Bilal brings extensive experience and expertise to his position as a social sector economist in the Human and Social Development Sector Office of ADB. Focused on labor market reforms and the education sector in Southeast Asia, Bilal is deeply committed to advancing inclusive and sustainable development in the region. Before joining ADB, he served as an economist at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), where he gained valuable insights into infrastructure financing and development. Bilal completed his Ph.D. in Economics at the University of Southern California in 2017.

Tamar Makharashvili has been appointed as the First Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Georgia. The First Deputy Minister will oversee the Department of Preschool Education and General Education, as well as the National Center for Teacher Professional Development and the Resource Officer Service.

Elizabeth M. King is a nonresident Senior Fellow at Brookings Institution, editor of Journal of Development Effectiveness, and Adjunct Professor at Georgetown and University of the Philippines. She was the World Bank's Global Director for Education and Vice-President for Human Development. She has published on human capital and gender. Her Ph.D. in economics is from Yale University.

Ms. Gi Soon Song is currently the Director of the Human and Social Development Office Sectors Group at ADB. Ms. Gi Soon Song has over 20 years of experience in international development. She led various ADB programs and projects in education, skills development, health, and social protection areas in South Asia and the Pacific for over 12 years.

With an illustrious career spanning over two decades, Ms. Sofia Shakil has been a transformative leader in economic and social development across Asia. Most recently, she served as the Director of Economic Development at The Asia Foundation from February 2020 to March 2023, where she led impactful initiatives in areas such as women’s economic empowerment, green growth, and STEM education.