Izumi Kobayashi Appointed to Head MIGA
Izumi Kobayashi Appointed to Head MIGA
WASHINGTON, DC, September 18, 2008—The World Bank Group announced today the appointment of Izumi Kobayashi as Executive Vice President of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).
Kobayashi is joining the agency from Merrill Lynch in Tokyo where she has held a number of high-level global leadership roles since joining the company in 1985. She is currently President and Representative Director and has also served as Director of Operations and Chief Administrative Officer.
"I am delighted that Ms. Kobayashi will be leading MIGA," said World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick. “She is an outstanding professional with a distinguished track record and will be an important addition to the Bank Group’s senior management team.”
As President of Merrill Lynch Japan, Kobayashi has successfully developed the company’s business in global financial services and its client franchise working with international teams ranging in size from 10 to over 1,000.
A graduate of Seikei University, Kobayashi was featured in the October 2005 edition of the Wall Street Journal’s "50 Women to Watch", and in 2004 she received the "The Business Woman of the Year" award from Veuve Clicquot. She is active in promoting opportunities for women and young professionals in the workplace and is a board member of Keizai Doyukai, the Japanese association of corporate executives.
Zoellick noted, "MIGA has just concluded a record year with $2.1 billion in guarantees. Ms. Kobayashi’s leadership will be instrumental as the agency builds on its success and deepens its engagement in the world’s poorest countries."
Kobayashi will take up her position in early December 2008.
For information:
Farah Hussain, fhussain@worldbank.org 202.473.2540
Rebecca Post, rpost@worldbank.org 202.473.1964