Australian Economist to be New Dean of Asian Development Bank Institute

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (27 September 2002) - An Australian economist and former adviser to the Australian Government, Dr. Peter McCawley, has been chosen to succeed Dr. Masaru Yoshitomi as the next Dean of the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) in Tokyo.

The ADBI is a development "think-tank" and high-level training center established by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 1997.

Dr. McCawley brings with him extensive academic and government experience in Asian economic affairs. He has worked as an Adviser to the Australian Government, and various international agencies, on foreign aid and international economic issues.

A former Deputy Director General of AusAID, the Australian Government official international aid agency, he served on its Executive committee until 2002. He is currently a Visiting Fellow in the National Centre of Development Studies at the Australian National University in Canberra and is on leave in Jakarta to provide advisory services to the Indonesian Ministry of Finance.

Dr. McCawley was a member of ADB's Board of Directors from 1992 to 1996, representing Australia, Hong Kong, Cambodia, and five Pacific Island member countries. He was Co-Chair during the 1999-2000 ADF VIII negotiations to replenish ADB's concessionary Asian Development Fund.

"It is a great pleasure to have the opportunity to be Dean of ADBI and contribute to promoting growth, development and poverty alleviation in Asia. I could hardly hope for a more important or rewarding job," says Dr. McCawley. "Asia faces an immense challenge to overcome poverty. While the largest developing countries, the People's Republic of China and India, continue to grow and do well, some are still coping with the aftermath of the Asian crisis and others face problems of insecurity and uncertainty that hamper growth and social progress."

Dr. McCawley worked as economic adviser to two Treasurers of Australia. At AusAID, he represented Australia at international meetings and wrote numerous articles for academic journals and the media. He graduated from the Australian National University in Canberra with a PhD in economics in 1972.