Emma Veve

Emma Veve is a development economist and senior leader at the ADB, appointed in February 2025 as Director General of ADB’s Pacific Department, where she oversees the department’s strategic vision and leads major initiatives such as the Pacific Approach 2026– 2030, the overarching partnership strategy for 12 Pacific developing member countries. In this role, she also guides country partnership strategies for Fiji and Papua New Guinea and emphasizes climate resilience, innovation, and collaboration across the region. Before this appointment, she held several senior positions within ADB—including Deputy Director General roles in both the Southeast Asia and Pacific Departments—and previously worked as an economic advisor at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Fiji as well as in the Australian Commonwealth public service. She holds degrees in Agricultural Science and Economics from the University of Queensland and a Master’s in Economics.