IFC Taps Sarvesh Suri as New Regional Vice President for Asia and the Pacific

SINGAPORE, January 21, 2026 – The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private-sector arm of the World Bank Group, has appointed Sarvesh Suri as its new Regional Vice President for Asia and the Pacific, reinforcing its strategic focus on mobilising private capital for sustainable and inclusive development across the region.

Suri, an Indian national with 25 years of global investment and development experience, will lead IFC’s investment and advisory operations spanning from India to the Pacific Islands, with a base in Singapore. In his new role, he will prioritise innovative financing, stronger local capital markets and increased support for micro, small and medium enterprises to drive job creation and economic growth.

Under his leadership, IFC aims to tackle complex development challenges by scaling up private-sector solutions, crowding in new capital across sectors such as clean energy, climate-smart agriculture, inclusive finance, infrastructure and natural resources. He succeeds Riccardo Puliti, who has moved to lead IFC’s operations for the Middle East and Central Asia from Dubai.

To strengthen regional oversight, Suri will be supported by two division directors: Keiko Miwa, based in Jakarta, will manage South West Asia and the Pacific Islands; and Arnaud Dupoizat, based in Hong Kong, will oversee East Asia beginning 1 February.

Before this appointment, Suri served as IFC’s Regional Industry Director for Infrastructure and Natural Resources in Johannesburg, where he contributed to initiatives including Mission 300, aimed at expanding infrastructure and services. His extensive experience with IFC and the World Bank Group includes leadership roles spanning Southeast Asia, Africa and conditional risk management at the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).

IFC’s move comes amid heightened demand for private capital and blended finance mechanisms to support equitable, environmentally sound and resilient growth across emerging markets in Asia and the Pacific.