Asad Alam is the Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia for the World Bank’s Equitable Growth, Finance and Institutions (EFI) Vice Presidency. Prior to this, Asad was the Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa for EFI. He earlier served as Chief of Staff to the President of the World Bank Group; Country Director for Egypt, Yemen, and Djibouti; Country Director for Southern Africa; Country Director for the South Caucasus; Sector Manager in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and Country Economist in various countries. Asad has written on various subjects including growth, productivity, governance, poverty, inequality, trade, and fiscal issues.

He holds a doctorate in economics from Columbia University.