ADB hires new country director for Kyrgyz Republic

The Asian Development Bank has appointed Kanokpan Lao-Araya as its new Country Director for the Kyrgyz Republic.

Lao-Araya will lead ADB’s operations in the Kyrgyz Republic and supervise the implementation of the bank’s country partnership strategy, 2018–2022 and country operations business plan, 2021–2023. 

Lao-Araya has more than 25 years of experience working on development and economic issues across the Asia-Pacific region. She joined ADB in 2001 from the Ministry of Finance in Thailand and has since held a series of increasingly senior positions. Latterly, she was ADB Country Director for Bhutan where she led the bank’s operations including the implementation of ADB’s COVID-19 support.

Lao-Araya replaces Candice McDeigan who was appointed as ADB Country Director for Azerbaijan.