World Bank chief makes maiden visit to Chennai

World Bank Group president, Robert B Zoellick, on Friday made a special visit to the development institution’s Chennai office.

Zoellick, who is stepping down as president on June 30, visited the bank’s office in Chennai, which has grown from about 70 staff in 2001 to close to 500 staff on Friday, providing corporate, financial, accounting, administrative and IT services to its operations around the globe.

“The Chennai office reflects the bank’s commitment to decentralising business processes while enhancing our global presence.

Its a clear demonstration of the bank’s continuing efforts to use resources effectively to deliver development results on the ground,” Zoellick said in a statement.

On Friday, the bank’s staff in Chennai work in a 128,000-sft facility, the largest bank-owned building outside of its Washington DC headquarters. Zoellick took a tour of the energy-efficient ‘green’ building, featuring carbon sensors, automated lighting, air-conditioning systems, and water recycling plants.

Zoellick, who has visited India four times during his five-year tenure as the bank’s president, has been meeting government leaders, officials and representatives of business and civil society in New Delhi.

He also visited Orissa to pledge the bank’s support and see how the resource-rich state is working towards integrating environmental issues into its development strategy.