A Day in the World Bank Treasury: Sezin, Portfolio Manager

Meet Sezin

• A Day in Treasury Series introduces staff across departments, who come from different regions and have distinct perspectives on what it’s like to work with us and in the World Bank.
• Sezin grew up mainly in Belgium, with parents from Turkey, and is a Portfolio Manager in the Capital Markets & Investments Department.
• Her primary responsibility is to manage liquidity portfolios totaling over $100 billion in assets of the World Bank (IBRD and IDA).

Sezin is a Portfolio Manager within the Capital Markets & Investments Department. She joined the World Bank in May 2011 and grew up in Belgium, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

What do you do?

My primary responsibility is to manage liquidity portfolios totaling over $100 billion in assets of the World Bank (IBRD and IDA). Our team invests globally in shorter-term money market instruments, such as deposits, FX, repos and swaps, and medium- and longer-term bonds, with a diverse range of counterparts.

What’s your typical day?

1. Execute money market and LIBOR strategies for the World Bank’s internal portfolios to consistently beat our benchmark indices and distribute risk evenly across various international counterparts.
2. Trade and discuss strategies with counterparts via Bloomberg and over the phone; ensure trade settlement by coordinating with our Treasury Operations Department.
3. Contribute to the liquidity management process with other teams and departments in the World Bank to coordinate upcoming disbursements and encashments.
4. Establish new trading relationships as the financial market evolves and new regulations come into practice.
5. Provide daily analyses of market conditions to colleagues.

How does your upbringing make you better at work?

Although my parents were born in Turkey, I grew up mainly in Belgium and attended international schools. I moved nine times before starting at the World Bank, and I believe my upbringing instilled empathy for different heritages and my ability to work across cultures.

What do you like most about the World Bank’s working culture?

Working at the World Bank has been an extension of my educational experience attending international schools. I appreciate how the World Bank values world citizens, intellectual curiosity, and teamwork.

Why did you join the World Bank?

I wanted a career in finance at the World Bank. In 2011, as a recent college graduate of economics and finance, I was one of the first hires for the World Bank Treasury in Paris. I valued the impact of investing for the World Bank: these investments ultimately benefit countries, societies, families, and children.

If you could rewind, what would you have told yourself on Day One?

Learn as much as you can from the most experienced colleagues and get involved in many World Bank seminars, activities, and guest-speaker events.

What teams do you work with the most?

I work very closely with a range of teams, departments and VPUs across the World Bank, including the ALM and funding teams in my department, Treasury Operations Department teams, and credit unit and accounting teams.

What have you accomplished since joining the World Bank Treasury?

I found it most rewarding to be a part of the Reserve Advisory and Management Partnership (RAMP), which provides capacity-building services to public asset managers. In this role, I managed a portion of their portfolios, provided market update reports, hosted quarterly calls, and presented at investment management workshops. I have delivered presentations on money market instruments and strategies to more than 30 central bank representatives worldwide.

What’s your next goal?

I want to develop my skills and expertise in relative value trades.

What’s your favorite perk about working for the World Bank?

I appreciate the opportunity to learn from senior Treasury specialists and advance my career. The World Bank also provides generous pension commitments and benefits to staff.