Ramesh Subramaniam, Author at Trade Finance Global

Ramesh Subramaniam has been with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for over 26 years, since March 1997. He has worked in different functions and areas in over 25 countries across the various sub-regions of Asia and the Pacific. In his current capacity as Director General and Chief of the Sectors Group – a position he took charge on 30 June 2023 when ADB’s New Operating Model (NOM) took effect, Ramesh oversees ADB’s work in all its 7 sectors of operation across the entire Asia and the Pacific Region. The Sectors Group is responsible for all of ADB’s Sovereign lending and grants, technical assistance and knowledge work in Agriculture, Food, Nature and Rural Development; Energy; Finance; Human and Social Development; Public Sector Management and Governance; Transport; and Water and Urban Development. The Sectors Group will also support Non-Sovereign and advisory operations of ADB.

The Sectors Group – under Ramesh’s leadership – will be a key driver in implementing ADB’s NOM. The Group will champion the 4 shifts intended under NOM: Climate Change shift to help all developing member countries (DMCs) of ADB deal with the adverse impact of climate change; Private Sector Development shift to create a sound enabling environment to attract private capital as well as facilitate gradual integration of Sovereign and Non-Sovereign operations of ADB; Solutions Shift to offer high value adding solutions for the challenges faced by DMCs; and the New Ways of Working Shift to forge a wide range of internal and external partnerships to enhance ADB’s support to its DMCs.

With a strong focus on policy and institutional reforms, Ramesh has led a large number of projects and initiatives across Asia and the Pacific. The ASEAN Infrastructure Fund, the ASEAN Policy Network, the ASEAN Green Finance Hub, the ASEAN Catalytic Green Finance Facility, and the Southeast Asia Development Symposium were established under his leadership.