CEU Director Interview
by Ary Naim
1. Vision for CEU
1.1. A region of Innovation in the low-carbon economy and just transition agenda
1.2. A region where IFC has strong value-add but needs to find its voice
1.3. A smaller region with the opportunity for a better integrated, strategic, and agile IFC team
1.4. Complex geopolitics with need to keep and eye on realistic short term impact vs long term risks and opportunities in multiple scenarios
1.5. Need a strong partnership and trust with key constituents in the Board to build support on role, geopolitics and EU/ DFI collaboration
2. Achievements I am proud of
2.1. SME Banking Check
2.2. TAINO Bond
2.3. HAITI Handling of Senior Political Influences
2.4. Mexico Relationship Building
2.5. Mexico Office Turrnaround & Growth
2.6. Building Regional Team in CSEE - IO - IA - ACS - COs
2.7. Turned-around relationship with WBG Anna / Linda
3. Motivation
3.1. Gain influence as part of Leadership Team
3.2. Contribute and Leverage what I have learned as experienced CM- I have done everything I could do as CM and learned a lot
3.3. Have a chance to implement my vision and be accountable for it in a bigger region
4. People challenges I have handled
4.1. TAINO - making Treasury and FIG work
4.2. Conflicts: Roby-DR Office
4.3. Firing Driver smartly
4.4. Leading diverse & novice team to deliver the CELVP Knowledge Forum
5. Mistakes I learned from
5.1. Hiring the least bad candidate even if not ideal - better readvertize
6. Strengths and Weaknesses
6.1. Vision - Integrity - People skills
6.2. High level of Personal Engagement - ownership of issues at hand
6.3. Balanced, constructive, solutions-oriented, pragmatic, positive attitude
6.4. Proactive, knowledgeable, action-oriented, team player
6.5. Balanced and business focused approach that displays seniority and natural authority
6.6. Delegation - trust - independence
7. Assets for the position
7.1. Integrator of WBG solutions
7.2. Track record across AS, IS, and CM
7.3. Track record building partnership and trust internally and externally
7.4. Track record implementing a vision and motivating people
7.5. Solid experience across Security Challenges, Office procurement and Management, HR and Compensation, Budget
7.6. Business Judgement across sectors, ability to lead without authority, humility to know what I don't know - eg when to escalate, when not
8. First Steps in the job
8.1. Spring is coming - Travel to meet and re-energize teams - after 2+years of COVID, a reorg, newly onboarded teams, competitiveness challenges, and continuous uncertainty on personal growth opportunities, we have a serious motivation challenge.
8.2. Lead Strategy Retreat with RHIs and Managers
8.3. CMA needs to be better leveraged and refocused, with tough decisions to be made
8.4. Rationalize and better leverage Country/ Subregional 3.0 Strategy cycle
9. Vision/ KSFs for the role
9.1. Setting the pace and allocating resources for short-term and long-term impact
9.2. Summing-up efforts into a larger impact than the sum of all. Cross-sector, cross-institution, cross products
9.3. Implementing Senior Management vision and Corporate tools while isolating Business Teams from the burden
10. Strategy
10.1. Green Transition, Regional Value Chains, Digital Economy, Connectivity
10.2. Tactics as important as Strategy
10.2.1. Work with RHIs to increase market knowledge and local thought leadership
10.2.2. Work with RHIs to free IO time on the ground
10.2.3. Work with GHIs to map relevant clients and knowledge and raise the Region profile
10.2.4. Work with CMs to increase IFC seat at the table, WB integration, trust with Governments