core sector communique

World Bank Announces New Country Director for India

New Delhi, September 10, 2012: Onno Ruhl has taken over as World Bank’s new Country Director for India, replacing N. Roberto Zagha, who is due to retire from the Bank end October.

Ruhl, a Dutch national, was previously the Director for Operations Services and Quality in the South Asia Region of the World Bank.

“I’m very pleased to announce Onno Ruhl as the new Country Director for India. His strong experience on finance and operations, and his leadership skills, will ensure that the Bank’s strategy for India is formulated and implemented in order to support the development objectives of one of our most important clients in these challenging times,” said Isabel Guerrero, World Bank Vice-President for the South Asia region.

Ruhl joined the Bank in 1993 as Country Officer for Moldova and Armenia. He has since held various positions within the Bank in East and Central Asia as well as Africa. He was the Country Director for Nigeria and prior to that the Country Manager for the Democratic Republic of Congo. He has also held the position of Lead Private and Financial Sector Development Specialist in the Africa and Europe and Central Asia regions. During that period, he provided leadership in creating and financing the African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI).

Prior to working in the Bank, Ruhl was with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands government and was also the Alternate Director on the Board of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency. He started his career teaching economics in Alkmaar, the Netherlands.

The World Bank's US$ 23 billion-portfolio in the country covers 76 active investment projects. During FY12, the Bank's Board approved US$ 3 billion in funding for 10 new projects for India spanning a range of sectors including infrastructure, education, health and rural development. Of this, US$ 445 million came from IBRD and US$ 2.5 billion came as interest–free credits from IDA. India has borrowed US$ 92 billion (IDA- US$ 44 billion and IBRD- US$ 48 billion) at the current prices during its sixty years of relationship with the Bank.