Asian Development Bank Appoints Xiaoqin (Emma) Fan as New Country Director for Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (14 October 2024) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has announced the appointment of Xiaoqin (Emma) Fan as its new Country Director for Pakistan. Ms. Fan officially assumed her role today, joining the ADB’s Pakistan Resident Mission to oversee its operations in the country.
In her new position, Ms. Fan will be responsible for leading the implementation of ADB’s country partnership strategy (CPS) for Pakistan, which focuses on enhancing growth, strengthening resilience, and improving competitiveness. One of her key responsibilities will be spearheading consultations for the new CPS, which will cover the period from 2026 to 2030.
Expressing her enthusiasm about the role, Ms. Fan said, “I am delighted to return to Pakistan to lead the ADB’s country office. I look forward to further strengthening our longstanding partnership with the government and people of Pakistan. ADB remains committed to supporting Pakistan’s economic recovery, implementing critical reforms, and advancing policies aimed at job creation. We will expand our support in areas such as climate resilience, private sector development, and institutional strengthening. Additionally, we will continue to foster livable cities, rural development, digital ecosystems, growth centers, and regional cooperation.”
A national of New Zealand, Ms. Fan brings over 30 years of professional experience, including 22 years at ADB. She holds a Doctorate in Economics from the Australian National University and both Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees from Lanzhou University in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Ms. Fan’s career at ADB began in 2002 when she joined as an Economist. Over the years, she has held increasingly senior positions across various departments. In December 2013, she was appointed Advisor to ADB’s Strategic Planning Department (SPD) and headed its Results Management Unit. In 2016, she became Regional Director of ADB’s Pacific Liaison and Coordination Office (PLCO), and in 2019, she was named Director of the Public Management, Financial Sector, and Regional Cooperation Division of ADB’s East Asia Department.
Most recently, following ADB’s introduction of its New Operating Model in June 2023, Ms. Fan served as Director, Finance in the Sector Group-Finance, where she played a key role in building the pipeline for finance sector projects and led collaborative initiatives involving sovereign and non-sovereign operations.
Ms. Fan succeeds Yong Ye, who served as ADB’s Country Director for Pakistan from 2021.
Before joining ADB, Ms. Fan held various positions, including Policy Adviser at the Department of Finance and Administration in Australia, Economist at the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, and Researcher at Lanzhou University.
The ADB, founded in 1966, is committed to fostering a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, with a particular focus on eradicating extreme poverty. ADB is owned by 69 members, 49 of which are from the region.