The African Development Bank has announced the appointment of Pierre Guislain as Vice-President, Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization, with effect from 1^st December 2016. He will join the Senior Management Team of the Bank.

Pierre Guislain, Belgian, currently works as Senior Director at the World Bank, where he provides global leadership for the Global Practice on Transport and Information and Communications. He has built an impressive career at the World Bank, spanning more than 30 years. He worked previously as Director for the Investment Climate Department of the International Finance Corporation and the World Bank Group (2006-2014) and Manager of the World Bank Group’s Information and Communications Technology Division (2001-2005).

He currently manages the World Bank’s Global Practice portfolio of US$42 billion on transport and information and communications infrastructure. He is widely respected for his global leadership in pushing for regulatory reforms in the telecoms industry, moving away from the monopolistic telecoms operators to a competitive sector with private sector participation, contributing to what became a major driver of economic and private sector growth, especially in Africa.

He brings extensive experience in private sector and infrastructure development. As Director, Investment Climate Department of the International Finance Corporation, he managed a team of 300 professionals across the world.

He brings along a strong background as an economist and lawyer with many years of experience and senior leadership experience at the World Bank, International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). As Director of the Investment Climate Department of the IFC, he advised governments on improving their business and investment opportunities through improved business registration, licencing, business taxation, foreign direct investment, trade logistics, debt resolution, commercial dispute settlement and policies promoting the private sector. He successfully integrated the separate teams from the World Bank, IFC and MIGA into a single integrated department.

Pierre Guislain holds a Master’s in Public Administration in Economics and Public Policy from Princeton University, USA, a Bachelor’s degree in Belgian and International Law, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from the Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium.

Commenting on his appointment, Pierre Guislain said:

“I am excited about the vision and agenda of the African Development Bank on expanding private sector and infrastructure to help drive industrialization of the continent. I look forward to working with President Adesina, the Bank’s staff and partners to support accelerated private sector and infrastructure investments on the continent”.

The President of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina, commented:

“Pierre Guislain brings global leadership and deep experience on private sector investments and infrastructure development, especially in Africa. His leadership role in the revolution of the telecommunications sector reforms, globally and in Africa, is well recognized. I am delighted Pierre will be leading our team, as we support African countries to accelerate investments in private sector, infrastructure and industrial development”.