Mari Elka Pangestu will oversee development policy to provide loans and grants to poorer countries.The World Bank has named an Indonesian Catholic woman as its managing director for development policy and partnerships, accodring to a report at UCANews.org.
Beginning March 1, Maria Elka Pangestu, an economist and former Indonesian cabinet minister, will assume the job overseeing the World Bank’s Global Practice Groups, and oversee the research and data group of the World Bank in addition to others duties.
“Her experience as a senior minister, her globally recognized credentials as an economist and researcher, along with her extensive leadership experience and engagement in key international forums on important development issues, will greatly benefit our urgent work at the World Bank Group in support of broad-based growth and poverty reduction,” World Bank Group President David Malpass said in a statement.
Prior to serving in the Indonesian government, Mari was known for her work in academia. She is a professor of international economics at the University of Indonesia and a senior fellow at the Columbia School of International and Public Affairs.
