The World Bank has revealed a key leadership appointment for its regional work in the Caribbean, announcing Wednesday that Achim Fock will take up the post of Division Director for the Caribbean region. In this senior leadership role, Fock will steer the global development institution’s strategic partnerships and active project portfolio across all Caribbean nations, with oversight over a broad portfolio of initiatives including development lending, data-driven analytical work, policy advisory services, and targeted trust fund programs. All of these efforts are focused on advancing inclusive, sustainable, and shock-resistant development across the small and vulnerable economies of the region. Fock brings a quarter-century of hands-on experience within the World Bank’s global network to his new role, giving him deep institutional knowledge of the bank’s operating models and development priorities. Most recently, he served as Country Manager for Zambia, where he led portfolio oversight and direct engagement with national government stakeholders and development partners. Prior to his posting in Southern Africa, Fock held the role of Operations Manager for four major Southeast Asian economies: Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand. He also previously served as Operations Manager for Vietnam, and has held senior leadership roles including Manager of the Development Effectiveness Unit for the South Asia region. Early in his World Bank tenure, Fock worked as a Senior Economist, delivering policy and economic analysis across multiple countries across Africa, East Asia, and Eastern Europe, building a global perspective on diverse development challenges. In his new position, Fock will take ownership of all the World Bank’s regional programming across the Caribbean. Core priorities will include expanding and strengthening collaborative partnerships with national governments, local civil society organizations, and private sector actors across the region. He will also lead the bank’s support to Caribbean nations as they navigate a complex set of interconnected development challenges. These pressing priorities include expanding job creation and driving inclusive growth in key economic sectors, supporting a just and affordable energy transition to meet global climate commitments, and building comprehensive 360-degree resilience across the region. Key resilience-focused efforts will include expanding investment in disaster risk preparedness and accessible disaster risk financing, delivering climate-resilient infrastructure, and strengthening broad economic resilience to withstand global shocks and climate impacts. Fock holds an impressive academic background aligned with his development work: he earned a PhD in Agricultural Economics, two master’s degrees in Agricultural Science and Agricultural Economics respectively, and a postgraduate diploma focused on European Integration and International Economics.
World Bank Appoints Achim Fock as Division Director for the Caribbean
