U of S VP Seconded to World Bank Group

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 13, 2012 2012-06-08-OTHER Under an agreement recently signed between IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the University of Saskatchewan (U of S), Vice-President (Finance and Resources) Richard Florizone will be seconded to IFC for six months starting July 1, 2012.

Florizone, a fellow of the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy currently on a one-year administrative leave from the U of S, will act as senior adviser to IFC Advisory Services in Public-Private Partnerships in Washington, D.C.
The prestigious secondment is the first undertaken by the World Bank Group with a Canadian university. The World Bank Group is an international organization of 188 member nations that fights poverty by offering developmental assistance to middle-income and low-income countries.
"Creating this unprecedented partnership with this leading global institution advances our growing prominence as a globally engaged university and enhances our capacity in public policy areas of building public-private partnerships and finding new ways to finance infrastructure development—areas of critical importance to both Saskatchewan and developing countries," said U of S President Peter MacKinnon.
"We are excited that this agreement also creates potential for longer-term collaboration between U of S and the World Bank, allowing for future exchanges of high-performing staff for professional development."
"We welcome Dr. Florizone and his extensive experience in infrastructure development, including related public policy issues and project governance, financing and measurement," said Laurence Carter, Director for IFC Advisory Services in Public-Private Partnerships. "His addition to our team will greatly enhance our work with governments to help them meet the growing demands of expanding urbanization, the rehabilitation of aging infrastructure, and providing services to those lacking or underserved."
The agreement is modeled on the World Bank Group's Global Secondment Program, which provides opportunities for skills enhancement, knowledge sharing, strategic alliances, cultural exchange, and diversification for both the partner and the World Bank Group.
During his special appointment, Florizone will draw on his experience of overseeing a $1-billion infrastructure boom on the U of S campus and his prior experience with Bombardier Inc. and the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). His work will focus on a study of past public-private partnership transactions, as well as providing support for several IFC projects in developing countries.
"With a growing need for infrastructure construction and renewal around the world, effective ways of financing these critical public works is increasingly important," said Florizone. "This opportunity builds on what I've done at U of S and elsewhere in project management and finance, and I've always had an interest in working in developing countries so this is an excellent fit."
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. IFC helps developing countries achieve sustainable growth by financing investment, providing advisory services to businesses and governments, and mobilizing capital in the international financial markets. In fiscal 2011, amid economic uncertainty across the globe, IFC helped our clients create jobs, strengthen environmental performance, and contribute to their local communities—all while driving our investments to an all-time high of nearly $19 billion. For more information, visit http://www.ifc.org
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For more information, contact:
Michael Robin, Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-1425
michael.robin@usask.ca
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