Geeta Batra Becomes First Woman from India to Lead World Bank’s GEF Independent Evaluation Office

Mumbai: Geeta Batra, a distinguished Indian economist, has made history by becoming the first woman from a developing country to be appointed as the Director at the Independent Evaluation Office of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), affiliated with the World Bank.

At 57, Geeta Batra presently holds the position of Chief Evaluator & Deputy Director for Evaluation at GEF’s Independent Evaluation Office, based at the World Bank. Her appointment to this esteemed role was unanimously recommended during the 66th GEF Council Meeting in Washington on February 9, and the announcement was made last week.

Speaking from Virginia, US, Batra expressed her commitment to delivering sound evaluative evidence on GEF’s results and performance, providing leadership to ensure the IEO remains at the forefront of environmental evaluation. She emphasized her priorities, stating, “I will strengthen the IEO teams, invest in skills, and build partnerships with multilateral and bilateral agencies, foundations, and networks to share knowledge of what works, where, and why.”

Born in New Delhi, Batra pursued her education in Mumbai and Chennai before earning her MBA in Finance from NMIMS, Vile Parle. Inspired by her professor, Harkant Mankad, she pursued a Ph.D. in Economics in the US. With a doctorate in hand, she worked at American Express before joining the World Bank in 1998.

Over the years, Batra held significant roles, contributing to competitiveness projects in East Asia and Latin America. She served as the Head & Chief Evaluator at the International Finance Corporation before joining the World Bank’s Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) as Chief Evaluator and Manager for country and corporate thematic evaluations.

Since 2015, Batra has been associated with GEF’s Independent Evaluation Office, managing a team of evaluation professionals and providing oversight on evaluations’ design, implementation, and quality.

The GEF, a significant player in the environmental sector since the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, has provided substantial grants and co-financing for projects worldwide. Batra’s appointment reflects her extensive experience and dedication to environmental evaluation, contributing to the global community’s environmental concerns.

Geeta Batra, who co-authored books and articles and managed over 100 evaluations, resides in Northern Virginia with her husband Prakash and their daughter Roshini. Beyond her professional life, she enjoys outdoor activities, national park hikes, reading historical biographies, and savoring diverse cuisines. Despite her global experiences, Batra’s heart remains connected to India, expressing a fondness for traditional Indian delights like pav-bhaji, pani-puri, puri, and chhole-bhature.