International Finance Corp. (IFC), the World Bank Group’s (WBG) private-sector lending arm, has appointed Sarvesh Suri as its new regional vice president for Asia and the Pacific, bringing 25 years of global investment and development experience and a strong record in public-private collaborations, IFC announced Monday, Jan. 19.

According to IFC, Suri will lead the organization’s investment and advisory operations across the region, mobilizing private-sector solutions to tackle complex development challenges and create jobs.

Suri will be based in Singapore and oversee teams spanning from India to Pacific Islands, spearheading initiatives across financial services, manufacturing, agribusiness, infrastructure, and natural resources.

IFC also highlighted that two new division directors will support Suri’s leadership. Keiko Miwa, based in Jakarta, Indonesia, will manage South West Asia and Pacific Islands, while Arnaud Dupoizat, based in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), China, will oversee East Asia, effective Feb. 1, 2026.

“It is my genuine privilege to return home to Asia for a role that will allow me to make a meaningful and lasting difference in a region that has shaped me personally and professionally,” Suri said.

He added that, “Asia is where I grew up and first worked, and I am deeply humbled by the opportunity to bring together the capabilities of the public and private sectors to tackle the pressing development challenges of the region at scale.”

Suri previously served as IFC’s regional industry director for infrastructure and natural resources in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he played a key role in launching Mission 300.

He also spent six years at the WBG’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) as director of operations, managing global risk mitigation products for cross-border investments into developing countries. MIGA extends political risk insurance to both private-sector investors and lenders.

Before MIGA, Suri held various leadership positions at IFC, including senior regional manager overseeing operations in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Papua New Guinea.

Acknowledging the region’s challenges, Suri said, “Countries throughout Asia and the Pacific face complex and varied issues. What unites people across the region is that they all want the dignity of a job—livelihoods to support themselves and their families.”

“My focus therefore will be on maximizing IFC's toolkit of private sector solutions to create jobs. We can do this by mobilizing private capital and pursuing innovative financing instruments. We can strengthen local capital markets. We can make equity investments for greater impact. And we can invest in micro-, small-, and medium-enterprises as engines of job creation,” Suri added. - Ricardo M. Austria