AS A supporter of gender equality and advocate of a poverty free world, Anshula Kant, managing director and chief financial officer, World Bank Group, finds her personal preferences perfectly aligned with the broader objectives of the Group. “It’s clear we can no longer afford to marginalise the talents of half of humanity,” says Kant, outlining the Group’s gender strategy 2024-2030 recently. The strategy focuses on concerted action, financing, and programmes at scale to support foundational wellbeing, economic participation and women leadership.
As MD and CFO, Kant manages financial and risk management of the development institution. She is at the forefront of efforts to evolve the World Bank’s financial model to address global challenges, including climate change, pandemics and conflict. Most recently, she oversaw efforts to expand the Bank’s lending capacity by more than $120 billion over 10 years, a funding boost that supports its revised mission ‘to end extreme poverty on a livable planet’. This year, Kant is focused on mobilising resources for the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s fund for low-income countries. IDA provides grants and low-interest loans to help countries pull people out of poverty. — Joe.C.Mathew