IFC Regional Vice President Hela Cheikhrouhou to Visit the Kyrgyz Republic

Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, April 29, 2024-Hela Cheikhrouhou, IFC's Vice President for the Middle East, Central Asia, Türkiye, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, will visit the Kyrgyz Republic on April 28-29 to highlight IFC's commitment to supporting sustainable development and job creation through increased private sector investments.

Cheikhrouhou will hold talks with senior government officials and private sector players on scaling up IFC's engagements in the country. The meetings are part of IFC's broader efforts to increase private sector participation in the economy, attract more private investment, and help businesses deal with a host of economic challenges.

"A dynamic private sector can drive the Kyrgyz Republic's sustainable productivity growth and create jobs across the country," said Cheikhrouhou. "IFC will continue to help increase the private sector's share in the economy by improving access to finance with the focus on women-owned businesses and micro, small and medium enterprises, developing agribusiness and renewable energy, and bolstering public-private partnerships for infrastructure and energy sector development."

WHO: Hela Cheikhrouhou, IFC's Regional Vice President for the Middle East, Central Asia, Türkiye, Afghanistan, and Pakistan

WHEN: April 28-29, 2024

WHERE: Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic

For media requests, please contact:
Kymbat Ybyshova | [email protected] | +996 559 758530

About IFC
IFC - a member of the World Bank Group - is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2023, IFC committed a record $43.7 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity as economies grapple with the impacts of global compounding crises. For more information, visit www.ifc.org

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Hela Cheikhrouhou
IFC's Regional Vice President for the Middle East, Central Asia, Türkiye, Afghanistan, and Pakistan


Hela Cheikhrouhou is IFC's regional Vice President for the Middle East, Central Asia, Türkiye, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. She is in charge of expanding IFC's business in the region, focusing on the COVID-19 crisis response and building a pipeline of private sector investment opportunities, rooted in country strategies.

Cheikhrouhou fosters strong relationships with government officials, clients, other development finance institutions, co-financiers, donors, and counterparts across the World Bank Group to identify opportunities for collaboration and broader impact as well as to enhance business delivery.

Previously, Cheikhrouhou was the CEO of Nithio, an artificial-intelligence-driven platform for clean energy investment. In her home country of the Republic of Tunisia, she served as the Minister of Energy, Mining, and Renewables. She was the first Executive Director of the Green Climate Fund, governed by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Earlier on, Cheikhrouhou was the Director of Energy, Environment, and Climate Change for the African Development Bank, where she had also previously led the Private Infrastructure Finance and Public-Private Partnerships Division. She worked for the World Bank on financial sector development in Latin America and the Caribbean, joining through the Young Professionals Program. She started her career at Citibank, last serving as Regional Market Risk Manager for Maghreb countries and Country Treasurer for Morocco.

Cheikhrouhou brings 26 years of experience to IFC, including leadership roles in the financial sector, infrastructure finance, and climate finance in emerging and developing economies, having worked across Africa, Latin America, and Asia. She has experience in the areas of low-emission and climate-resilient investments, structured and blended finance, public-private partnerships, capital markets development, and financial inclusion.

Cheikhrouhou holds a Master of Science degree in Finance from HEC Montreal, Canada.

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