Dr Werner Liepach has assumed office as the Country Director at Asian Development Bank’s Pakistan Resident Mission on Tuesday. He replaces the former country director, Rune Stroem, who has moved to ADB headquarters in Manila as Director, Energy Division in the Central West Asia Regional Department (CWRD). Dr. Liepach has vast experience in strategic planning, management and project implementation. Prior to taking up the new assignment, he was working as Deputy Director General of CWRD since 2009. CWRD is responsible for pursuing and implementing ADB’s development goals through specific projects in Afghanistan and central Asian countries.
Dr. Liepach joined ADB in 1992 and has worked in various departments, including budget, planning, country program and financial sector operations. In 1998, he became a Senior Financial Sector Specialist responsible for trade, finance and capital market development in the region including Pakistan. He joined the Office of Co-financing Operations (OCO) as Director in 2003. He eventually led OCO as Principal Director since 2005. A German national, Mr. Liepach received his Ph.D. in 1992 in International Finance from the University of Konstanz in Germany.
He earned his European Masters in Business in EAP-European School of Management Studies (Paris-Oxford-Berlin), and a Masters Degree in Economics and Business Administration at the University of Nice in France. Prior to joining ADB, Liepach worked in Germany for a treasury consultancy firm, as well as the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. ADB is working with the government and the private sector to improve Pakistan’s infrastructure, energy security, and basic public services. Aligned with national development objectives, ADB’s partnership priorities aim to attract investment, create industries and jobs, and improve the quality of life of citizens. Pakistan has received in excess of $20 .8 billion in loans since joining ADB in 1966, with more than $15.7 billion disbursed as of 31 December 2010.
A total of 288 loans were provided through the highly concessional Asian Development Fund window and the Ordinary Capital Resources window, with $188 million provided in grants for more than 300 technical assistance (TA) projects.
