Konishi is new WB country head for Phl

MANILA, Philippines - The visit of World Bank (WB) president Robert Zoellick in the country has provided the incoming head of the multilateral financial institution in the Philippines, Japanese executive Motoo Konishi, an opportunity to tour his next assignment.

Zoellick, in a press conference at the WB offices in Ortigas, Pasig City, formally introduced Konishi, who was present at the briefing, as the incoming WB Philippines country director.

Koniski takes over from Bert Hofman, who will be the WB’s new chief economist for East Asa and the Pacific.

WB officials said Konishi will formally assume the post in February.

Konishi is currently the WB’s country director for Central Asia, having been appointed to the assignment on Jan. 15, 2009.

Konishi joined the bank in 1981 through the Young Professionals Program. After graduating from the program in 1983, he worked on transport projects and sector work in Eastern and Southern African countries.

As a transport economist, Konishi led teams of multi-sector specialists and carried out in-depth sector analysis that diagnosed the existing situation and formulated multi-year programs of institutional, policy reforms, and investments to improve infrastructure and transport services. In 1992, he was appointed the bank’s resident representative for Tanzania, where he served until 1995.

As principal country officer for Kazakhstan from 1995 to 1997, Konishi was directly involved in planning of the WB’s strategy of cooperation with Kazakhstan and played a leading role in the preparation and implementation of the Treasury Modernization Project in Central Asia and the Legal Reform Project in Kazakhstan.

Between 1997 and 2009, Konishi worked in the Infrastructure and Energy Services Department of Europe and Central Asia Region as the principal economist (water supply), sector manager for water supply and sanitation and sector manager for transport.

Konishi obtained his degree in international economics from the Clarement McKenna College (USA) and his master degree in development economics, international law, and international business from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, also in the US.