Riccardo Puliti, an Italian national, is IFC’s Regional Vice President for Asia and the Pacific and oversees all investment and advisory operations across the region.  Mr. Puliti is focused on leveraging the World Bank Group to scale sustainable private sector led growth by supporting innovative products and transformative technologies. His key priorities for the region include enhancing financial and digital inclusion for underserved communities, closing the gender divide, increasing climate financing, helping countries transition to cleaner sources of energy, and bridging infrastructure gaps.

Previously, Mr. Puliti was the Vice President for Infrastructure at the World Bank. In this role, he led the Bank's global efforts to build effective infrastructure in emerging markets and define the World Bank Group’s strategic business priorities such as the climate change action plan. Mr. Puliti also served as the World Bank’s Regional Director, Infrastructure for Africa, where he led operations and provided strategic direction. Working alongside IFC and MIGA, he helped in the increase in private sector mobilisation. Riccardo joined the World Bank Group as Senior Director of the Energy and Extractives Global Practice in November 2016 and led a team of 500 professionals, developing policies and financing in the global energy and extractive industries.

Prior to joining the World Bank Group, Mr. Puliti was the Managing Director in charge of Energy and Extractive Industries at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. He began his career at Istituto Mobiliare Italiano and later worked at Banque Indosuez and NM Rothschild and Sons in M&A and equity capital markets.

Mr. Puliti holds an MBA from Instituto Superior de Estudios de la Empresa (IESE) and postgraduate studies at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, and Imperial College.