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WORLD Bank executive directors on Wednesday appointed Indian-American businessman, Mr Ajay Banga, as president of the World Bank Group for a five-year term beginning 02 June 2023.
“The executive directors followed the selection process agreed by shareholders in 2011. The process included an open, merit-based, and transparent nomination where any national of the bank’s membership could be proposed by any executive director or governor through an executive director,” said the World Bank in a statement.
“This was then followed by thorough due diligence and a comprehensive interview of Mr Banga by the executive directors.
“The board looks forward to working with Mr Banga on the World Bank Group evolution process, as discussed at the April 2023 Spring Meetings, and on all the World Bank Group’s ambitions and efforts aimed at tackling the toughest development challenges facing developing countries.”
As president of the World Bank Group, Mr Banga is also the chair of the board of executive directors of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).
He will also be an ex officio chair of the board of directors of the International Development Association (IDA), International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and of the Administrative Council of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).
Recently vice chairman at General Atlantic, Mr Banga (63) is a former president and CEO of Mastercard, a global organization with nearly 24,000 employees.
Under his leadership, MasterCard launched the Center for Inclusive Growth, which advances equitable and sustainable economic growth and financial inclusion around the world.
He is also a former chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce, having served in that capacity from 2020-2022.
Mr Banga became an advisor to General Atlantic’s climate-focused fund, ‘BeyondNetZero’, at its inception in 2021 and served as co-chair of the partnership for Central America, a coalition of private organizations that works to advance economic opportunity across underserved populations in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.
He was previously on the boards of the American Red Cross, Kraft Foods, and Dow Inc.
Mr Ajay Banga is a co-founder of The Cyber Readiness Institute and was vice chair of the economic club of New York.
He was awarded the Foreign Policy Association Medal in 2012, the Padma Shri Award by the President of India in 2016, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and the Business Council for International Understanding’s Global Leadership Award in 2019, and the Distinguished Friends of Singapore Public Service Star in 2021.
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