The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Indian-origin Jyotsana Varma as Regional Director of its Pacific Liaison and Coordination Office (PLCO) in Sydney, where she will oversee operations in Nauru, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.
Varma will also lead the implementation of the forthcoming Pacific Approach 2026–2030, ADB’s country partnership strategy for the region.
“I look forward to building on ADB’s strong, long-term partnership with the Government of Australia to support quality infrastructure and private sector development across the Pacific,” Varma said in a statement.
“We will continue to work closely with the governments of Nauru, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu to support their development goals.”
Varma brings 33 years of development experience, including 16 years with ADB. She has held senior leadership positions across Cambodia, Bangladesh, and the Maldives.
Prior to joining ADB, she led state teams in the Indian civil service on social sector projects and advised the Indian Finance Minister on policy matters.
ADB’s Sydney office not only manages programming, processing, and administration for Nauru, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu, but also serves as the sector hub for private and finance sector development across 14 Pacific developing member countries. It oversees the Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative and the Pacific Partnership Facility.
Based in Sydney, PLCO works closely with key bilateral partners, including Australia, New Zealand, the World Bank Group, and other multilateral institutions.
Australia, a founding ADB member, is one of the largest contributors to the Asian Development Fund, the bank’s main source of grants for its poorest and most vulnerable members.
Founded in 1966, ADB is a leading multilateral development bank with 69 member countries, promoting inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth across Asia and the Pacific.
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