Niraj Verma is the Practice Manager of the Long Term Finance unit in the World Bank, within the department that deals with financial sector development. The Long Term Finance unit broadly deals with facilitation and mobilization of financial markets to support finance real economy sectors, including housing, infrastructure finance and bond and capital market development. Cross cutting themes that define this team, include a focus on climate finance and private capital facilitation, through financial instruments and structuring and also policy, analytical and technical support to clients. Prior to this role Niraj previously managed the finance and private sector team in Africa East and before that served as the manager for financial sector development for South Asia. Niraj has over twenty years at the World Bank, serving in various roles, including lead financial sector specialist, prior to assuming a managerial role, and covering a wide range of countries.