Neelkanth Mishra appointed Executive Director at World Bank Headquarters

In a significant development, prominent economist Neelkanth Mishra has been appointed as Executive Director at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington DC, USA.

According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Thursday (June 4, 2026), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved his appointment to the post for a tenure of three years from the date of assumption of charge or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

Mishra will succeed Parameswaran Iyer (Retd. IAS:UP:1981), who has been serving as Executive Director at the World Bank Headquarters since June 19, 2023 and whose three-year tenure was due to end this month.

To ensure continuity, the ACC has also approved extension in the tenure of Parameswaran Iyer beyond June 19, 2026 till Neelkanth Mishra assumes charge as Executive Director at the World Bank Headquarters, Washington DC.

Who is Neelkanth Mishra?

Neelkanth Mishra is a prominent Indian economist, market strategist and policymaker who has held leadership roles across finance, public policy and technology.

He is currently serving as Chief Economist at Axis Bank and Head of Global Research as well as Whole-Time Director at Axis Capital. Before joining Axis Group in 2023, he spent more than two decades at Credit Suisse, where he served as Managing Director and India Strategist.

Apart from his corporate responsibilities, Mishra has been closely associated with government policy making. He serves as a part-time member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) and is also the part-time Chairperson of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which manages the Aadhaar programme.

Over the years, he has advised several important public institutions and initiatives, including the India Semiconductor Mission, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Finance Commission.

An alumnus of IIT Kanpur, Mishra graduated with a gold medal in Computer Science and Engineering. Before moving into economics and financial research, he worked with companies including Infosys and Hindustan Lever Limited (HUL).

With his appointment as Executive Director at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington DC, Mishra is set to represent India at one of the world’s leading multilateral financial institutions.