Vinod Thomas
Encyclopedia
Vinod Thomas is Director-General of Independent Evaluation at the Asian Development Bank. He was formerly Director-General and Senior Vice President, Independent Evaluation Group
(IEG), at the World Bank Group
.He reports directly to the Board of Executive Directors and oversees the activities of IEG-World Bank, IEG-IFC, and IEG-MIIGA. During his tenure since August 2005, he has led IEG with a new mandate -- unifying the three abovementioned departments of the vice presidency, strengthening the organization's independence as well as engagement with the WBG’s directions, and fortifying the quality and impact of evaluation. IEG has under his leadership been responsible for several influential evaluations, among them, Response to Financial Crises, Trade, Natural Disasters, Climate Change, and Agriculture.
He was formerly Country Director for Brazil and Vice President of the World Bank, a position that he held from October 2001 to July 2005. In this capacity, he managed the Bank's large lending and non-lending portfolio in Brazil, helped shape the dialogue with the government and the Bank’s Brazil Country Assistance Strategy, and participated in key events with the government and the private sector. Vinod Thomas is married to Leila Thomas and has three children, Milan, Aman and Amita.
Prior to that, he was Vice President of the World Bank Institute
(WBI), where he sharpened the Institute's focus and quality and expanded its mandate and impact. Before heading WBI, he held positions as Chief Economist for the World Bank in the East Asia and Pacific Region. He was the Director for the World Development Report, entitled “The Challenge of Development” (Oxford University Press, 1991) which assessed the development experience. He was also Chief of Trade Policy and Principal Economist for Colombia.
Vinod Thomas joined the Bank in 1976. He has a PhD in Economics from of the University of Chicago, a Masters degree from Western Michigan University and BA Honors from St Stephen’s college, Delhi. He is the author of over a dozen books, numerous journal articles and opinion pieces in areas from trade and macroeconomics to project evaluation and finance.
He has taught at Vassar College and the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. He has made numerous presentations, including recent ones on the subjects of evaluation, the global economy, and development issues at the National Forum, Brazil; Peking University; University of Maryland; Wellesley College; Hood College; the European Evaluation Association.
Vinod Thomas’ recent professional activities include: Chairman, Evaluation Cooperation Group (of international financial institutions), 2009; Advisor, Evaluation function at DFID, UK; Honorary Advisor, Emerging Markets Forum, 2007- present; Member, Research Committee, The World Bank Group, 1994-1997 and 2007 – present; Accompanied Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on his first visit as President of Brazil to India. He has a good knowledge of Spanish, Portuguese and Malayalam.
Independent Evaluation Group
The World Bank's Independent Evaluation Group is an independent unit within the World Bank Group. It evaluates the relevance and impact of the Bank Group's support to developing countries for reducing poverty...
(IEG), at the World Bank Group
World Bank Group
The World Bank Group is a family of five international organizations that makes leveraged loans, generally to poor countries.The Bank came into formal existence on 27 December 1945 following international ratification of the Bretton Woods agreements, which emerged from the United Nations Monetary...
.He reports directly to the Board of Executive Directors and oversees the activities of IEG-World Bank, IEG-IFC, and IEG-MIIGA. During his tenure since August 2005, he has led IEG with a new mandate -- unifying the three abovementioned departments of the vice presidency, strengthening the organization's independence as well as engagement with the WBG’s directions, and fortifying the quality and impact of evaluation. IEG has under his leadership been responsible for several influential evaluations, among them, Response to Financial Crises, Trade, Natural Disasters, Climate Change, and Agriculture.
He was formerly Country Director for Brazil and Vice President of the World Bank, a position that he held from October 2001 to July 2005. In this capacity, he managed the Bank's large lending and non-lending portfolio in Brazil, helped shape the dialogue with the government and the Bank’s Brazil Country Assistance Strategy, and participated in key events with the government and the private sector. Vinod Thomas is married to Leila Thomas and has three children, Milan, Aman and Amita.
Prior to that, he was Vice President of the World Bank Institute
World Bank Institute
The World Bank Institute is the capacity development branch of the World Bank. It provides learning programs, policy advice and technical assistance to policy makers, government and non-government agencies and development practitioners of developing countries...
(WBI), where he sharpened the Institute's focus and quality and expanded its mandate and impact. Before heading WBI, he held positions as Chief Economist for the World Bank in the East Asia and Pacific Region. He was the Director for the World Development Report, entitled “The Challenge of Development” (Oxford University Press, 1991) which assessed the development experience. He was also Chief of Trade Policy and Principal Economist for Colombia.
Vinod Thomas joined the Bank in 1976. He has a PhD in Economics from of the University of Chicago, a Masters degree from Western Michigan University and BA Honors from St Stephen’s college, Delhi. He is the author of over a dozen books, numerous journal articles and opinion pieces in areas from trade and macroeconomics to project evaluation and finance.
He has taught at Vassar College and the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. He has made numerous presentations, including recent ones on the subjects of evaluation, the global economy, and development issues at the National Forum, Brazil; Peking University; University of Maryland; Wellesley College; Hood College; the European Evaluation Association.
Vinod Thomas’ recent professional activities include: Chairman, Evaluation Cooperation Group (of international financial institutions), 2009; Advisor, Evaluation function at DFID, UK; Honorary Advisor, Emerging Markets Forum, 2007- present; Member, Research Committee, The World Bank Group, 1994-1997 and 2007 – present; Accompanied Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on his first visit as President of Brazil to India. He has a good knowledge of Spanish, Portuguese and Malayalam.
Publications
- The Quality of Growth (Oxford University Press, 2000)
- From Inside Brazil (Stanford University Press, 2006)
- Best Practices in Trade Policy Reform, with John Nash (Oxford University Press, 1991)
- The Lessons of East Asia: An Overview of Country Experience, with D. Leipziger (World Bank publications, 1993)
- Sustaining Rapid Development in East Asia and the Pacific, with R. Agarwala (World Bank publications, 1993)
- The Challenge of Development, World Development Report 1991, with others (Oxford University Press, 1991)
- Restructuring Countries in Distress, ed. with others (Oxford University Press, 1991)
- Adjustment Lending: How It Has Worked, How It Can Be Improved, ed. with A.Chhibber (The World Bank, 1989)
- The Economics of Urbanization and Urban Policies in Developing Countries, ed. with G.S. Tolley, (World Bank publication, 1987)
- Linking Macroeconomic and Agricultural Policies for Adjustment with Growth: The Colombian Experience (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1985)
- Agricultural Price Policies and the Developing Countries, with G.S. Tolley and C.M. Wong (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1982)
Opinion Pieces
- Sete Perguntas para Vinod Thomas: "O Brasil pode ganhar dinheiro na próxima crise"
- Securing Lifelines During Disaster (Viet Nam News, 8/14/2010)
- The Green Answers for a World Going Dry (South China Morning Post, 3/3/0/2010)
- Relief Networks "Disaster Resilient" (Miami Herald, 3/15/10)
- The Quality of Spending (The Straits Times, 11/24/2009)
- Raise the Quality of Government Spending (China Daily, 11/25/2009)
- From Crisis to Opportunity with K Chomitz (The Guardian, 2/16/2009)
- We Are in an Extreme Situation (The Business Times, 2/13/2009)
- No Time to Waste (South China Morning Post, 1/12/2009)
- Of a Crisis and an Opportunity (The Hindu, 1/6/2009)
- Avoid Reinstating the Heavy Hand (The Straits Times, 12/17/2008)