Dr. James Xiaoning Zhan
Profile
James Zhan is Director of the Investment and Enterprise Division at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). He directs a work programme of extensive policy research, technical assistance to 150 countries, and consensus-building among 193 member countries.
Mr. Zhan is chief editor of the UN annual World Investment Report, and the journal Transnational Corporations.
Mr. Zhan has led the inception of high-profile products and services in response to the rapidly evolving global economic landscape, most prominently, the World Investment Forum, the Investment Policy Framework for Sustainable Development, the Entrepreneurship Policy Framework, and the Global Investment Trends and Policy Monitors.
Mr. Zhan has 26 years of national and international experience in policy analysis, consensus building and technical assistance in the areas of investment, trade, technology, business facilitation and enterprise development. He has hands-on expertise in advising leaders of governments and international agencies on strategic and institutional issues.
Mr. Zhan is Global Agenda Council member of the World Economic Forum. He is also member of the Academic and Policy Advisory Board for the Centre of International Business and Management at Cambridge University in the UK; and member of the Advisory Board for the International Investment Centre at Columbia University in the USA. He holds a PhD in international economics, and was research fellow at Oxford University. He has published extensively on trade and investment related economic and legal issues. He is a regular guest speaker and chair at high-profile academic, business and policy forums.