Dartmouth College President Jim Yong Kim was named the twelfth President of the World Bank Monday afternoon, extending the Bank’s seven-decade tradition of tapping an American citizen to serve as its leader.
Kim has served as President of Dartmouth College since July 2009. A physician with a doctorate in anthropology, Kim has focused his professional career on determining how to deliver expensive HIV and tuberculosis medicines to poor and remote parts of the world. Kim’s candidacy faced criticism because he does not have a background in finance or diplomacy. Bit the Obama administration defended the choice, saying that his development experience makes him a good fit for the office.
Other nominees for World Bank president included Nigerian finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and former Colombian finance minister Jose Antonio Ocampo. Kim will assume his position in June, when current President Robert Zoellick finishes his five-year term.