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The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Takeo Konishi as its new Country Director for India. Konishi succeeds Kenichi Yokoyama who has taken over as Director General of ADB’s South Asia Department and will be based at ADB’s headquarters in Manila.
As head of the country office in New Delhi, Konishi will lead ADB’s operations and policy dialogue with the government and other development partners in India.
He will oversee the implementation of ADB’s India Country Partnership Strategy, 2018-2022 that focuses on building industrial competitiveness to create more jobs, providing inclusive infrastructure networks and services, and addressing environmental and climate change concerns.
“My priority is to build on ADB’s long-standing and robust partnership with India,” said Konishi. “ADB is committed to working closely with the government to support the country in accelerating its inclusive and sustainable economic transformation. We will explore all options to help India in mitigating the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and assist in its rapid economic recovery process.”
Konishi has 22 years of professional experience, including almost two decades with ADB in many senior roles, including as Country Director of Uzbekistan Resident Mission and Advisor in the Central and West Asia department.
In his latest role as Director of Public Management, Financial Sector, and Trade Division (SAPF) in ADB’s South Asia Department, Konishi has proactively supported fast-tracking of ADB’s Covid-19 programs in the South Asia region.
Konishi holds a Master’s degree in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh, USA, and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Lynchburg College, USA.
India is currently ADB’s fourth-largest shareholder and has been its largest borrower since 2010. Since commencing its lending operations to India in 1986, ADB has committed 242 sovereign loans amounting to $44.1 billion. This year, ADB has so far committed $2.2 billion in sovereign lending, which includes $1.5 billion support to the government’s immediate response to Covid-19, including disease containment and social protection measures. The current India portfolio comprises 68 projects worth about $13.7 billion.