EXPERTISE: economic development; governance
Katrina Sharkey is a seasoned development professional with over 40 years’ experience in international economic development. Her final position in active service was as Adviser to the World Bank Vice President for West and Central Africa, from which she retired in 2021. Katrina brings to the table leadership skills; a track record in strategy development, implementation and governance, and a passion for strengthening the voice and agency of girls and young women in fragile and insecure environments.
Katrina was World Country Manager to Benin from 2015 to 2019. Previously, she served as Deputy to the Directors for Bank programs in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Niger, Mauritania, and Togo, and worked in country management for programs in Central Africa. Her work on Poverty Reduction Strategies in low-income countries exposed her to the challenges and opportunities for vulnerable populations across Central and East Asia, Latin America, and Sub-Saharan Africa. She has been active in design and implementation of public expenditure and governance operations in the Maghreb, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
Katrina occupied corporate World Bank roles, including the delivery of programs on the management of transition and public investment – following the fall of the Berlin Wall – for young leaders from the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, and public sector performance in Portuguese-speaking African countries. She also served in the Bank’s Corporate Secretariat facilitating relations between Management and the Board.
Katrina was decorated in 2019 as Commander of the National Order of Benin by the country’s Grand Chancellor. She is the recipient of World Bank corporate awards for outstanding achievement in strategy and teamwork. Katrina has full working competence in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, with intermediate competence in Russian.
