Jason Pellmar became the World Bank Group (WBG) Country Manager for Bulgaria on July 1, 2025, stepping into a newly created position designed to unify country-level leadership across the institution and serve as a single point of contact for the full breadth of World Bank Group products and services. A U.S. national based in Sofia, he brings over 15 years of experience in infrastructure, private sector development, and investment operations across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Prior to his current role, Pellmar served as Regional Industry Manager for Infrastructure in India, Bhutan, and the Maldives at the International Finance Corporation (IFC) — the World Bank Group's private sector arm — where he led several key initiatives, including India's first sustainability-linked financing for road and warehouse investment trusts and IFC's largest battery energy storage system project globally. He also previously served as IFC's Regional Country Manager for Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus, playing a leading role in mobilizing private sector participation in Ukraine's infrastructure through a public-private partnership umbrella program. Earlier in his career, he worked in Istanbul supporting infrastructure transactions across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, and began his career at GE Energy Financial Services.
Pellmar holds a master's degree in international finance and Russian and Eurasian Studies from Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and was a Fulbright Scholar in St. Petersburg, Russia. In his role in Bulgaria, he is focused on supporting the government's efforts to enhance competitiveness and social inclusion, while helping mobilize both public and private investment to address the country's development challenges — including strengthening institutions, boosting productivity, and improving public spending efficiency.