Laurent Corthay currently works as a Regional Coordinator for Africa on business taxation at the Investment Climate Advisory Service of the WB Group in Nairobi, Kenya. Prior to joining the World Bank Group, he served as a Field Coordinator with the UNHCR and Medair. Laurent holds a master᾽s degree in International Relations (major in international economics) from the Graduate Institute [of International and Development Studies in Geneva] (…), as well as a certificate in Tax Policy and Administration from Harvard Kennedy School. After a year of various consulting assignments with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the WB, he joined the staff of the WB Group in 2006 through the (…) JPO programme.
cinfo: Following your studies, you used to work with Medair, an international NGO headquartered in Switzerland, and then with UNHCR. What motivated your switch to the WB?
Laurent Corthay: Both the institutions I first worked for focus on humanitarian assistance. This involves short-term, emergency type of interventions, often in difficult circumstances, to help people survive. It does not help them improve their quality of life, or their opportunities in the longer-term. Throughout my studies I had always been interested in international economics, and in understanding the dynamics of poverty and development. I wanted to work at the policy level, focusing on long lasting change that opens up opportunities and ways out of poverty. The WB offers this kind of environment.
What was essential for your success in getting the job?
Basically my first staff position started through the JPO Programme. Prior to this I worked in the institution for about a year as a consultant. I believe what was essential for me to get those consulting jobs, beyond my academic background, was, mainly two things:
1. Field experience. At the time, the IFC was looking for people that knew the African context and especially Angola or Mozambique, where I had been working for over a year.
2. Language skills. In addition, they were looking for someone who could speak Portuguese, which I did.
When I later applied for the JPO position, the fact that I had already worked with the IFC and the WB made my candidature competitive. I had developed a network inside the institution and had worked, among other things, with the IFC’s former Chief Economist. I believe his support was important.
Are there issues about working at the WB that you would not have expected?
There are a lot of things I would not have expected. Most are really positive. I am really enthusiastic about this institution. To name a few:
Diversity of the working environment. When you take the elevator or walk the halls in any WB building in Washington, you hear such a variety of languages, many of which you do not know. There is an incredible diversity of people at the institution, which is very stimulating.
Access and opportunity. Working with the WB opens many doors. You get access to knowledge and resources that may be hard to get to otherwise. You can call on leading policymakers, businessmen and academics and they generally will respond. In my view, if you use these resources in the right way, it can help to achieve really big things. I did not realize the extent of this prior to joining.
A third issue, which is both positive and negative, is the travelling: I enjoyed and continue to enjoy discovering a lot of places I would probably otherwise never go to. But the amount of travelling can be so high that it starts to take a toll. I never thought I would start feeling like this one day.
One issue that I found difficult relates to employment. I am not convinced the WB is well equipped to continue attracting highly qualified staff in the future. Indeed, because we need to remain flexible as an employer and adapt to new context and circumstances, we currently have a policy of hiring most staff on term contracts. Open-ended hires have become a rarity. I find this surprising, because an institution that relies on knowledge, relies on people. And to attract and retain good people, one needs to provide them with a certain degree of employment security, especially when, as is our case, employment involves expatriation.
Do you feel that your work has a concrete impact on the everyday lives of people?
Yes, mostly. I think that in this sense, I am lucky on two fronts: First, I work in a very operational and hands on department. We spend most of our time working with governments and administrations on designing and implementing reforms to improve their business environment. Take taxation for instance. We help make it easier for companies to deal with taxes. This has direct impact on their daily operations, on their bottom line. It’s very concrete and tangible.
Beyond that I am lucky to be based in the field in a regional hub in Nairobi. I am close to the beneficiaries of our work. I actually live and work in the very environment I try to improve. So I can see the fruits of our labour.
What tips would you give to other (…) professionals that aspire to a position with the IDB or WB?
I think the first thing I would say is: «They did it, so can I». Be persistent if working there is what you want. I know many of my university friends applied at some point to the WB. When it did not work, they gave up after one or two attempts. Today some regret and think I am lucky. It may be true, but I gave it time and put a lot of effort in getting where I am.
The WB is a huge institution. There is a wide variety of functions and departments. You do not need to be an Economist to work with the WB. The institution is interested in a wide range of backgrounds and profiles. So another tip, especially for young candidates, is to study the organisation and know what you want, like which department you are most interested in. When you contact people they want to feel that you know what they are doing and why you think you would be a good asset for their work. Basically do your homework to see where you fit. You cannot just enquire about «working in development». That’s way too broad.
Investing in building a network of people is essential. A lot of opportunities, such as consulting jobs, may not always be available or easily accessible from the outside. It’s good to have some «champions» inside the institution.
Acquire experience first. I think that if you are interested in a long-term career in the WB, you are at your most attractive as a candidate once you have acquired at least 5 years of solid experience in an area of expertise sought after by the institution. That is a good time to apply, where you stand the best chance of being successful.
Consider getting started as a consultant. (…) Consulting contracts provide an opportunity to be known inside the institution. Most people I know have started like this. My last tip: In addition to gaining experience in a technical field, gaining field experience in developing countries would be very valuable. The ability to function and operate in different languages is important. (…). I think as (…) [Alumni of the Graduate Institute] we are very well-positioned to compete for WB jobs.