Maritta Koch-Weser

Maritta Koch-Weser has a distinguished career in international development, as anthropologist and environmentalist. Her field experience in international development and environment spans the regions of Latin America, South & East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, parts of the Middle East, Eastern Europe & countries of the Former Soviet Union.

She worked for 20 years at the World Bank, where she was closely associated with the build-up of environmental and social programs and policies, and implementation of major investment projects. She held successive senior managerial positions.

She served for two years as Director General of IUCN - The World Conservation Union, the foremost global environmental umbrella organization.

Subsequently Ms. Koch-Weser served for five years as CEO of The Global Exchange for Social Investment – GEXSI, a UK Charity, which provides a range of poverty and sustainable development oriented investment services. She continues to chair the Board of Directors for this organization.

Ms. Koch-Weser is also Founder and President of Earth3000, an international non-profit organization based in Germany. Earth3000 supports innovations in governance for environment and development. She also serves on the boards of a range of organizations and businesses committed to sustainable development.

Ms. Koch-Weser holds a Ph.D. from the Universities of Bonn and Cologne. She taught Anthropology and Latin American Studies at George Washington University in Washington D.C., and carried out extensive field work in Brazil.