New ADB country director assumes office

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Xiaoqin (Emma) Fan as its new Country Director for Pakistan. She joined the Pakistan Resident Mission on Monday to officially commence her role.

As Country Director, Fan will oversee ADB's operations in Pakistan, including the implementation of the country partnership strategy (CPS) that prioritises lifting growth, increasing resilience, and boosting competitiveness. She will also lead consultation for the new CPS covering the period from 2026 to 2030.

"I am delighted to be back in Pakistan to lead the country office. I look forward to promoting ADB's longstanding partnership with the government and people of Pakistan," said Fan.

"ADB will continue to work closely with Pakistan's federal and provincial governments, the private sector, and other stakeholders to speed up economic recovery, implement reforms, and champion policies and development processes to create jobs. We'll scale up our support for climate resilience, private sector development, and institutional development; and we will continue to foster livable cities, rural development, digital ecosystems, growth centres, and regional cooperation and integration."

A national of New Zealand, Fan holds a Doctorate in Economics from the Australian National University, and Master's and Bachelor's degrees from Lanzhou University in China. She has more than 30 years of professional experience, including 22 years in the ADB. Fan joined the ADB in June 2002 as an economist, and since then has held positions of increasing responsibility in various departments across the bank.

In December 2013, she was appointed adviser for ADB's Strategic Planning Department (SPD) and the head of its Results Management Unit. In June 2016, she was appointed the regional director of ADB's Pacific Liaison and Coordination Office (PLCO) and in 2019 the director for Public Management, Financial Sector, and Regional Cooperation Division of the East Asia Department.