BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 26. The Asian
Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Keiju Mitsuhashi as its first
Country Director for Türkiye.


According to the ADB, he assumed his duties on October 26 in
Ankara.


In addition, it is noted that this appointment is aimed at
expanding the bank’s activities in Türkiye and strengthening its
operations in the country.


Keiju Mitsuhashi will lead the ADB’s activities in the country
in accordance with the bank’s Interim Country Partnership Strategy
for Türkiye for 2025–2027. He will also oversee the establishment
of a temporary ADB office in Ankara in December 2026 and the
opening of a permanent representative office for Türkiye in
2027.


“Türkiye has enormous potential as a transportation, energy, and
digital hub connecting Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and
Europe. I look forward to working closely with the government, the
private sector, and development partners to realize this
potential,” Mitsuhashi said.


He added that the ADB will support Türkiye in enhancing its
resilience to natural disasters and economic shocks, as well as in
expanding opportunities for the private sector to contribute to
sustainable economic growth.







Keiju Mitsuhashi has more than 27 years of professional
experience in finance and development. He joined the ADB in 2009 as
an energy specialist for Central and West Asia and subsequently
held a number of senior positions. His areas of expertise include
regional electricity trade, energy security, private sector
development, and project development and implementation.


In his most recent role as Director of the ADB’s Energy Sector
Office, Mitsuhashi managed a project portfolio totaling more than
$10 billion, covering 25 economies in Southeast Asia and the
Pacific region. He also served as Chief Economist for Planning and
Policy and Deputy Director for Vietnam at the bank.


A Japanese national, Keiju Mitsuhashi earned a Ph.D. in
Development Studies from the University of Sussex in the UK. He
also holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in economics from
Massey University in New Zealand.


Türkiye joined the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 1991 as a
non-regional member and was granted regional member status in 2025.
The Bank expects its annual financial commitments to the country to
average $3 billion through 2027. The funds are planned to be
allocated to earthquake recovery efforts, key infrastructure
projects, business development, energy security, healthcare,
education, and agribusiness.


Founded in 1966, the Asian Development Bank is a multilateral
development finance institution that supports sustainable,
inclusive, and stable economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Bank has 69 members, 50 of which are countries in the
region.