The World Bank Group has appointed Yukiko Omura executive vice-president of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (Miga).

Omura joins from her most recent post as CEO and executive director of Aids Prevention Fund, a charitable company based in London that aims to raise finances for worldwide HIV/Aids prevention. Omura will start with the bank in March and assume her responsibilities in May 2004.

Omura brings more than 20 years of international experience in the financial services sector. Before founding Aids Prevention Fund, she was managing director and head of global debt for Japan with Dresdner, and served as managing director and head of global fixed income and derivatives, Japan, with UBS/LTCB Warburg.

Omura has extensive knowledge of emerging markets, with 10 years” experience in areas such as mergers and acquisitions, derivatives and emerging market sales, trading, and research at JPMorgan.

In addition she served as head of credit products and emerging markets, Asia, with Lehman Brothers. Omura began her career as a project economist with the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), after receiving her education predominantly in Geneva, London and Boston.