4TU.Alumni Gathering @World Bank HQ - Washington DC

Speaker details

Dirk Jan Grolleman is Deputy Division Chief in the Financial Supervision and Regulation Division of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Since joining the IMF in 2012, he has been involved in shaping international financial sector policies and leading capacity development initiatives across IMF member countries. His current work focuses on strengthening banking supervision frameworks, addressing emerging cybersecurity challenges, and advancing digital transformation in financial services.

Earlier in his career, Dirk Jan held senior supervisory roles at the Dutch Central Bank (2006–2012), where he focused on prudential oversight of financial institutions. Before transitioning to public service, he spent eight years in the private sector with ING Bank NV (1998–2006), gaining hands-on experience in banking operations and risk management.

He holds an engineering & management degree from the University of Twente and a master in risk management from the University of Amsterdam, combining technical rigor with a strategic perspective on financial system resilience.

PANELISTS' PROFILES

Bramka Arga Jafino (TUD alumnus) 

Bramka Jafino is a Disaster Risk Management Specialist at the World Bank, based in Washington, DC. His work focuses on strengthening climate and disaster resilience across South Asia, focusing on projects in Bangladesh and Bhutan that integrate infrastructure upgrade, community resilience, and systems for early warning and financial preparedness. Prior to joining the Bank, Bramka worked at Deltares in the Netherlands and contributed to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report.

Bramka holds a Ph.D. in Policy Analysis from Delft University of Technology, where his research centered on equitable climate adaptation planning under deep uncertainty. Bramka has published extensively in high-impact journals such as Nature Climate Change and Nature Communications, and continues to combine data-driven analysis with systems thinking to inform sustainable and inclusive development policies worldwide.

Josina Mellink (WUR alumna)

Josina Mellink is an environmental specialist with expertise in nature-based solutions, urban and coastal adaptation, and integrated water resources management across Africa. She currently works at the World Bank, leading monitoring and evaluation for the PROBLUE program, the Bank’s Blue Economy initiative. She is also part of the Nature-Based Solutions Invest team, where she supports project design and mobilizes GEF funding for least-developed countries to implement solution such as reforestation, landscape restoration, and mangrove restoration in Madagascar and the Central African Republic.

Previously, Josina worked in Ghana with the Dutch Water Authorities on the Blue Deal Program, supporting the Ghanaian Water Resources Commission in developing an Integrated Water Resources Management Plan. She holds an MSc in Urban Environmental Management and a BSc in International Development from Wageningen University.

Kaja Waldmann (UT alumna)

Kaja Waldmann is a Natural Resource Management Specialist in the Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy Global Practice at the World Bank, where she works on projects across West Africa. Previously, she worked in the Bank’s Agriculture and Food Global Practice, contributing to operations that address food insecurity and strengthen food system resilience.

Before joining the World Bank, Kaja worked with KfW Development Bank on climate risk management. She holds a Master’s degree in International Development from Sciences Po Paris and a dual Bachelor’s degree from the University of Twente and the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster.