In a significant move, Neelkanth Mishra, a seasoned economist, has been named as India’s Executive Director at the World Bank. Mishra’s appointment, sanctioned by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), will span three years at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, DC.
Taking over from Parameswaran Iyer, Mishra will assume office after Iyer’s extended tenure. He will be responsible for representing India at the World Bank’s Board, overseeing lending operations, development projects, financial policies, and governance decisions. This role is crucial for India’s economic diplomacy, involving discussions on global development financing, infrastructure investment, poverty reduction, and economic growth initiatives.
Currently holding the position of Chief Economist at Axis Bank, Mishra is also the Head of Global Research and a Whole-Time Director at Axis Capital. He is highly esteemed as one of India’s most respected economists and market strategists. Prior to joining Axis Group in 2023, Mishra spent close to twenty years at Credit Suisse, where he held various key roles, including Managing Director and India Strategist.
Apart from his banking roles, Mishra serves as the Part-time Chairperson of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and as a Part-time member of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). He has provided advisory services to numerous government committees and institutions, including the 15th and 16th Finance Commissions.
An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Mishra secured an All-India Rank of 4 in the IIT entrance examination. His accomplishments were recognized by IIT Kanpur, which honored him with the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2020. Mishra also has experience working as a Senior Technical Architect at Infosys and has consistently been ranked among India’s top analysts.
