Axel van Trotsenburg served as the World Bank's Senior Managing Director (SMD), responsible for Development Policy and Partnerships, until November 2025.
A Dutch-Austrian national, he directed the World Bank's core development work captured by the Bank's Global Practice groups — including equitable growth, finance and institutions; human development; infrastructure; and sustainable development— and ensured its integration into operations, with a special focus on climate change, fragility, human capital, and debt sustainability issues. He oversaw the Bank's numerous partnerships, including with the UN, international financial institutions (IFIs), and bilateral partners, and co-chaired the replenishment of the International Development Association (IDA), representing the Bank in G7 and G20 meetings and leading its climate engagement at the annual COP convenings.
Prior to this, van Trotsenburg was the Managing Director of Operations for 3.5 years, from October 2019 – April 2023, and oversaw Bank operations globally, with a footprint spanning more than 140 offices worldwide. He was responsible for delivery of the World Bank program, which included an active portfolio of more than $304 billion in loans, grants, credits, and trust funds and an annual lending and financial support program that averaged around $70 billion/year.
During his time as MDO, he oversaw the massive increase in financial assistance especially during the COVID-19 crisis and other global crises including climate change, reaching about $225 billion. Most notably during that period, climate change financing doubled to $29 billion, health financing tripled to $9 billion, and fragility-related financing tripled to $16 billion.
Van Trotsenburg also oversaw the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) corporate finances. He co-led the WBG's efforts to obtain a capital increase, which resulted in shareholders endorsing a transformative package in April 2018, including an increase of IBRD capital by $60 billion. He also co-chaired twice the replenishment negotiations for the Global Environment Facility — GEF5 and GEF7 — and was responsible for a multi-billion-dollar trust fund portfolio.
Apart from his experience in managing World Bank finances, van Trotsenburg had extensive experience in country operations and regional programs. He served as Vice President for the Latin America and Caribbean Region in 2019; as East Asia and Pacific Region from 2013 to 2016; as Country Director for Colombia and Mexico from July 2007 to July 2009; and as Country Director for Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay from 2002 to July 2007. He also worked as a Senior Country Economist for Côte d'Ivoire and Economist for Guatemala.