The Overseas Development Institute has today announced the appointment of Shantayanan Devarajan to the Board of Trustees.

In July, Mr Devarajan became the Senior Director for Development Economics at the World Bank, where he was previously Chief Economist of the World Bank’s Middle East and North Africa Region.

He has also held posts as Principal Economist and Research Manager for Public Economics in the Development Research Group, and the Chief Economist of the Human Development Network, the South Asia Region and Africa Region since joining the World Bank in 1991.

Announcing the appointment, James Cameron, Chair of the ODI board, said: 'I am delighted to welcome Shanta to ODI’s Board of Trustees. Shanta is a leader in development economics with a track record of providing cutting edge analysis with real impacts on policy.'

ODI’s Executive Director Alex Thier added: 'We look forward to working with Shanta as ODI continues to focus on the global effort to end extreme poverty and deliver sustainable development for all.'

Responding to his appointment, Mr Devarajan said: 'I’m thrilled to be joining the ODI Board of Trustees.  Having admired ODI’s work for a long time, I look forward to helping to strengthen the tradition of rigorous and relevant research, just as we try to do the same at the World Bank.'

Mr Devarajan's appointment follows on from the appointments last year of trustees Yves Daccord (Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross), Sam Sharpe (Chief Financial Officer, Save the Children), Dianna Melrose (former British High Commissioner to Tanzania and Ambassador to Cuba) and Fiona Thompson (board member of Transparency International UK, Forum for the Future and the Westminster Kingsway-City & Islington Colleges of Further Education).

ENDS