Rusmir Musić, M.B.A.

One June morning, Rusmir Musić woke for a series of international calls with government officials and business leaders. At 6:30 a.m, he spoke with Vietnam, followed by India, then Pakistan, a group call of about 20 countries, and then Colombia—and that was all before lunch. As an operations officer with the Climate Business Department of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, Musić regularly makes calls to help businesses in the emerging markets learn how to cut down their energy costs while producing less greenhouse gases. 

Musić first came to the US as a refugee from Bosnia and Herzegovina at age 17. After completing high school in San Francisco, he majored in chemistry at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he was recognized with an ACS Award in his first year. He then earned a master’s in Humanities and Social Thought at New York University and an MBA in International Business at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. 

Today, Musić thinks of himself as a storyteller - someone who can turn scientific and financial complexities into narratives that help people see the business case for doing good for the planet. Just throwing graphs at people is not going to convince them, he says. You need to tell a story to help get them there. 

Why did you major in chemistry as an undergraduate? 

My mom was a chemistry teacher who sometimes tutored students at our kitchen table. I was fascinated by what I overheard. The word “ketone” just sounded like something I wanted to know all about. In college, my favorite part of chemistry was actually teaching. I loved helping my classmates and working as a teaching assistant. I planned to become a chemistry teacher. But after working in a lab the summer before my senior year, I realized that I was too much of an extrovert to enjoy benchwork. I knew I’d have to log a lot of lab time to become a teacher. So, I pivoted to a career in higher education, working first as a residence life program manager and then a career counselor. When my career stalled because my employer wouldn’t sponsor my US work visa, I thought more deeply about what I really wanted to do with my life and decided to pursue an MBA. 

Why did you focus your career on sustainability? 

While applying to MBA programs, I read a book by Thomas Friedman called Hot, Flat, and Crowded. One sentence really stuck with me: “Find out what the world needs right now, and what you can do about it.” I already had a solid science background. I also had good communication skills from earning a master’s in the humanities. I realized that if I combined these strengths with business know-how, I could help people understand how more sustainable choices are often better financial choices. I got to meet Tom Friedman at a World Bank event and I shared that anecdote with him, advice I still give to students exploring their careers. 

How did you find your job at the IFC?

Toward the end of my MBA, I organized a sustainable energy conference. I asked each speaker if they knew someone I could approach for an informational interview. One speaker connected me with someone at the World Bank who had just been promoted. We met, and she asked if I would like to apply for her old job, which involved working with countries to develop individualized strategies to limit climate change. I got the job! That position led to my current role at the IFC, which is the private-sector arm of the World Bank Group. Networking really works. It may sound like I was lucky. But I had spoken around 99 people so that the 100th person felt like I was in the right place at the right time.  

What are your responsibilities now as an operations officer in the IFC? 

I develop green investment opportunities. Right now, for example, I’m launching a program to address the need for more energy efficient cooling -starting with Pakistan, then in other emerging markets. In Pakistan, inefficient ceiling fans suck up more than a quarter of the country’s electrical use. We’re hoping to offer loans to manufacturers of more efficient fans so they can expand their operations. We’re also making connections with local banks who can use our funds to give small loans to homeowners so they can buy energy-efficient fans and lower their electric bills. And we’re looking at how to prevent food spoilage through better cold chains. Projects like this can be hugely impactful. For example, I was the global business development lead for IFC’s green building program, known as EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies). I first launched the program in Colombia in 2016. At the time, very few developers used green techniques there. Now, a quarter of all new construction in Colombia is green certified. And the program has taken off in many countries. 

How do you use your chemistry training in your current career? 

Because of my chemistry background, I’m more comfortable learning about new technologies that support our sustainability efforts. Also, a lot of my work involves creating entirely new programs. I know what the final outcome should be. But getting there involves carefully thinking through each step. I add this ingredient here, and then this catalyst here. I'm very methodical in how I approach my programs, and that absolutely comes from working in a lab.

This profile has been edited for length and clarity. The opinions expressed in this interview are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the view of their employer or the American Chemical Society.