Kruskaia Sierra Escalante

Senior Manager, Co-Investor Solutions, Treasury & Mobilization at International Finance Corporation

Speaker

Kruskaia has 25 years of experience in international finance with a demonstrated ability in building highly successful, innovative and impactful programs and teams. She is currently the Senior Manager of IFC’s Co-Investor Solutions division in the Syndicated Loans and Mobilization Department. She is responsible for (i) overseeing the development and implementation of mobilization products, including the Managed Co-Lending Portfolio Program (MCPP) with funds under management and credit insurance capacity of ~ US$16 billion; (ii) mobilization innovation through new initiatives and to lead the strategic development and growth of these initiatives, as well as the MCCP and credit mobilization programs catering to a broad set of institutional investors and other partners; and (iii) leading the development and maintenance of productive and meaningful relationships with external parties to facilitate the achievement of mobilization objectives and strategies, and in particular, engage with MCCP investors and credit mobilization partners. She is also responsible for overseeing IFC’s global syndications portfolio.

In her previous role as Senior Manager in IFC’s Blended Finance and Corporate Strategy Department, she managed a 50+ member team and a pool of contributor funds of close to US$7 billion focused on accelerating IFC’s engagement in low-income and fragile and conflict-affected countries through the IDA Private Sector Window, climate mitigation and adaptation, gender and inclusion, food security, among others. Under her management, blended finance co-investments grew from a yearly average of US$100 million (FY13-FY17) to US$500 million (FY18-FY22) to reach a US$3+ billion portfolio. She has a successful fundraising track-record having established new bilateral blended finance facilities, mostly for climate, with a wide spectrum of risk tolerances.

Kruskaia holds a Master’s degree in Public Affairs, with a concentration in Economics and Public Policy, from Princeton University, and a J.D. from the New York University School of Law. Before joining IFC in 2003, Kruskaia was at Chadbourne & Parke, LLP, working primarily in project finance in the power sector. Until 2013, she held various roles in IFC’s Legal Department, including as Global Lead Counsel for Climate and Blended Finance.