President Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka, will help select a candidate to run the World Bank, a White House official has confirmed.

In a statement, the White House said Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney "have asked Ivanka Trump to help manage the US nomination process as she's worked closely with the World Bank's leadership for the past two years".

The statement denied the president's daughter was under consideration for the role after the Financial Times said Ms Trump's name had been floated as a possible candidate.

Still, Ms Trump's role is likely to be controversial as she has little previous experience in development finance.

Ms Trump has worked with the World Bank and the outgoing president, Jim Yong Kim, over the past two years, jointly launching a $1.6bn ($1.25bn) women's entrepreneurship fund.


She has also worked with development agency USAID to narrow the "digital gender divide" in developing countries.

The United States, which has a controlling voting interest in the World Bank, has traditionally chosen the institution's leader since it began operations in 1946.

Mr Kim announced his surprise departure last week to join private equity fund Global Infrastructure Partners, more than three years before his term ends in 2022, amid differences with the Trump administration over climate change and the need for more development resources.

The World Bank will begin accepting nominations on 7 February.