Executive Vice President

Lars H. Thunell, a Swedish national, is Executive Vice President and CEO of IFC (International Finance Corporation), a member of the World Bank Group.

Mr. Thunell is leading IFC in its mission to promote sustainable private sector development. Since joining the Corporation in January 2006, Mr. Thunell has confirmed IFC’s strategy to grow its business and its mission to create opportunities in emerging markets and improve people’s lives. He has visited over 30 developing countries to see at first hand how IFC can best help its clients with financing and advisory services, and endorsed further decentralization of IFC.

Previously, Mr. Thunell had a successful career in the financial services industry. Most recently, he was the Chief Executive Officer of SEB, a North European commercial and investment bank. In the 1990s, Mr. Thunell served as the Chief Executive Officer of Trygg-Hansa, a Swedish insurance company, and as Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Nordbanken. He was also President and Chief Executive Officer of Securum, an asset management company established by the Swedish government. Previously, he worked at ABB Zurich and at American Express in New York. He has also held numerous board positions with international companies and nongovernmental organizations.

Mr. Thunell graduated with a doctorate from the University of Stockholm and was a research fellow at the Harvard University Center for International Affairs.