Rosita Najmi has been an international social and economic development specialist since 2001. She has worked and lived in 27 countries and managed programs, investments, and research at the World Bank, IFC, Omidyar Network, Mercy Corps, and Accion. Rosita joined the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2015 and advances financial services for the poor via investments, policy, and advocacy. Rosita brings field research, publications, and operational experience from Benin, Egypt, France, Japan, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Samoa, Slovakia, and Vietnam. Her contributions and collaborations span government, the private sector, civil society, and multilateral organizations and bodies, including the G20 and G7. Rosita’s experience also includes public health, climate change, and human rights. Tri-lingual (Persian and French), Rosita received her MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA with honors in Economics, French, and Politics from Wake Forest University. She is a term-member of the Council on Foreign Relations and is based in Washington, DC.
