World Bank Names Qimiao Fan as New Country Director for Uganda

The World Bank has appointed Qimiao Fan as the new Country Director for Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, and Uganda, effective September 1. With over 35 years of experience in development practice, Mr. Fan will lead the design and implementation of the World Bank’s support programs across these four East African countries. This portfolio includes 102 projects with a total value of $17.2 billion, aimed at driving sustainable development and economic growth in the region.

A Chinese national, Fan has a rich history of leadership within the World Bank, having joined the organisation in 1991. His extensive career includes serving as Country Manager for Cambodia, Country Director for Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine, as well as for Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal. He has also held strategic roles, such as Director of Strategy and Operations for the Equitable Growth, Finance, and Institutions Vice Presidency, and Director for Strategic and Corporate Initiatives.

Before joining the World Bank, Fan worked as a researcher at the London School of Economics and as a policy researcher in China. He has also held senior executive positions in the private sector, including roles as CEO and vice chairman of the board in China. Fan holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Birmingham, England, and has published extensively on topics including investment climate, private sector development, and transition economies.

Fan will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, from where he will coordinate the World Bank's activities across the four countries, ensuring that projects align with national development goals and deliver tangible benefits to communities in Uganda and the region.