The Board of course, theoretically. But I spoke to someone very close to a board member who took the view that it’s up to Zoellick to decide if he wants to stay on or not.  COGAM (board subcommittee) meets next week, I hear they’re going to discuss the paper on the selection process they approved last year.

And I spoke to someone senior in the Integrity Vice Presidency who suggested that they knew it would reflect badly on the Bank if there’s no transparent process, but what can you do, it’s up to the Board…

Succession planning is already underway at World Bank, the media have speculated at length about possible replacements, and Zoellick continues to tantalise Bankwatchers by keeping mum.  But hold on, this is the wrong way round, isn’t it?

Zoellick was selected in 2007, the year before the Bank’s governors, the G20 and virtually every related international institution you can think of began repeatedly promising we’d have a merit-based process next time. Well, next time is now.  No matter what Zoellick wants, the Bank’s board should organise a transparent process for his successor, even if Zoellick decides he wants another shot.

So, when should they do this?  Continue reading →

Given common assumptions that the US will select the next President and there will be no merit-based selection process, I thought I’d check out what organisations that try to combat corruption thought of this idea.

Where better place to start than the institution that’s just launching a new governance and anti-corruption strategy, the same one that publishes worldwide governance indicators. Yes, it’s the World Bank. Continue reading →

I’ve been looking through old blogs and reports from last time, and thought you’d enjoy this parody that neatly explains how absurd the traditional ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ that allows the US to pick the World Bank president is. Continue reading →