Axel van Trotsenburg is the World Bank’s Senior Managing Director (SMD), responsible for Development Policy and Partnerships. A Dutch-Austrian national, he directs the World Bank’s core development work captured by the Verticals – People, Planet, Prosperity, Infrastructure and Digital – and ensures its integration into operations, with a special focus on climate change, fragility, human capital, and debt sustainability. He oversees the Bank’s partnerships including with the UN, international financial institutions, and bilateral partners, and co-chairs the replenishment of the International Development Association (IDA). He represents the Bank in the G7 and G20 meetings and leads the Bank’s climate engagement in the context of the annual COP convenings. Prior to this, Axel was the Managing Director of Operations for 3.5 years where he oversaw the Bank’s global operations, with a footprint spanning more than 140 offices. He was responsible for the delivery of the World Bank program of loans, grants, credits, and trust funds and an annual lending and financial support program that averaged around $70 billion/year.
Transforming Urban Cardiovascular Health
At the 2025 Concordia Annual Summit, leaders from across sectors gathered to address one of the most pressing global health challenges: cardiovascular disease in rapidly growing urban environments. In partnership with
