The Board of Directors of Asian Development Bank (ADB), acting on the recommendation of ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda, has approved the appointment of Dr. Bindu N. Lohani, an alumnus of the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), as Vice-President (Finance and Administration). Dr. Lohani, who is currently Director General of ADB's Regional and Sustainable Development Department, succeeds Khempheng Pholsena, whose term ends today (on 4 April 2007).
As Vice-President, Dr. Lohani will be overseeing the operations of the following departments and offices: Office of the Secretary; Office of the General Counsel; Budget, Personnel, and Management Systems Department; Office of Administrative Services; Controller's Department; Treasury Department; and Office of Information Systems and Technology.
In a congratulatory message sent to Dr. Lohani on behalf of AIT, Professor Said Irandoust, AIT President noted that this is a most significant achievement which at the same time brings great honour and pride to AIT as well. It aptly recognizes the important contributions made by Dr. Lohani to ADB and in the process towards the development of the Asian region through his long and dedicated years of service. As a distinguished alumnus and close friend of AIT Dr. Lohani has greatly helped foster and strengthen relations between ADB and AIT through the launching of various activities and initiatives.
Dr. Lohani was appointed director general of the Regional and Sustainable Development Department, Asian Development Bank (ADB), at the beginning of 2005. From 1985 to 2005, he held several leadership positions at ADB, including secretary; deputy director of the Infrastructure, Energy, and Financial Sectors Department (West); and assistant chief of the Environmental Division, Office of Environment and Social Development Department.
From 1977 to 1985, he was division chair of the Environmental Department at the Asian Institute of Technology, and before that he worked in the departments of housing and physical planning, roads, and local development in Nepal.
He has been a consultant to several U.N. agencies and international firms and has made presentations at many high-level international conferences and intergovernmental meetings. A prolific writer, Dr. Lohani has published more than 120 articles and seven books.
He earned a doctoral degree in environmental engineering from AIT and completed several senior executive-management programs organized by the government of Nepal, University of Chicago Business School, Cornell University and Arthur D. Little, and the Corporate Environmental Leadership Program at Yale University. Dr. Lohani is a foreign associate of the National Academy of Engineering.