Yuan Xiao

Dr. Yuan Xiao is the Senior Specialist in Sustainable Cities at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), working within the newly established Department of Sectors, Themes, and Finance Solutions (STF). AIIB is a multilateral development bank whose mission is Financing Infrastructure for Tomorrow in Asia and beyond. AIIB began operations in Beijing in 2016 and have since grown to 110 approved members worldwide. The STF Department is responsible for enhancing the technical excellence of AIIB’s investment operations and expanding AIIB's operational knowledge across all sectors and themes to support both sovereign and non-sovereign investment operations. Before joining AIIB in 2023, Dr. Xiao served as a Senior Urban Development Specialist at the World Bank, where she led or co-led investment and advisory projects in urban development across China, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. Dr. Xiao had taught at Columbia University as an Assistant Professor of Urban Planning.