The six most senior remaining managers of the World Bank on Monday assumed day-to-day control of the bank in a bid to fill the void created by the looming departure of bank president Paul Wolfowitz.

Mr Wolfowitz agreed to give up almost all executive functions on Friday, though he will formally remain bank chief until June 30. His resignation followed the publication of a devastating report into his handling of a secondment package for Shaha Riza, a bank official with whom he was romantically involved.