Sunil Bharti Mittal joins World Bank’s Private Sector Investment Lab

Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, has been inducted as a new member of the World Bank Group’s Private Sector Investment Lab. The announcement aligns with the World Bank Group’s updated strategy to scale investment solutions across developing economies by engaging leaders from industries closely linked to employment creation.

Mittal joins Bill Anderson, CEO of Bayer AG; Aliko Dangote, President and CEO of Dangote Group; and Mark Hoplamazian, President and CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, as new members of the Lab.

The Lab, launched 18 months ago, has worked to identify barriers to private sector investment in emerging markets. The new members are expected to contribute sector-specific insights to the initiative’s five strategic focus areas: regulatory and policy certainty, political risk insurance, foreign exchange risk, junior equity capital, and securitisation of investments.

These strategic areas are being integrated into the World Bank Group’s operations to ensure that private sector investment becomes a reliable engine for job creation and economic development. By supporting policy clarity, mitigating risk, and improving access to blended finance mechanisms, the Lab aims to reduce the barriers that often discourage investors from entering developing markets.

Expanding the Lab’s membership to include senior leaders in infrastructure, telecommunications, healthcare, and manufacturing signals a deliberate shift from research to execution. “The emphasis is now on leveraging practical experience from high-impact sectors to design replicable, scalable solutions,” a media communication noted. These sectors have consistently demonstrated their capacity to drive employment and inclusive growth, making them central to the Lab’s renewed implementation agenda.

Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, said the move reflects a broader alignment between the Lab’s work and the institution’s jobs-focused development strategy. “This is not about altruism—it is about helping the private sector see a path to investments that will deliver returns, and lift people and economies alike,” Banga said.

Priority Sectors to Anchor Implementation

The Lab’s renewed focus includes translating private investment into employment opportunities in infrastructure, energy, agribusiness, healthcare, tourism, and manufacturing sectors, which are known for their high impact on job creation.

Mittal, who brings decades of experience in telecommunications and infrastructure across Asia and Africa, emphasised the transformative role of connectivity in his remarks. “I have seen firsthand the power of connectivity to transform lives by creating opportunities for businesses to grow and communities to thrive,” he said.

He added that the telecommunications sector’s success in scaling inclusive access could serve as a model as the Lab moves from ideas to implementation. “I am delighted to join the PSIL alongside other distinguished business leaders. Together, businesses and the World Bank Group can unleash job creation in emerging markets by managing the risks and realising the opportunities for the next generation growing up in low- and middle-income countries.”

Shriti Vadera, Chair of Prudential, continues to chair the lab. Its founding members included executives from AXA, BlackRock, HSBC, Macquarie, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Ping An Group, Royal Philips, Standard Bank, Standard Chartered, Sustainable Energy for All, Tata Sons, Temasek, and Three Cairns Group.