World Bank Group

As the World Bank Group prepared for its annual Career Week, one question guided their planning: how can we help our people shape their own future in a rapidly changing world? Antoinette Oglethorpe joined the event to help answer that question — with a powerful message about career ownership and adaptability.

Like many global organisations, the World Bank Group recognised that traditional ‘career ladders’ no longer fit today’s world. Employees were asking new questions about purpose, flexibility, and how to grow when the future is uncertain.

Through a keynote and global panel session, Antoinette challenged participants to redefine success and shared practical ways to futureproof their careers.

• Delivered a keynote presentation emphasising employability and enjoyability as modern measures of success.
• Shared her own career story and practical tools for career ownership, mindset, and self-awareness.
• Contributed to a global panel discussion with senior World Bank leaders, exploring strategies for developing diverse skills and experiences.
• Engaged in live Q&A with staff worldwide, encouraging them to rethink success and create their own “career maps”.

• Inspired thousands of employees across the globe during Career Week to take a fresh approach to career development.
• Shifted focus from “up is the only way” to building diverse career portfolios.
• Reinforced the value of mentoring, coaching, and career conversations as enablers of growth.
• Helped the People and Culture team achieve their objective of boosting engagement and creating a mindset shift around career ownership.