World Bank Group
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Anshula Kant is Managing Director and World Bank Group Chief Financial Officer. In this role, she is responsible for oversight of financial reporting, risk management of the World Bank Group and the mobilization of IDA and other financial resources.
Financing is at the center of the World Bank’s evolution process, which is aimed at building a bigger, better, and more efficient institution. As part of this process, Anshula’s team has spearheaded a series of reforms and financial innovations while streamlining internal processes and getting funding where it is needed, faster. Over the past year, the finance team has stretched the World Bank’s balance sheet and is expanding financial capacity by tens of billions of dollars through new financial instruments, all the while safeguarding its triple-A credit rating. Anshula has sought to instill a client-centric approach to all aspects of financing, introducing new product offerings such as extended loan maturities for clients and higher lending volumes to better support projects that address the most difficult global challenges.
She believes in strengthening partnerships, including with the private sector, to achieve development objectives. A current focus is the 21st replenishment of the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s funding that offers a lifeline to millions of people living in the poorest countries.
Anshula has more than 35 years of experience in banking, including retail and corporate banking, cross border and foreign exchange business, and a diverse array of leadership challenges covering finance, risk, operations, and regulatory compliance.
Prior to joining the World Bank Group in October 2019, Anshula was Managing Director and member of the Board of State Bank of India (SBI) from September 2018 till August 2019. With direct responsibility for the SBI's Risk, Compliance, and Stressed Asset Portfolio, Anshula led the creation of investment opportunities while empowering risk management throughout the bank.
Earlier Anshula served as the Deputy Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of SBI from 2015 to 2018, when she managed $38 billion of revenues and assets of $500 billion. Stewarding the organization, she greatly improved the capital base and focused on the long-term sustainability of SBI.
Anshula hails from India and is a graduate in Economics Honors from Lady Shri Ram College for Women in Delhi. She also holds a post-graduate degree in Economics from Delhi School of Economics.