Ms. Xi CAO has led the ADB–CGIAR Clearinghouse Facility (CHF) since November 2025.The CHF is ADB's in-house technical laboratory, aiming to bring CGIAR's science-based solutions to ADB investment operations. It is supported by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and funded by the Gates Foundation.
Prior to this role, Ms. Cao was a Global Manager at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Geneva, where she managed a GEF-funded global program on financing agrochemical reduction and sustainable management. She also served as a Regional Innovative Finance Specialist at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Bangkok, and as a Programme Specialist at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), working both in Rome and across Asia. Before her UN career, she was a licensed social worker in Hong Kong and Singapore.
She earned her PhD from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, with a specialization in behavioral economics and sustainable food consumption. Her experience spans multicultural team leadership, MDB investment operations and environmental grant management, and strategic policy and partnership development. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, climbing, and visiting museums and cultural events.
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