Orsolya Székely is Secretary of the World Bank Accountability Mechanism (AM). She was appointed by the Board of Executive Directors on May 3, 2021, and began work on July 20, 2021. 

The AM was established by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors in September 2020 to house both the Inspection Panel to carry out compliance reviews and a newly created Dispute Resolution Service (DRS). 

A lawyer and senior conflict-resolution professional, Ms. Székely brings in-depth knowledge of environmental and social issues, and wide-ranging experience in international development. A Hungarian national, Ms. Székely has more than 20 years’ experience working with a broad range of multilateral organizations and the private sector. In her latest function, holding the rank of Ambassador, she served as the Senior Advisor and Coordinator in the Executive Office of the Secretary General, with responsibility for enhancing good governance at the OSCE. 

Ms. Székely previously worked as senior advisor with communities and high-level stakeholders in India, Myanmar, China, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan, and on projects in Bangladesh and Nepal. She has worked on women’s empowerment and women’s participation in peace processes. Prior to these assignments, she was Head of Operations at the Council of Europe Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina and served as Special Representative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in Kosovo. In her managerial roles at the Council of Europe Office in Pristina, she was instrumental in establishing the accountability mechanisms in the United Nations and European Union Missions in Kosovo and facilitated the transition of the Ombudsperson Institution from internationally led to locally led. Prior to joining the Directorate of Political Affairs and Democracy of the Council of Europe, Ms. Székely was a case lawyer at the European Court of Human Rights. 

A recipient of the Women’s Leadership Scholarship from the University of Oxford, she completed the Saïd Business School Global Business Diploma Post-graduate Program with a focus on multinational companies’ engagement in peace processes and sustainable development. Ms. Székely holds a Master’s degree in Law from the University of Pécs, Hungary. She is an Accredited Mediator, gaining her Certificate from the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), UK. She also has a Certificate from the Harvard Law School, Program on Negotiation.

The AM Secretary serves a single five-year term and is prohibited from working for the World Bank Group in any capacity following the end of their term.
 
The AM Secretary reports to the Board and operates independently of World Bank management. Inspection Panel members and the Panel chair will continue to report to the Board and be independent of management. They will coordinate with but not be subject to the supervision of the AM Secretary. 
 
The functions and duties of the AM Secretary include:

• Establishing and managing the Accountability Mechanism’s work program, budget and staffing. 
• Overseeing all administrative matters and record keeping for the Accountability Mechanism.
• Preparing and submitting annual itemized budgetary requirements for the Accountability Mechanism Secretariat, the DRS and (working with the Chair of the Inspection Panel) the Inspection Panel.
• Overseeing the functioning of the DRS.