My deepest condolences to the family on the loss of Michaela. She was an inspiration to all of us who were lucky enough to know her professionally and personally.
The world of economic and social development has lost a titan. Michaela devoted her life to the fight for gender empowerment and equality and social justice. I already knew of her pathbreaking work at project level when I joined EBRD in 2012, eg the creative and humane way she handled resettlement issues caused by much needed but controversial constructions. But it was Michaela’s leadership in designing EBRD’s first ever gender strategy that left a lasting impression on the organisation and the countries in which it invests. It is remarkable now to recall how much opposition there was from some obscurantist shareholder representatives to the development of an EBRD gender strategy. It was Michaela’s determination, passion, ability to marshall the evidence, and influence the reluctant that won the day. And it was that gender strategy, followed by many country-level “women in business” investment facilities that Michaela had more than a hand in creating, which transformed EBRD’s value offer as a development bank. And in more recent years, despite the remote working due to the pandemic and through her illness, Michaela was bringing those same qualities to bear at AIIB.
Michaela was of course more than a colleague. She was a friend to so many of us. We kept in close touch after we both left EBRD. We swapped stories about our family lives and I know that Michaela was a wonderful daughter, sister and aunt. She was kindness personified, always going the extra mile for others. And she made me laugh! I loved the light in Michaela’s eyes as she snorted with laughter at yet another of life’s absurdities. That is the Michaela I will always cherish.