ARIF ZULFIQAR

Arif Zulfiqar is a senior international development executive with 40 years of experience in investment policy, strategy and finance. 

In three decades of leadership at the World Bank, he was responsible for design of operations, resource mobilization, structuring legal and financial frameworks, portfolio management, and fiduciary oversight. His experience covered a wide range of sectors for economic and social development in more than 20 countries of the Middle East, Africa, East Asia and Southern Europe. 

As Director of Global Partnerships and Trust Fund Operations, he managed a portfolio of over $40 billion in funds contributed by more than 350 public and private donors for projects in education, health, infrastructure, and environment. He also led enterprise resource planning to support business process transformation at the World Bank. 

As the Bank’s Resident Representative in Malawi for six years, he oversaw a program of over $150 million in new lending every year and led the dialogue with a wide range of stakeholders (government, donors, private sector, NGOs) on an ambitious agenda for economic liberalization and human development. 

His earlier work included planning for post-war reconstruction, design of Social Action Funds, project appraisal/supervision, sector studies, and public expenditure reviews. 

He has lived more than 25 years in South Asia and 10 years in Africa, and has board and advisory experience with both corporate and nonprofit organizations. 

He received an MBA from Harvard University, MA in economics from Punjab University, and advanced training in law, finance and development administration.