Sona Shrestha has been appointed ADB Director General of the South Asia Department, marking a significant leadership transition at the Asian Development Bank. She will oversee operations across six key regional economies.
Sona Shrestha to lead South Asia operations at Asian Development Bank
Sona Shrestha will lead the Asian Development Bank’s South Asia Department following her appointment as Director General, overseeing operations in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The move places a seasoned development economist at the center of one of ADB’s most strategically significant regional portfolios.
In announcing the appointment, the bank highlighted Shrestha’s extensive institutional experience and deep familiarity with regional operations. She stated that she looks forward to working closely with developing member countries to deepen engagement in support of inclusive and sustainable development. Her remarks signal continuity in ADB’s mission to strengthen economic resilience, reduce poverty, and accelerate climate-responsive growth across South Asia.
With more than 27 years of professional experience, including 23 years at ADB, Shrestha brings long-standing expertise in multilateral development finance. Before assuming her new role, she served as Deputy Director General for the South Asia Department, where she was directly involved in managing country strategies, lending programs, and policy dialogue. Her background ensures operational familiarity with both sovereign and non-sovereign financing frameworks.
Shrestha also previously held the position of Deputy Director General in ADB’s Independent Evaluation Department, contributing to oversight and performance assessments across the institution’s project portfolio. This experience in evaluation and accountability mechanisms is particularly relevant at a time when multilateral lenders face increasing scrutiny regarding project effectiveness, debt sustainability, and development impact.
Earlier in her career, she served as Assistant Secretary and as Director in the Financial Sector and Trade Division for Southeast Asia. In that capacity, she worked on financial market reforms, trade facilitation initiatives, and macroeconomic policy engagement. She also held the role of Deputy Country Director for Indonesia, gaining field-level experience in coordinating with government agencies and development partners on infrastructure and institutional reform programs.
Her operational exposure extends across Central and West Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, providing her with a broad regional perspective. This cross-regional insight is expected to support more integrated approaches to economic challenges that transcend national borders, including climate change adaptation, energy security, and regional connectivity.
The South Asia Department represents one of ADB’s largest operational segments, covering economies with diverse growth trajectories and structural constraints. Countries such as India and Bangladesh are experiencing sustained economic expansion, while others face heightened vulnerability to climate shocks, fiscal pressures, and infrastructure gaps. Coordinating tailored development interventions across such varied contexts requires both strategic discipline and flexibility.
ADB’s activities in South Asia typically include infrastructure financing, renewable energy investments, digital transformation initiatives, financial sector modernization, and technical assistance for governance reforms. Under Shrestha’s leadership, alignment with ADB’s Strategy 2030 priorities—such as gender equality, environmental sustainability, and regional cooperation—will likely remain central to programming decisions.
The appointment comes at a time when South Asia’s financing needs are expanding rapidly. Climate resilience projects, energy transition efforts, and urban infrastructure modernization require substantial capital mobilization. Multilateral institutions like ADB are increasingly tasked with leveraging private investment alongside public financing to close funding gaps while maintaining fiscal prudence among borrowing countries.
As ADB Director General, Shrestha will play a central role in shaping lending pipelines, strengthening policy engagement, and ensuring rigorous project implementation standards. Her background in evaluation may also contribute to enhancing monitoring systems and reinforcing transparency in resource allocation.
A Nepalese national, Shrestha holds a doctorate and master’s degree in economics from the University of California in the United States and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Smith College, Massachusetts. Her academic foundation in economics complements her decades of institutional experience, equipping her with analytical depth in macroeconomic policy and development strategy.
The leadership transition reflects ADB’s preference for experienced internal candidates who possess both regional expertise and institutional continuity. As development finance institutions navigate evolving geopolitical and economic landscapes, effective leadership will be essential in balancing growth objectives with sustainability imperatives.
Sona Shrestha’s appointment positions her to influence the trajectory of development cooperation across South Asia at a time of significant opportunity and challenge. Her stewardship of ADB’s regional operations will shape how the institution responds to climate pressures, economic transformation, and inclusive growth demands in the years ahead.