Head of MIGA to Visit Japan

Head of MIGA to Visit Japan
First Official Trip to Country by Keiko Honda, formerly of McKinsey & Co. in Tokyo

View the press release in Japanese

Washington; Tokyo, October 22, 2013—Keiko Honda, Executive Vice President of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)—the political risk insurance and credit enhancement arm of the World Bank Group—is traveling to Japan as part of her first visit to Asia in her official capacity. She arrives in Tokyo on October 28th for talks with government officials, investors, and lenders on how MIGA can increase its support to Japanese firms.

As Japanese investors and lenders seek to diversify and take advantage of potentially higher returns offered by emerging markets, MIGA’s risk mitigation and credit enhancement tools have become increasingly important. MIGA has insured Japanese investors across the world—in countries like Brazil, Bangladesh, Mozambique, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Zambia, among others.

MIGA has enjoyed strong collaboration with the Government of Japan as the government seeks ways to encourage and back its investors’ outward expansion. In particular, MIGA and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) cooperate to promote private sector investment in developing countries through a memorandum of understanding. In addition, MIGA manages a trust fund that provides technical advice to overseas investors in Africa, launched with Japanese-government support.

“It is an honor for me to be addressing my colleagues in an official capacity, representing MIGA,” said Honda. “Japan has been an important partner for MIGA and World Bank Group in general—a relationship that we expect will continue to grow.”

She continued, “Japanese investment represents a critical source of capital, expertise, and development around the world. I want to make sure that the Japanese market is familiar and comfortable with MIGA’s ability to support FDI.”

Honda is the Agency’s sixth Japanese head in its 25-year history. She joined MIGA in July from McKinsey & Company where she was a Director and the company’s first woman senior partner in Asia.

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MULTILATERAL INVESTMENT GUARANTEE AGENCY
A Member of the World Bank Group
1818 H Street, NW, Washington, DC 20433

MIGA Contact:
Mallory Saleson, MIGA
Tel: +1 202 473-0844
E-mail: msaleson@worldbank.org

Rebecca Post, MIGA
Tel: +1 202-473-1964
E-mail: rpost@worldbank.org

Cara Santos Pianesi
Tel: +1.202.458.2097
E-mail: csantospianesi@worldbank.org