Jang Ping Thia is Acting Chief Economist where he leads the planning, implementation and oversight of the Economics Department. He plays a central role in advancing AIIB’s thought leadership in sustainable infrastructure development. He provides strategic direction and oversees delivery of economic research that supports the Bank’s mandate and operations. He also supports AIIB’s investment activities by overseeing assessments of macroeconomic conditions, debt sustainability and project economics for proposed financings, in accordance with Bank policies. In addition, he keeps the Board of Directors and Senior Management informed of key macroeconomic developments and emerging economic challenges.

Before assuming his current role, Thia held several leadership positions within the Economics Department, most recently as the Assistant Chief Economist. Prior to joining AIIB in 2016, Thia served in the Ministry of Finance of Singapore, as the Director responsible for national security and community budgets, overseeing fiscal expenditures related to security, sports, community and telecommunications infrastructure. Earlier, he was Director for Economics at the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore, responsible for macroeconomic analysis, research, policy evaluation, and the development of Singapore’s Economist Service. Thia holds a PhD degree in Economics from the London School of Economics. He is from Singapore.