Laura E. Bailey is the World Bank’s Global Lead for Stability Peace and Security and Lead Social Development Specialist. Based in Washington DC, she is responsible for thought leadership on issues of fragility, conflict, and violence.  She facilitates a multi-sectoral community across the World Bank Group by supporting operational innovation and cutting edge solutions inside the Bank Group, and connection with external expertise and institutions involved in peacebuilding, recovery, and violence prevention.

Prior to her return to HQ, she worked as the Country Manager for Armenia. She provided leadership on the overall policy reform agenda for the country, overseeing the quality and delivery of the World Bank work program, and maintained relationships with the national authorities and with all key stakeholders in the country.

Ms. Bailey has held field posts in large middle-income and transition countries, such as India and Indonesia, as well as in small post-conflict countries, like Timor Leste. Prior to her recent position as the WB Country Manager in Papua New Guinea (from April 2009 to July 2014) she served as Senior Operations Specialist in the Operations Policy and Country Services vice-presidency of the World Bank; her responsibilities from 2005 to 2009 included launching partnership initiatives across multilateral and bilateral agencies, leading operational inputs to reform of Bank policies related to ‘rapid response’ operations, and providing support to a wide range of country teams across three regions. 
Prior to joining the World Bank in 2005, Ms. Bailey worked for 16 years in economic development projects across countries in Asia, Africa, and Central America, and before that was active for three years in organizational development for the private sector in San Francisco, California, USA, during the technology boom of the mid-1980s.

Ms. Bailey, a US citizen, holds a Master of Public Policy degree from Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government with concentrations in international trade and international development.