Indian-origin World Bank President Ajay Banga features in the list of ‘Great Immigrants’

Ajay Banga, the President of the World Bank, has entered the list of “Great Immigrants” list of honourees who have strengthened America and its democracy with the help of their contributions and actions. 

He is the first-ever Indian American to become the chief of the World Bank. Banga was appointed to the post in June 2023. 

Ajay Banga is the only honouree from India in this year’s list of ‘Great Immigrants’ by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. 

With over 30 years of experience in key positions, Mr Banga is expected to usher in transformative policies at the World Bank to combat poverty and address climate change, opening opportunities for people around the globe, a statement issued by Carnegie on June 27 said.

During a conversation between Carnegie and Ajay Banga, he mentioned how diversity has helped him succeed as a leader: "At the end of the day, if you surround yourself with people who look like you, who walk like you and talk like you, and grew up in the same places you did and worked with you in your prior jobs, then you will have a sense of comfort of hiring people around you who have that familiarity. But you will also have the same blind spots. You will miss the same trends. You will miss the same opportunities." 

Ajay Banga started his career in India, working for 13 years at Nestle and two years at PepsiCo. He joined Citigroup in 1996 and led the Asia-Pacific region as a CEO, eventually. 

Later moving to the US, Ajay Banga served as president and CEO of Mastercard for 12 years before being named executive chairman. Under his leadership, Mastercard launched the Center for Inclusive Growth, which advances equitable and sustainable economic growth and financial inclusion around the world, the statement said.

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