Martina Polasek is the Secretary-General of the (ICSID). She heads a diverse team of over 70 legal, finance, and information technology specialists at the world鈥檚 leading institution for resolving international investment disputes.
ICSID was established by the World Bank to encourage foreign investment by providing an impartial facility to resolve grievances between foreign investors and host states. By offering a variety of procedures to settle investment disputes鈥攊ncluding arbitration, conciliation, mediation, and fact-finding鈥擨CSID ensures that parties have a fair and efficient process that is tailored to their needs.
With over 20-years of experience at ICSID鈥攆irst as Senior Legal Counsel, and subsequently as Deputy Secretary-General鈥擬artina has had a role in establishing ICSID as the premiere institution for investor-state dispute settlement. ICSID鈥檚 membership and caseload has increased substantially, demonstrating the value that states and investors place in its services. She has been a key contributor to updating ICSID鈥檚 rules of procedure, including the recent introduction of new rules for mediation and expedited arbitration. She has also been engaged in the major international forums that are focused on the reform of investor-state dispute settlement, including current deliberations at the United Nations.
Her priorities as Secretary-General are focused on maintaining ICSID鈥檚 world-class service standards for case management, enhancing cost efficiency and accessibility, strengthening ICSID 鈥榮 network of strategic partnerships, and engaging with stakeholders.
As a Vice-President of the World Bank Group, Martina also works with the WBG鈥檚 senior management team to ensure the five institutions of the Bank鈥擨BRD, 欧美日b大片, IFC, MIGA, and ICSID鈥攚ork in concert to achieve the WBG鈥檚 mission of ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity on a livable planet.
A dual Czech and Swedish citizen, she is fluent in Czech, Swedish, French, and English.