Bob Saum is the World Bank Country Director for Eastern Europe in Kyiv, providing strategic leadership for programs in Ukraine and Moldova. He leads the global country team in design of financing for government priorities, policy advice, relationship management with stakeholders and resource mobilization.
As the Chief Financial Management Officer and a Director of operational policy, he led teams supporting countries on the acquisition of $6 billion of COVID vaccines. He directed the operational engagement with UN agencies with over $10 billion in financing, and guided “fit for purpose” implementation of operational policies in Fragile, Conflict and Violence environments to maximize development results in these complex situations.
He led the creation of the World Bank’s first use by operational teams of AI, designed to review and analyze accountability issues.
Resident in Dhaka as Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, he led country dialogue and engagement, including support to the Rohingya refugees. As the Director, Regional Integration and Partnerships in South Asia, he promoted economic integration and cooperation among countries and with neighboring regions.
Living in Kabul, Bob was a country Director for Afghanistan from 2012 to 2016 leading the sensitive public policy dialogue with senior officials, focusing on the importance of economic and human development, jobs and poverty reduction to complement security and political transitions. Throughout his tenure, he secured the safety of World Bank staff during a time of escalating security incidents, enabling continuous presence and support.
From 2009 to 2012 he was Adviser to the World Bank Managing Director. As the Manager for Financial Management in the South Asia Region, Bob led a team engaged with Ministries of Finance, Auditors General and Public Accounts Committees on public financial management results.
Previously, Bob lived in Pakistan, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Kenya and East Jerusalem working for NGOs focused on relief and development activities, including a year as the Administrator of a 100-bed hospital in East Jerusalem, raising funds and leading its transformation. He is a CPA and CMA, having started his career with EY in the US and London.
Bob holds a Master of International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Phoenix, Arizona and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a minor in political science from the University of Dayton.