Nicola Pontara has been the Country Manager for Serbia, based in Belgrade, since July 2021. 

An Italian national, he joined the World Bank Group in 2000 as a Young Professional. Most recently, he held the position of Country Manager for Lao PDR in the East Asia and Pacific Region. Prior to that, he was Country Manager for Bolivia in the Latin America and Caribbean Region.

Mr. Pontara holds a PhD in Economics from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Prior to joining the World Bank Group, he was an ODI Fellow at the Ministry of Planning and Finance in Maputo, Mozambique.