Stephen Ndegwa Takes the Helm of World Bank Work in Thailand and Myanmar

Thailand is working toward high-income status by 2037 and wants to build an economy that is more competitive, resilient and capable of creating better employment opportunities.

The World Bank has appointed Stephen N. Ndegwa as Division Director for Thailand and Myanmar, placing an experienced development leader at the centre of two very different country partnerships. Based in Bangkok, Ndegwa begins the role on September 1, 2026, with responsibility for guiding World Bank programmes, building relationships with national and local partners, and helping both countries respond to their economic and social priorities.

One Role Spanning Two Very Different Development Realities

Thailand is working toward high-income status by 2037 and wants to build an economy that is more competitive, resilient and capable of creating better employment opportunities. Myanmar faces a far more fragile situation, where conflict, violence, economic hardship and natural disasters continue to place families and communities under severe pressure. Ndegwa's position will require close attention to these contrasting realities while keeping the World Bank's wider mission in view: ending extreme poverty, expanding shared prosperity on a livable planet and creating more and better jobs.

"Thailand has demonstrated strong leadership and results in pursuing sustainable and resilient development, while Myanmar's people continue to face immense challenges," Ndegwa said. He expressed his commitment to working with partners to create opportunities, reinforce resilience and support growth that includes people who are often left behind.

Thailand Partnership Will Focus on Jobs, Investment and Resilience

Ndegwa's early priority will be advancing a new Country Partnership Framework for Thailand ahead of the 2026 IMF–World Bank Group Annual Meetings in Bangkok. The framework will provide a focused roadmap for improving the country's global competitiveness, encouraging business growth, mobilising private capital and expanding access to quality jobs, while also strengthening the economy's ability to withstand climate, financial and social pressures.

The partnership is organised around two connected outcomes: building a more competitive private sector and improving resilience as a foundation for economic growth. World Bank investments in Thailand currently cover resilient infrastructure, carbon markets, water security and flood-risk management, areas that carry growing importance as cities expand and climate-related threats become more frequent. Research and policy support also address macroeconomic management, urban development, digital transformation, access to finance and private sector development, giving decision-makers practical evidence for shaping the country's next stage of growth.

Myanmar Support Will Centre on Vulnerable Communities

In Myanmar, Ndegwa will oversee work guided by the World Bank Group's "monitor, assess and assist" approach and its Strategy for Engaging in Fragility, Conflict and Violence-Affected Settings for 2026–2030. The Bank will continue studying changing economic and social conditions so that support can respond to the realities facing households, workers and communities rather than relying on outdated assumptions.

Assistance will be delivered through third-party partners, with priority given to preserving human capital, protecting livelihoods, improving food security and helping communities cope with conflict, economic disruption, disasters and other shocks. This work is also intended to protect the basic foundations needed for future recovery, giving vulnerable people greater capacity to endure present hardships and rebuild when conditions allow.

Ndegwa brings more than two decades of experience to the position. Before this appointment, he served as Division Director for the Pacific Islands, where he managed a portfolio of more than 80 projects. Since joining the World Bank as a Young Professional in 2002, he has held leadership roles across Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, the Middle East and South Asia, including serving as Country Manager for Serbia and Operations Manager for Afghanistan. He holds a PhD in Political Science and Public Policy from Indiana University in the United States.