Niraj Verma is the acting Global Director in the Finance, Competitiveness & Investment (FCI) Global Department of the World Bank. In this role, Niraj leads the World Bank’s work to promote the development of sound, stable, deep and inclusive financial systems. His global team of experts works with governments and partners to deepen and make financial systems more resilient, to open access to finance for poor and vulnerable people, to support economic activity and to develop financial markets. Niraj also manages the Long-Term Finance unit – that deals with the mobilization of financial markets to support real economy sectors – and has previously been the regional Manager for the Africa East and South Asia regions. Niraj has over twenty years of experience at the World Bank, with experience of working across many countries and serving in various roles prior to assuming a managerial role, including as a lead financial sector specialist.