IFC Appoints Sarvesh Suri as Regional Vice President for Asia-Pacific

The appointment reinforces IFC’s strategy, as part of the World Bank Group, to position private enterprise, blended finance and capital markets innovation at the centre of inclusive growth across emerging economies.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has named Sarvesh Suri as its new Regional Vice President for Asia and the Pacific, entrusting him with leadership of one of the world’s most dynamic—and development-critical—regions at a time of heightened demand for private capital, innovative financing and scalable solutions.

Bringing 25 years of global investment and development experience, Suri will lead all IFC investment and advisory operations across Asia-Pacific, mobilising the private sector to address complex development challenges, strengthen markets and drive large-scale job creation. He will be based in Singapore.

The appointment reinforces IFC’s strategy, as part of the World Bank Group, to position private enterprise, blended finance and capital markets innovation at the centre of inclusive growth across emerging economies.

Driving Private-Sector Solutions at Regional Scale

Suri will oversee IFC teams working from India to the Pacific Islands, delivering private-sector solutions across financial services, manufacturing, agribusiness, infrastructure, services, and natural resources. These efforts aim to unlock investment, build resilient value chains and deliver measurable impact for businesses and communities.

Supporting Suri are two newly appointed Division Directors:

• Keiko Miwa, based in Jakarta, will lead South West Asia and the Pacific Islands.

• Arnaud Dupoizat, based in Hong Kong SAR, China, will oversee East Asia, effective 1 February 2026.

A Leadership Focus on Jobs, Capital and Innovation

“It is my genuine privilege to return home to Asia in a role that allows me to make a meaningful and lasting difference,” Suri said. “This is a region that shaped me personally and professionally. The opportunity now is to bring public and private capabilities together to tackle development challenges at scale.”

Suri has been explicit about his priorities: jobs, capital mobilisation and innovation.

“Across Asia-Pacific, what unites people is the desire for dignified livelihoods,” he said. “My focus will be on maximising IFC’s private-sector toolkit—mobilising private capital, deploying innovative financing instruments, strengthening local capital markets, making equity investments for greater impact, and scaling support for micro-, small- and medium-enterprises as engines of job creation.”

Proven Track Record Across Global Markets

Prior to this appointment, Suri served as IFC’s Regional Industry Director for Infrastructure and Natural Resources, based in Johannesburg, where he played a key role in launching Mission 300, a flagship initiative aimed at expanding access and impact in emerging markets.

Earlier, he spent six years at the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) as Director of Operations, managing global political risk mitigation products that enable cross-border investment in developing economies. Before MIGA, Suri held multiple senior leadership roles at IFC over 15 years, including Senior Regional Manager for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, based in Jakarta.

Call to Action: Partnering for the Next Phase of Asia-Pacific Growth

Suri’s appointment comes as Asia-Pacific economies confront intersecting challenges—climate transition, infrastructure gaps, financial inclusion and demographic shifts—while also presenting unprecedented opportunities for fintech, climate finance, sustainable infrastructure, MSME platforms and blended-finance innovation.

For investors, startups, corporates and policymakers, IFC’s leadership transition signals a renewed push to scale partnerships that convert private capital into inclusive growth and jobs.

As Suri steps into the role, the message is clear: the future of development in Asia-Pacific will be built through innovation, investment and collaboration at scale.