Bindu Lohani

Distinguished Fellow, Emerging Markets Forum; Head of Global Climate Change Practice

Dr. Bindu N. Lohani was Ranking Vice-President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development. He was responsible for the ADB’s Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department (Office of the Chief Economist), Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department, and Office of Information Systems and Technology. Prior to the above position, Dr. Lohani was Vice-President (Finance and Administration) of ADB. Dr. Lohani served as Chair of Investment Committee of the Pension Fund (more than $2 billion); Chair of Asset Liability Management Committee; and Chair of Crisis Management Committee.

In his almost 30 years in ADB, he has held several positions, including Director General and Chief Compliance Officer of the Regional and Sustainable Development Department (responsible for sectoral and thematic areas like energy, transport, water, urban development, education, environment, gender and governance, and knowledge management), and Special Advisor to the President on Clean Energy, Climate Change and Environment. He had worked in various capacities, mostly infrastructure and sustainable development. Before joining ADB, he worked for the Government of Nepal (relating to the infrastructure departments) and was Associate Professor and Division Chairman of the Environmental Engineering Program at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), an independent post-graduate institution located at Bangkok.

Dr. Lohani holds Doctoral degree in Environmental Engineering. Dr. Lohani has been conferred with several Honorary Doctoral Degrees including the Degree of Doctor of University by the Griffith University, Australia in recognition of his distinguished contributions to environment. He has also completed several management development programs, including the Executive Program conducted by the Business School of the University of Chicago, Management Development Program by Cornell University; and programs by Arthur D. Little School of Management, and Corporate Leadership program at Yale University.

Dr. Lohani is Visiting Professor of Tsinghua University, Beijing (China) and Professor (Research) of Tongji University, Shanghai (China) and Distinguished Adjunct Faculty of Asian Institute of Technology. He is a member of several international advisory bodies such as Environmental Impact Assessment Review Journal (United Kingdom), Advisory Panel; Journal of Urban Solutions, Centre for Livable Cities (Singapore); International Advisory Panel for the Institute of Water Policies, Lee Kwan Yew, School of Public Policy (Singapore); and Council member, China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (China). He has published eight books and more than 250 publications.

Dr. Lohani is an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) of United States – the highest professional distinction accorded to an engineer – for his work on economic-cum-environment approach to sustainable development. He is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers (awarded for excellence in the practice of environmental engineering) and is a licensed professional engineer. Dr. Lohani was elected to the rank of AAAS Fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Council for world leadership in development country planning for integrated economic-cum- environmental sustainable development through protection of natural/social resources.

Areas of Expertise:

Sustainable development & climate change

Environmental pollution and technology

Infrastructure (clean energy, water, cities, transport) development & financing

Knowledge management

Past Experience:

Ranking Vice-President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development

Vice-President (Finance and Administration) of ADB