Sign In

Sameh Wahba

Global Director, Urban, Disaster Risk Management, Resilience and Land Global Practice at The World Bank

Sameh Wahba is the Global Director at The World Bank for the Urban, Disaster Risk Management, Resilience, and Land Global Practice in Washington, D.C.

He oversees a large portfolio of around $30bn in commitments and leads a team of about 450 staff focused on investment projects, program-for-results, and development policy lending.

With an extensive background at The World Bank, Wahba has held various key positions including Director for Urban and Territorial Development, Disaster Risk Management, and Resilience.

His expertise extends to strategic formulation, design, delivery of lending activities, technical assistance, policy advisory, and global partnerships.

Wahba's experience also includes roles such as Practice Manager for the Urban and Disaster Risk Management unit in Africa and the Global Urban and Resilience Unit.

He has served as the Acting Director of Operations and Strategy for the Global Practice, bringing a wealth of knowledge to his current role.

Before joining The World Bank in 2004, he worked in academia and research, including positions at the Institute of Housing and Urban Development Studies in Rotterdam and the Harvard Center for Urban Development Studies.

Wahba holds a Ph.D. and Master's degree in Urban Planning from Harvard University, complemented by a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Architectural Engineering from Cairo University.

He is multilingual, fluent in Arabic, French, English, and Portuguese, enhancing his ability to engage with diverse stakeholders globally.

As a published author, Wahba has co-authored several of the World Bank's flagship publications on urban development, regeneration, culture in city reconstruction, and leveraging private investment in urban spaces.

Follow Sameh Wahba on Twitter @SamehNWahba for insights and updates on his work and interests.

Sameh Wahba
Add to my network

Location

Washington, District of Columbia, United States