V.S. (Krish) Krishnakumar
V.S. (Krish) Krishnakumar is a seasoned procurement and supply chain management expert with over 40 years of experience across both the private and public sectors, including extensive work with the World Bank. Throughout his career, Krish has been a trusted advisor on procurement strategy and policy, with a focus on long-term interventions and the resolution of complex operational and procurement issues. His work has had a significant impact on public procurement reform and capacity building efforts in various countries.
Krish began his career in India for a short while and later in Africa, where he worked for over 18 years before joining the World Bank in 1997. As the World Bank’s Regional Procurement Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, he oversaw more than 600 projects across 45 countries. He also served as a Special Advisor to the Operations Policy and Country Services Department, contributing significantly to the World Bank’s Procurement Reform. About 3 years ago, he retired as the Practice Manager for Solutions and Innovations in Procurement for the Europe and Central Asia region.
Following his retirement, Krish worked as the Lead Procurement Consultant with the Independent Evaluation Department of the Asian Development Bank, supporting the design and evaluation of ADB’s 2017 Procurement Framework.
Krish has also played a prominent role in the development of global procurement practices through training workshops and business outreach initiatives. He successfully completed several procurement training programs for project implementing agencies in several countries. Additionally, he led workshops related to Ukraine’s emergency assistance and reconstruction program, offering valuable insights to the global business community. Krish lectures in key aspects of public procurement at the Universities of Rome and Belgrade, teaching distance-learning students pursuing their Masters in Public Procurement Management.
Before his time at the World Bank, Krish was the Chief Executive of a UK-based procurement and export consulting firm operating in South Africa. He also served as the Head of Procurement for one of the world’s largest copper mining industries in Zambia, where he also managed procurement activities for major investment projects funded by institutions such as the World Bank, African Development Bank, and the European Union.
Krish is a firm believer that development is not a linear process easily solved by technical fixes. He argues that despite having sophisticated tools and knowledge, development projects often fail when political and interpersonal complexities hinder progress. He advocates for the inclusion of behavioral science in public procurement curricula and culture, believing it can offer insights into overcoming negative procurement outcomes.