Favoritism at World Bank?

last updated 8 January 2015

Washington, D.C.

World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz faced a staff rebellion this week, after details emerged over his transfer of a bank employee with whom he is romantically involved. Shaha Riza worked on the communications staff of the World Bank until 2005, when, to avoid a conflict because of her relationship with Wolfowitz, she transferred to the State Department. A board committee looking into the matter reported last week that after her transfer, the World Bank continued to pay her salary; she has since received two raises, bringing her salary to $193,590. An association of bank employees suggested Riza was the beneficiary of favoritism. Wolfowitz said he had nothing to do with her raises, and vowed his full cooperation with the investigation. Both Wolfowitz and Riza are divorced.