An American national, Don Conrad was an executive in the energy and insurance sectors, specifically with Exxon Co. from 1957 to 1970 and Aetna Life & Casualty Co. from 1970 to 1988.

Conrad arrived at the World Bank Group (WBG) in December 1995. He was initially recruited by President Wolfensohn to conduct a review of the Bank's investment lending procures, which he submitted to Wolfensohn on December 26, 1995. He would subsequently advise the president on a range of topics through 1998, with emphasis on private sector development (PSD) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). In the PSD sector, Conrad worked closely with Managing Director Richard Frank. Other areas on which Conrad focused included: staff compensation; the vision of the WBG; and the Strategic Compact.

Conrad's time at the WBG appears to have concluded in December 1998.