Nepali National Sona Shrestha Appointed as Director General of ADB’s South Asia Department

Kathmandu: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Sona Shrestha, a Nepali citizen, as the Director General of its South Asia Department.

According to a statement issued by the ADB headquarters in Manila on Wednesday, Shrestha will lead the ADB’s strategy and program operations in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Following her appointment, Shrestha expressed that she is honored to lead the South Asia region. She committed to working closely with the region’s member countries to deepen ADB’s engagement for inclusive and sustainable development.

Professional Background

Shrestha is an experienced leader in the development sector with over 27 years of professional experience, including 23 years at the ADB. Prior to this role, she served as the Deputy Director General of the South Asia Department.

Her previous leadership roles include:

Deputy Director General of ADB’s Independent Evaluation Department.

Assistant Secretary,  Director of the Financial Sector and Trade Division for Southeast Asia.

Deputy Country Director for Indonesia.

In her early career at ADB, she gained operational experience across Central and West Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

Academic Credentials

Sona Shrestha holds a Master’s degree and a PhD in Economics from the University of California, USA. She earned her undergraduate degree in Economics from Smith College in Massachusetts.

ADB Established in 1966, the ADB is a major multilateral development bank dedicated to promoting inclusive, resilient, and sustainable economic growth in the Asia and Pacific region. It currently has 69 member countries, 50 of which are regional members.