World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz announced Tuesday the creation of an executive search committee to find candidates to join the Bank’s senior management team, taking on many of the responsibilities held by departing Managing Director Shengman Zhang.

“To identify candidates who can provide senior level management of operations and strategy for the World Bank, I am establishing a search committee to be chaired by Graeme Wheeler, Vice President and Treasurer,” Wolfowitz said.

“I am asking the committee to look for candidates who share our commitment to the Bank Group’s mission of poverty reduction; who have extensive experience in developing countries and preferably come from developing countries; and who are dedicated to assuring that the Bank Group is a model of integrity and accountability,” he said. “The Committee will be supported by an external private search firm which we are in the final stages of selecting.”

World Bank President Announces Executive Search