Centennial Group Principals

Chairman of the Group, Gautam Kaji (Full Bio), who was the Managing Director and Chairman of the Loan Committee of the World Bank, is well known for his intimate knowledge of the emerging- market economies and close personal relations with key decision makers and private sector players in Asia.

The Vice-Chairman, Prabhakar Narvekar (Full Bio), formerly Deputy Managing Director at the IMF, is renowned for his experience in macro-economic, fiscal, and monetary policy issues as well as management of central banks. He is asked regularly by top officials, including heads of states, to provide direct advice.

The President and CEO, Harinder Kohli (Full Bio), spearheaded the World Bank's thinking on private participation in infrastructure in the mid-1990s. Earlier, he managed its work on privatization, industrial policy, and financial sector reforms. He also led its information technology group for a number of years. He has extensive experience in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America.

Manu Bhaskaran (Full Bio) is an expert on economic and political forecasting. Before joining the Group, he was Chief Economist for Asia of a leading international investment bank and managed its Singapore-based highly respected economic advisory group. Mr. Bhaskaran is based in Singapore and is the CEO of Centennial Asia Advisors as well as the head of the Group's global Economic Research Practice.

Roberto de Ocampo (Full Bio) was, as Finance Minister, the architect of the Philippines' economic revival in the mid-1990s. He was named the Minister of Finance of the Year by Euromoney magazine, and chaired the APEC and ASEAN ministers of finance forums during the Asian crisis. He also served as the President of the Asian Institute of Management for six years. A member of the Trilateral Commission, he is based in Manila.

Anthony Pellegrini (Full Bio), Formerly Director of the global Infrastructure Department of the World Bank, is the head of the Group's Infrastructure and Urban Development Practice. He has extensive work experience in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East and is also a recognized authority on municipal finance.

Donald Strombom (Full Bio) is an authority on international procurement procedures and standards, and has achieved many path-breaking accomplishments in the field of public-sector governance and public procurement policies and systems. He is the founder and President of the Group's subsidiary International Development Business Consultants and is based in Venice.

Anil Sood has held many senior positions at the World Bank including Vice President responsible for Strategy and Special Advisor to the Managing Directors. In the past 5 years, he has advised chief executives and senior management of the African Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, the United Nations Development Program, and the United Nations Economic Commission of Africa, on matters of development strategy, and effectiveness of institutions. Within the Group, Mr. Sood focuses on issues of growth and global competitiveness, most recently for India, Mexico and Latin America.

Most Principals of the firm serve on the boards of one or more private firms, including private listed companies.