Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Resilience specialist with over 20 years of experience across Latin America, the Caribbean and other regions. I design and implement public policies, risk governance frameworks, and disaster risk and crisis management. I work with governments, development banks, and the private sector. I can connect with diverse organizational contexts and multicultural environments.
Current Roles and Key Trajectory
Currently:
- Senior Specialist Consultant in Disaster Risk Management with the World Bank (multiple countries across LAC and other regions)
- Lecturer in Resilience at Universidad del Desarrollo (UDD) — undergraduate programs
- Student of Risk Prevention Engineering at DUOC UC
- Volunteer firefighter since 2003 with Santiago Fire Department (including USAR deployment to Haiti in 2010)
- Climate Reality Leader (trained 2021)
Key Public Sector Achievement: Deputy National Director of ONEMI (National Office of Emergencies), where I led the drafting of Law 21.364 — Chile’s first comprehensive disaster prevention law that transformed the country’s risk governance framework.
Core Expertise
Specialization in:
- Risk governance and institutional design for disaster reduction
- Early warning systems and emergency preparedness
- Business continuity and organizational resilience planning
- Crisis simulation design and tabletop exercises
- Risk communication and behavioral science applied to disasters
Worked with: World Bank, World Food Program, national governments, municipal authorities, and private sector organizations.
Education and Credentials
- MSc in Risk, Disaster & Resilience (University College London) — Chevening Scholar
- Degree in Political Science and Public Policy (UDD)
- Diploma in Disaster Risk Reduction Management (University of Chile)
- Certifications: ICS and PRIMAP Instructor (Academia Nacional de Bomberos); Climate Reality Leader
What People Say
Cristóbal en Metrogas demostró su capacidad para emprender proyectos y ejecutarlos con excelencia, permitiendo ser un aporte fundamental en la continuidad del negocio.
Emprendió el proyecto de responsabilidad social empresarial en materia de seguridad y emergencia, fundamental para una empresa de servicio de gas. Junto a lo anterior, desarrolló una amplia red de vínculos con distintos grupos de interés que fueron fundamentales para el posicionamiento de la compañía.
Su alta calidad profesional sumado a sus ganas de aprender, de cooperar con las distintas tareas, con un ánimo positivo y de contribución puedo decir que lo hacen una persona valiosa para cualquier organización o compañía que se integre.
Bernardita Mazo, former Public Affairs Manager at Metrogas.
Cristobal is a highly knowledgeable professional on disaster risk reduction (DRR), crisis management and government and business continuity. I have had the opportunity to work, studied and seen Cristobal’s work for more than a decade, and all these years I have seen him working in a highly efficient and professional way.
Cristobal highlights by been able to combine his deep practical experience with reflective capacity and vast knowledge on the mentioned topics. Also, his leadership skills and decision making at critical moments, what is shown in his roles as deputy director of the National Office of Emergencies of Chile, and previous roles as a crisis manager, a firefighter, and rescue worker.
I have also seen him gaining relevant international experience as a consultant with the World Bank, in diplomatic and technical roles with multiple organisation and governments, and living and working from London and The Hague.
Besides his professional skills and knowledge, Cristobal is a friendly, responsible, action-oriented and reflective person, with whom it is a pleasure to work with.
I am sure that any government and business thinking on continuity during a crisis, or any organisation looking a DRR and emergencies expert, will strongly benefit from working with Cristobal.
Dr. Rodrigo Mena, Assistant Professor of Disasters & Humanitarian studies at the ISS.
4DRR.com 