As Director Regional Integration and Partnerships in the South Asia Region of the World Bank, Bob Saum leads the World Bank’s efforts to (i) promote economic integration and cooperation among countries in South Asia and with neighboring regions and (ii) strengthen support for achieving results in a range of sectors, including water, nutrition and gender, through collaboration with development partners.
Based in Kabul, Mr. Saum was Country Director for Afghanistan from May 2012 until November 2016. From 2009 to 2012 he was Adviser in the Office of the Managing Director. As the Manager for Financial Management in the South Asia Region from 2004 to 2009 Mr. Saum led a team engaged with Ministries of Finance, Auditors General and Public Accounts Committees on public financial management results, capacity development and fiduciary arrangements. He has also worked on public financial management issues in the East Asia Region. Mr. Saum joined the World Bank in 1998, initially in the Loan Department as a Financial Management Specialist.
Previously, Mr. Saum lived in Pakistan, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Kenya and East Jerusalem working for NGOs focused on relief and development activities. Mr. Saum is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA), having started his career with Ernst & Young, in the US and London.
Mr. Saum holds a Master of International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Phoenix, Arizona and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a minor in political science from the University of Dayton.