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Understanding the promise and purpose of World Bank Shareholding Reviews

On 23 January, UNU-CPR and The World Bank co-organized a “Deep Dive” that explored the World Bank Group’s five-yearly Shareholding Reviews. These reviews are central to the Bank’s governance and have in the past helped strengthen the voice of developing countries in the World Bank.

The discussion was convened at the start of the 2025 Shareholding Review. It coincides with the 80th anniversary of the Bretton Woods Institutions and the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), and comes on the heels of the 2024 Pact for the Future. The 2025 Shareholding Review provides an opportunity to address new global risks and adapt the World Bank’s governance to shifting economic realities.

The session was moderated by UNU-CPR Director David Passarelli and headlined by Alex Gibbs, who leads the shareholding team in the World Bank’s Corporate Secretariat. He discussed past review outcomes and the mechanics of shareholding models which will guide options for the 2025 Review.

Laurence Chandy, Executive Office of the Secretary-General, Michael Franczak, UNU-CPR Senior Global Governance Researcher, and Nicole Goldin, UNU-CPR Head of Equitable Development, contributed insights.