Banga, if confirmed by the World Bank’s board, will have to balance the climate agenda of the U.S., the bank’s largest shareholder, with concerns from other countries about a potential move away from the institution’s core mandates of fighting poverty and funding economic development projects within national borders.
The U.S. has historically been allowed to choose the head of the World Bank, although that dynamic has recently faced pushback from other nations.
Banga, an admired figure for decades on Wall Street, rose to prominence at Citigroup as a protege of then-CEO Sandy Weill. Raised in India as a Sikh, Banga cut a recognizable figure at parties and events with his stylish turban and humble approach.
Weill had to convince him to take the company jet after 9/11 instead of flying commercial and facing intense immigration scrutiny. Sikh Americans faced significant hostility from some Americans after the terrorist attacks despite their having no connection to Islamic jihadists.
Despite being in the mix to take over Citi from Weill, Banga decided to leave the bank to take over at Mastercard, which he led from 2010 to 2020.
Environmental advocates have put a premium on ensuring the next World Bank president will marshal its resources to address rising temperatures and deliver finance to green energy systems across the globe.
Yet Banga is a bit of a mystery to the climate-minded community.
“The World Bank is about a host of issues, which includes climate. So, I mean, first you actually have to run the bank, which is no small feat,” said Kalee Kreider, a longtime adviser to former Vice President Al Gore who is now president of public affairs firm Ridgely Walsh.
But green champions have also recognized the World Bank’s power comes from bringing in more private capital, with trillions needed to spark the type of investment to keep global temperatures from surpassing 1.5 degrees Celsius compared with pre-industrial levels.
Special Climate Envoy John Kerry, who has urged the World Bank to overhaul its practices to drive more capital into high-emitting nations and poorer ones struggling to adapt to a warmer planet, said Banga is the right person to deliver on that mission.
“Ajay has proven his ability as a manager of large institutions, and understands investment and the mobilization of capital to power the green transition,” Kerry said in a tweet. “He can help put in place new policies that help deploy the large sums of money necessary to reduce global emissions and help developing and vulnerable countries adapt, build resilience, and mitigate the impact of greenhouse gases.”
While Banga might not have been a household name to the environmental set, he is well-known to Biden world. He served on an Obama administration trade advisory council, chaired the U.S.-India Business Council, and more recently had been working with Vice President Kamala Harris’ office to “address the root causes of migration from Central America,” a White House official said.
