Iain G. Shuker is the World Bank’s Regional Director for Sustainable Development for Eastern and Southern Africa. He is an economist with over 30 years of experience in the World Bank and has occupied various roles in the Europe and Central Asia, East Asia and the Pacific, and Africa regions, offering expertise in the areas of environmental and natural resource management, agriculture, finance, disaster risk management and land reform. Prior to joining the World Bank, he worked at the International Food Policy Research Institute. He holds a PhD degree in Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota in the United States.
In his current assignment, Mr. Shuker oversees the policy direction, strategic partnerships, and delivery of sustainable development lending programs in the 26 countries in the Eastern and Southern Africa region. His focus is on developing innovative products and delivering programs at scale for tangible impact. He oversees a team of over 300 staff and an active portfolio of $24.9 Billion in investments across the region in agriculture, environment, water, urban and social development sectors, as well as the delivery of the Bank’s new core analytical report on climate change. His goal is to address prominent challenges in the region, such as food security, social inclusion, equitable economic transitions, access to water and sanitation, and climate resilience.