Sona Shrestha has been appointed Director General of the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) South Asia Department (SARD), where she will oversee the creation and execution of the organization’s strategy and operations in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
“I am honored to be appointed Director General of South Asia,” said Shrestha. “I look forward to working closely with our developing member countries in the region to further deepen ADB’s engagement in support of inclusive and sustainable development.”
With more than 27 years of professional experience, including 23 years at ADB, Shrestha is an accomplished development leader.
Shrestha served as SARD’s Deputy Director General before this assignment. According to an ADB press release, she has also held the positions of Assistant Secretary, Director in the Financial Sector and Trade Division for Southeast Asia, Deputy Country Director for Indonesia, and Deputy Director General of ADB’s Independent Evaluations Department.
She had a great deal of operational expertise in Central and West Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia in previous professional positions with ADB.
A national of Nepal, Shrestha holds doctorate and master’s degrees in?economics from University of California in the United States. She also has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Smith College, Massachusetts.
ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth across Asia and the Pacific.
Working with its members and partners to solve complex challenges together, ADB harnesses innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to transform lives, build quality infrastructure, and safeguard our planet. Founded in 1966, ADB is owned by 69 members—50 from the region.
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