Exit Interview with Lars H. Thunell
A candid conversation with
Lars H. Thunell, Executive Vice President and CEO of the International Finance Corporation, part of the World Bank Group
and
Daniel F. Runde, Director of the Project on Prosperity and Development and William A. Schreyer Chair in Global Analysis, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Please RSVP to ppd@csis.org
For six years, Lars has led IFC in its mission to promote private sector development. During this time, IFC has sharpened its focus on the world’s poorest countries, notably in Africa where annual investment commitments have grown from around $200 million to over $2 billion. The organization has put greater emphasis on mobilizing capital from other investors like banks and sovereign wealth funds to support the private sector in developing countries. Overall, annual investment commitments have more than doubled during his tenure to just under $19 billion, including mobilization.
Under Lars’ leadership, IFC has increased its presence in fragile and conflict-affected countries like Haiti and Liberia, and has become a leader in setting environmental and performance standards. Lars has worked to expand IFC’s thought leadership in development and has contributed to a greater global understanding of the central role of the private sector in global prosperity.
During this discussion, we will address these issues and others around the role and the size of the private sector in providing essential goods and services, like infrastructure, access to financial services, health and education, and food security.
