IFC Appoints Abdullah Jefri as Division Director for the GCC Countries

Dubai, UAE, February 19, 2026-IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has named Abdullah Jefri as its new division director for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) where he will lead strategic business engagements across the region. His objective will be to drive GCC-led sustainable growth, economic diversification, and job creation, in line with the national visions of GCC countries and World Bank Group priorities for tackling some of the most pressing development challenges.

"GCC is shaping a new chapter in global development-diversifying economies at home while exporting capital, expertise, and innovation to emerging markets. It is a privilege to be appointed here at this moment in time", Jefri said. "The World Bank Group is uniquely positioned to help by capturing solutions, sharing knowledge, mobilizing private capital, scaling what works, and pioneering what's next."

Mr. Jefri, a Saudi national, brings nearly 30 years of global and regional experience in finance across sectors. In his previous role as IFC's senior manager for GCC, he partnered with public and private leaders to promote investments cross-borders.

Prior to that, he served as IFC's regional manager for the Levant countries, where he oversaw a portfolio exceeding $1 billion and facilitated more than $500 million in new investments including in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. He also built a unique expertise in delivering investments and advisory programs that expanded access to finance, improved healthcare and critical infrastructure, or created economic opportunities for women, entrepreneurs, and forcibly displaced communities. Prior to Amman, Abdullah was based in IFC's Washington, D.C. office for over a decade, where he led or co-led the execution of over $1.1 billion of investments in emerging markets.

Before joining IFC, Mr. Jefri worked in investment banking at the Saudi American Bank (then affiliated with Citibank and now part of Saudi National Bank) and began his career as an Accounting Supervisor at General Dynamics Arabia. He holds an MBA and an MSc in Finance from Boston College.

About the World Bank Group:

The World Bank Group works to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet through a combination of financing, knowledge, and expertise. It consists of the World Bank, including the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA); the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org, ida.worldbank.org/en/home, www.miga.org, www.ifc.org, and www.icsid.worldbank.org.