The Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Hun Kim as its new Country Director for India. A Republic of Korea national, Mr Kim took over his new position here with effect from February 1.
According to an ADB statement here, Mr Kim’s priorities would be to oversee and give direction to the multilateral lending agency’s operations in India and ensure that they align closely with the priorities and objectives of the government and the bank’s own long-term development framework, ‘Strategy 2020’.
His responsibilities also include promoting regional cooperation in South Asia, supporting public-private partnership initiatives of the government and strengthening relationships with stakeholders and other development partners in India.
Earlier, Mr Kim was Director for Urban Development in ADB’s South Asia Department and has been actively involved in promoting urban development in the region through infrastructure financing and knowledge transfer in best practices.
A specialist in municipal finance and governance, infrastructure financing, as well as mainstreaming social dimensions in project design, he has held various senior management positions, including as Country Economist for India, and Senior Advisor to ADB Vice President.
Mr. Kim succeeds Tadashi Kondo, who is now ADB’s Head of the Office of Co-financing Operations based in the bank’s headquarters in Manila.