Who Is Thomas Jacobs? IFC’s New Regional Director for Jordan, Iraq and the Levant
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The Arab Post
- . September 15, 2026
- . Update: September 15, 2026 5:09 pm
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is making an extremely strategic leadership change in the Middle East. Thomas Jacobs will be the new IFC Regional Director Levant, Iraq and Yemen, when he is appointed in September 2026. Jacobs is taking over from Khawaja Aftab Ahmed, who has been leading the effort for the private sector development that Jordan, Iraq and other neighboring countries urgently need, with a more aggressive push. Let’s take a closer look at who he is, his long history with the World Bank Group, and what his bold plans will entail for local businesses, MSMEs and infrastructure in the Levant.
The New Role: IFC Regional Director Levant, Iraq, and Yemen
Thomas Jacobs IFC leadership operates from the regional hub in Amman, Jordan, and has a vast and complicated geographic portfolio. As part of his official job, he oversees IFC activities in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and the West Bank and Gaza.
The IFC is the private sector wing of the World Bank Group and has a significant presence in emerging markets. As part of this work, Jacobs will work in close partnership with local governments, including Jordan’s Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation (MoPIC), development partners, and the business community. The overall goal is to quickly deploy private investment to generate quality and sustainable jobs throughout the region.
Strategic Regional Priorities
Thomas’ Jacobs approach is multi-faceted in order to modernize the Middle Eastern economy. As IFC Regional Director Levant, his top priorities are:
- Closing Infrastructure Gaps: Mobilising private finance for large-scale infrastructure and strengthening key water security in the region.
- Boosting Financial Access: Developing new financial opportunities for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), the real engines of the regional economy.
- Advancing Digitalization: Creating conditions for digital transformation and connecting local markets with global value chains.
- Youth and Female Empowerment: Targeted opportunities to boost employment of women and youth.
Thomas Jacobs’ Background in Global Finance
Thomas Jacobs has a stellar 20+ year track record prior to taking up his current role as IFC Regional Director Levant. He has extensive experience in international finance, advisory and resource mobilization with the World Bank Group, where he originally joined in 2003.
Interestingly, Jacobs has no shortage of experience in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. His past senior positions were based in Cairo and Beirut, where he acquired an intimate understanding of the specific economic challenges faced by the Arab region.
Driving Private Sector Growth in Asia
Before relocating to Amman, Jacobs was Interim Division Director for East Asia and the Pacific and Country Manager for Vietnam, Cambodia and Lao PDR. Financial analysts at The Jordan Times say that his time in Mekong was very successful. He led efforts on climate smart investments, increased access to renewables, and increased women’s access to banking. This experience equips him with a distinctive ability to promote private sector development in Jordan and elsewhere.
What This Means for the Levant and Iraq
Levant is in unprecedented macroeconomic pressures. Thomas Jacobs IFC’s appointment is a crucial step towards shifting to a private funding model instead of strained public funds.
In actively engaging with global bodies such as the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the implementation of the IFC’s core business, Jacobs is developing an area that is very appealing to foreign direct investment. His approach will make available to local companies the essential capital they need to scale, innovate and compete globally.
Thomas Jacobs’ arrival for September 2026 will occur at a pivotal juncture in the Middle East’s economic life. With 20 years of global finance experience and already well acquainted with the MENA region, the new IFC Regional Director Levant is suited to provide the much-needed capital for emerging markets. With Jordan Iraq and the broader Levant on the cusp of a new era of robust financial support for local MSMEs and massive infrastructure projects, local businesses can look forward to a new era of sustainable growth and long-term financial backing.
FAQs
Q1: Who is Thomas Jacobs?
According to the appointing authority, Thomas Jacobs has recently been given the position of Regional Director of IFC Levant. He took on this position in September 2026 after successfully leading IFC work in Southeast Asia.
Q2: What is the primary focus of his new role?
A: One of his objectives is promoting private sector development in Jordan and Iraq, fostering financial access to MSMEs, filling in the infrastructure gaps, and creating employment opportunities for youth and women.
Q3: Where is the IFC Regional Director Levant based?
A: The Regional Director of IFC resides in Amman, Jordan, where he covers countries such as Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and West Bank and Gaza.
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