culture of giving. Being among these leaders reinforces the importance of collaboration and the role of civil society in developing solutions to the challenges we face, both in Brazil and around the world,” says Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS.

This recognition adds to another major international distinction Paula received in 2026: her inclusion in the TIME100 Philanthropy list, published by the US magazine TIME, which recognizes the 100 most influential figures in global philanthropy. Paula became the first Brazilian to be included in the list, which was in its second edition that year.

At the helm of IDIS since 2014, Paula has dedicated her career to advancing private social investment and strengthening Brazil’s philanthropic ecosystem. Among the initiatives she leads are the Brazil Giving Research, Brazilian Philanthropy Forum, and the The Brazilian Endowment Coalition. She also contributed to the passage of Law No. 13,800/2019, which establishes the legal framework for endowment funds in Brazil.

An economist who graduated from the University of São Paulo (USP), Paula holds an MBA from New York University and a PhD in Business Administration from Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV). In 2020, she received the Social Entrepreneur Award from Folha de S.Paulo for her leadership of the Brazil Coronavirus Health Emergency Fund (Fundo Emergencial da Saúde – Coronavírus Brasil).