Sumir Lal is Director of Regional Communications in the External Affairs Vice Presidency of the World Bank, heading a unit that provides communication services for the World Bank’s regional departments. He is a firm believer in transparency and accountability and the role strategic communications can play in advancing development outcomes.. Sumir played a an important role in the review of the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework and implementation of its Access to Information Policy. He pioneered the use of political economy analysis in project design and analytical work during his time in the Bank's New Delhi office in the early 2000s. Prior to joining the World Bank, Sumir was an award-winning journalist in India. He holds an advanced degree in public policy from Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and has published a number of papers on the political economy of reform.