The man Japan calls "Mr. Development" for his expertise in the field is set to take up a key World Bank post later this month, working with finance ministers across the globe to address pressing issues, including energy efficiency and the spread of avian influenza.
Kiyoshi Kodera will become the first Japanese to serve as executive secretary of the Development Committee, a joint ministerial panel of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund that addresses development issues.
The job requires close coordination with World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, IMF Managing Director Rodrigo de Rato and the panel's 24 members in setting the agenda for their biannual meetings, a forum Kodera said is most effective in crafting development strategy, given the relatively large representation of regions, including Africa and the Middle East.