Cyn-Young Park is Director of Regional Cooperation and Integration in the Economics Research and Regional Cooperation Department of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). During her progressive career within ADB, she has been a main author and contributor to ADB’s major publications including Asian Development Outlook (ADB’s flagship publication), Asia Capital Markets Monitor, Asia Economic Monitor, Asia Bond Monitor, and ADB Country Diagnostic Study Series. She has also participated in various global and regional forums including the G20 Development Working Group, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), ASEAN+3, Asia–Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and Asia–Europe Meeting (ASEM). She has written and lectured extensively about the Asian economy and financial markets. Her work has been published in peer reviewed academic journals including the Journal of Banking and Finance, the Journal of Futures Markets, the Review of Income and Wealth, and the World Economy.

Prior to joining the ADB, she served as Economist (1999–2002) at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), where she contributed to the OECD Economic Outlook. She received her Ph.D. in Economics from Columbia University. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Economics from Seoul National University.

Matthias’ research interests include health, international trade, and development economics. Matthias’ research has appeared in flagship publications of international organizations as well as in books and scientific journals. He has co–edited eleven books, including with Oxford University Press. His work includes affiliations with the World Health Organization, Asian Development Bank and Asian Development Bank Institute, World Bank, the World Trade Organization, and the UN. Matthias holds graduate degrees in economics from the University of Tübingen and the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He earned his PhD in health economics from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (University of Geneva) and was a research fellow at Yale University.

Sanchita Basu Das is an economist at the Regional Cooperation and Integration Division of the Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department of the Asian Development Bank ADB. She contributes to the division’s flagship publication, namely the Asian Economic Integration Report, and other knowledge products. She also supports the ASEAN regional forum. Her core research interests include regional cooperation and initiatives related to them, such as trade, logistics, industrial corridors, tourism, digital economy, institutions, and others. Sanchita joined ADB in November 2018 and served as an economist in the South Asia Department, processing loans/grants, implementing technical assistance projects and leading operationally relevant analytical studies.

Prior to joining ADB, Sanchita was the lead researcher for economic affairs at the ASEAN Studies Centre of ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore. She was concurrently a fellow of the Regional Economic Studies Program, coordinator of Singapore APEC Studies Centre and a co–editor of Journal of Southeast Asian Economies (JSEAE), all housed under the same institute. Sanchita has published in international journals including the Singapore Economic Review, Journal of World Trade and Asia Pacific Economic Literature, authored/edited books and book chapters, and wrote for media. Sanchita earned her PhD in international political economy from Nanyang Technology University, Singapore, and her masters in economics and business management from the University of Delhi and the National University of Singapore, respectively.

Ronald Antonio Butiong oversees and coordinates ADB’s overall regional cooperation and integration (RCI) operations by providing relevant strategic and technical advice. He develops and maintains thematic policies, strategies, operational plans, and directional papers to guide bankwide regional cooperation and integration work and ensures alignment with ADB’s Strategy 2030.

Mr. Butiong has over 25 years of professional experience working on regional cooperation and integration and country programming. He joined ADB in February 2004 as a Programs Specialist - Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) in the former Mekong Department. He progressed to Senior Regional Cooperation Specialist and GMS Unit Head, Southeast Asia Department (SERD) in June 2008, and in February 2010, transferred to the Central and West Asia Department (CWRD) to head the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Unit. He was promoted to IS6 in CWRD in December 2010, and in October 2012, he was transferred to South Asia Department (SARD) to head the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Unit. In April 2016, he was promoted to the position of Director of the Regional Cooperation and Operations Coordination Division (SARC), SARD.

Mr. Butiong was a consultant responsible for various technical assistance projects promoting subregional cooperation in ADB’s developing member countries. He was Assistant Vice President and Head of Investments of the Trust Banking Group of the erstwhile Far East Bank and Trust Company (FEBTC) in the Philippines.

Mr. Butiong holds a Master’s degree in Mathematics from Louisiana State University, United States, and graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics from De La Salle University, Philippines in 1985. He also holds a Certificate in FEBTC-Executive Development Program from the Asian Institute of Management, Philippines.

Manoj Sharma is leading ADB’s efforts on ‘Making Cities More Livable’ following a cross-sector and cross-thematic approach of providing integrated solutions. Manoj has 30 years of experience working with ADB and the Government of India. He has led multi-sector teams for designing and implementing complex and innovative projects for urban infrastructure and economic corridors development in several economies in Asia. Manoj has also supported the strategic development of the urban, water, and industrial sectors at ADB and the economies in Asia.

Yuebin Zhang has over 30 years of experience in development and poverty reduction, and has been deeply involved in regional cooperation and integration since 2003. He joined ADB in 2006 and has worked in EARD, ERCD and SDCC. He is now Principal Regional Cooperation Specialist in the Regional Cooperation and Integration Thematic Group of SDCC. Before joining ADB, Mr. Zhang had worked in the International Department of the PRC’s Ministry of Finance responsible for overseeing ADB’s and World Bank’s operations in the PRC. He also served as Advisor to PRC’s Executive Director at the World Bank Group; and worked in International Finance Corporation as Senior Investment Officer.