SIERRA LEONE – The World Bank has appointed Pierre Frank Laporte as the new Country Director for Sierra Leone, Liberia and Ghana.
While meeting the President of Sierra Leone H.E Julius Maadi Bio, the new World Bank Chief assured His Excellency that he would use his experience and expertise to bring the right support to the government of Sierra Leone.
“Let me welcome you to Sierra Leone and let you know that you have good partners in development,” said the Sierra Leone President.
“We want to get on with the process of development and we will work with you so that we can surmount the challenges”.
Prior to his appointment, Laporte had served the Multilateral Finance Institution as the country director for Benin, Burkina, Côte d’Ivoire and Togo.
Before joining the World Bank, Laporte a Seychelles national, held senior positions in the Seychelles government including Governor of the Central Bank of Seychelles and later the republic’s Minister for Finance, Trade, and Investment.
Laporte has also worked with the IMF as an economist as well as the Resident Representative in Niger from 2005-2008.
He also has private sector experience having served as the CEO of the Sacos Insurance Group in Seychelles.
His professional accomplishments include leading Seychelles’ accession into the World Trade Organization as Trade Minister.
Laporte was also a leading member of the Seychelles government team that implemented the country’s successful macro-economic reform program that was launched in 2008 with international support.
Mr. Laporte holds a master’s degree in Economics (with Distinction) from the University of Sheffield (UK) and a bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with Computing from the University of Surrey (UK).
He is also a holder of several awards; in 1998 he received the Midland Bank Award for Outstanding Performer in the Economics, Money, Banking and Finance programs of the University of Sheffield (1998).
He received the 2013 Southern African Finance Minister of the Year award by the African Leadership Magazine and a Special Commendation Award for Outstanding Contribution and Service to Humanity by the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus in 2014.
Laporte arrives in Sierra Leone at a time when the country is making progress and he reaffirmed his support, adding that he would work together with the government to find solutions to the many challenges facing the country.
