Jeremy Strauss

Senior Private Sector Specialist (Gg) @The World Bank Group

Washington, DC, US

Managing diverse investment project financing engagements for the World Bank.West Africa Trade Facilitation Task Team Leader, compliance with African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, Economic Corridors, Infrastructure, Mining and Investment Activities. Simandou Economic Corridor Development co-lead.Extensive engagement in the Central African Republic, Guinea, Mali Togo and Niger concerning economic development. Developed agribusiness investment and linkages projects (~USD200 million) focused on connecting less sophisticated production and marketing businesses with more sophisticated processors, exporters and other customers in Guinea.Helped the Central African Republic emerge from crisis by developing export commodity value chains (cotton, coffee, cocoa and palm oil). Developing partnerships with private investors, evaluating value chain cost structures and constraints, and mobilizing financing.Co-authored value chain analysis and strategy for Liberia. Value chains include rice, rubber and oil palm.Burkina Faso gold mining sector.Developed agribusiness investment projects for Mali to increase processing and exports in livestock, feed and horticultural products (mangoes).Jamaica Foundations for Competitive Growth project team member facilitating SME finance and value chain linkages activities.Designed $100 million mining growth pole operation in the Sahel composed of energy and other economic infrastructure, technical assistance for mining suppliers and financing components.Authored \"Central African Republic Country Private Sector Diagnostic.\"Authored “Local Economic Development for North/Sahel Mining Communities” policy note adopted as the basis of a major national economic development initiative. Authored \"Bank Lending to Small and Medium-sized Businesses in Burkina Faso\" policy note.Authored “Central African Republic Value Chain Assessment: Cotton, Oil Palm, Poultry.”