Jingmin Huang Takes Charge of ADB’s Lao PDR Mission With Focus on Inclusive Development

Huang will guide the implementation of ADB’s country partnership strategy, which prioritizes sustainable public finance and equitable access to services.

The Asian Development Bank has appointed Jingmin Huang as Country Director for the Lao People's Democratic Republic, with responsibility for leading its resident mission in Vientiane. Huang has begun work in the capital, taking charge of ADB's operations, policy dialogue and partnerships in the country. Her appointment comes as the Lao PDR pursues development goals centered on greater economic self-reliance and inclusive, sustainable growth.

Huang will guide the implementation of ADB's country partnership strategy, which prioritizes sustainable public finance and equitable access to services. Strengthening resilience to disasters and extreme weather events forms another central part of the bank's support for the country. Her work will involve close engagement with the government, development partners, businesses and civil society to build on existing foundations for high-quality investment.

Huang said she was honored to serve in the Lao PDR at an important stage in the country's development. She described the coming years as critical to its efforts to transition smoothly from least developed country status and strengthen economic self-reliance. Leading ADB's support, she said, would provide an opportunity to deliver lasting benefits for communities across the country.

Experience across investment, strategy and project delivery

Huang brings more than 30 years of professional experience to the position, including over 18 years working with ADB across multiple regions. Her background covers country programming, sector strategy, project preparation and implementation, portfolio management and engagement with the bank's clients. This experience spans the development of investment priorities and the work required to carry projects through to delivery.

She joined ADB in 2008 and became director of the water and urban division in its Pacific department in 2019. Before taking up the Lao PDR appointment, she directed the bank's water and urban development sector cluster, leading operations across Central, West and East Asia. That role included oversight of a $5 billion portfolio and investment pipeline, bringing substantial operational responsibility to her recent leadership experience.

A background in engineering, economics and water science

Before joining ADB, Huang was a Fellow of St Hugh's College and a lecturer in Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. A national of the People's Republic of China, she holds a doctorate in water science from Oxford. She earned dual bachelor's degrees in environmental engineering and industrial economics from Tianjin University in the PRC, combining technical and economic disciplines in her academic training.

Supporting the Lao PDR's development priorities through 2030

ADB's longstanding partnership with the Lao PDR and ASEAN provides the foundation for Huang's work with national and regional partners. The bank supports investments that contribute to the Lao PDR's 10th National Socio-Economic Development Plan for 2026–2030. These investments support the country's efforts to build a more diversified, self-reliant and sustainable economy, connecting ADB's assistance with its national development priorities.