Lisa Finneran is the Director of the Innovation Department at the World Bank Group (WBG), based in Washington, D.C. She leads efforts to build a collaborative and experimental innovation ecosystem within the WBG in order to support clients and partners in achieving stronger development outcomes.
Lisa is recognized for her thought leadership in innovation, her commitment to building a culture of experimentation and collaboration, and her ability to drive transformative change across the World Bank Group. Her department is committed to taking informed risks, promoting disciplined execution, and ensuring that successful innovations are scaled for maximum impact.
Lisa has over two decades of experience in the WBG, spanning senior roles in strategy, resource mobilization, and corporate finance. She spearheaded the transformation of IDA’s funding model and played a pivotal role in the 2018 capital increase negotiations, enabling significant growth in development financing and advancing the WBG’s capacity to respond to complex challenges.
Before joining the World Bank, Lisa worked in the Washington and Jakarta offices of McKinsey & Company and lectured in Economics at the University of Oxford, Trinity College Dublin, and the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. An Irish citizen, she holds Masters and Doctorate degrees in Economics from the University of Oxford (St. John’s College) and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Trinity College Dublin.