The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Xiaoqin Fan as its new country director for Pakistan, according to a statement from the organization.
Fan will oversee ADB’s operations in Pakistan, implementing the country partnership strategy (CPS) that focuses on boosting growth, increasing resilience, and enhancing competitiveness. Additionally, she will lead consultations for the new CPS covering the period from 2026 to 2030.
A New Zealand national, Fan holds a Doctorate in Economics from the Australian National University, and Master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Lanzhou University in China. She brings 30 years of professional experience, including 22 years at ADB.
Fan joined ADB in June 2002 as an economist and has since taken on roles of increasing responsibility across various departments.
“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. She emphasized ADB’s commitment to collaborating with Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments, the private sector, and other stakeholders to accelerate economic recovery, implement reforms, and support policies and development initiatives to create jobs.
Fan highlighted that ADB will enhance support for climate resilience, private sector development, and institutional development. “We will continue to foster livable cities, rural development, digital ecosystems, growth centers, and regional cooperation and integration,” she added.
Fan succeeds Yong Ye, who served as the country director from 2021.
Before joining ADB, Fan worked as a policy adviser at the Department of Finance and Administration in Australia, an economist at the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, and a researcher at Lanzhou University in China.
