Yoko Katakura

Yoko KATAKURA, Senior Financial Analyst, joined the Bank in 1992 through the Young Professional Program.  Upon completing the program, she joined Latin American infrastructure and urban development practice.  As a task team leader and team member, she focused mainly on: (i) low income water and sanitation projects with community participation and low cost technology (Brazil); (ii) utility private public partnership projects (PPP), including development of standard contracts, restructuring of contracts (lead a contract renegotiation TA in Argentina) and addressing poverty issues within PPP (Peru, Argentina, Colombia); and (iii) public utility modernization projects (Brazil).   During 2002-2004, she worked with Citigroup subsidiary in Almaty, Kazakhstan through the staff exchange program (SEP).  As the Head of Corporate Finance unit of Citigroup Kazakhstan, she has prepared and executed numerous financial transactions, ranging from syndicated loans, pre-export finance, export credit agency enhanced structured trade finance loans, IFI guaranteed structured loans, and participated in overall Citigroup Kazakhstan management as a member of the Management Team.  Upon completion of the SEP assignment, she joined ECSIE water and urban team.

Current Work Program:  Task team leader of: (i) supervision water supply and sanitation projects in Uzbekistan; (ii) preparation of AAAs on municipal infrastructure in Uzbekistan and on low income settlements in Kyrgyz Republic; and (iii) preparation of a municipal infrastructure project in Uzbekistan.  

Strengths:  Financial assessment of utilities; private public partnership projects; extension of infrastructure services to low income settlements; bringing in private financing to Bank projects; teamwork; problem solving in supervision.

Education:  M.B.A. (finance major), Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania; undergraduate degree in Middle Eastern studies, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.

Languages (other than English):  Japanese (native), Spanish (fluent), Portuguese (intermediate), Russian (beginner).