Event Date: September 10, 2026 - 2:00pm to 3:30pm
Location: FSS 4004, 120 University Private, University of Ottawa

Presented by CIPS, GSPIA and the Asian Development Bank (ADB)

The global development landscape is undergoing profound change. Traditional aid models are under pressure as donor countries face fiscal constraints, geopolitical tensions reshape international cooperation, and developing countries confront growing challenges ranging from increasing frequency and intensity of shocks to technological disruption and economic fragmentation. At the same time, governments are increasingly seeking to align development cooperation with broader trade, investment, and economic objectives. 

Join Junkyu Lee, Representative of the Asian Development Bank’s North American Representative Office (ADB NARO), and Alain Borghijs, Deputy Representative, ADB NARO, for a conversation on how multilateral development banks are adapting to this new reality. The discussion will explore Canada’s evolving approach to international development, the growing trade-development nexus, and the role institutions such as the Asian Development Bank can play in advancing sustainable growth, regional connectivity, and economic resilience across Asia and the Pacific. The speakers will also examine how MDBs are leveraging partnerships, mobilizing private capital, and developing innovative financing solutions to remain effective in an increasingly complex world. 

The session will conclude with a discussion of careers in international development and multilateral institutions, offering students practical insights into opportunities at ADB and the skills needed to contribute to the next generation of global development solutions. 

Speakers:

Junkyu Lee currently serves as ADB’s Representative for the North American Representative Office (NARO) in Washington, D.C., where he leads ADB’s institutional engagement with the United States and Canada. In this role, he strengthens strategic partnerships, promotes private sector participation in ADB-financed operations, and deepens collaboration with think tanks, institutional investors, and development partners.

Prior to his appointment, Dr. Lee served as Director of Finance, leading Finance Sector Strategy, Planning, and Knowledge Solutions in ADB’s Finance Sector Office from June 2023 to February 2026. He oversaw Finance Sector Strategy, resource allocation, and knowledge initiatives supporting financial sector operations across Asia and the Pacific. His portfolios covered financial sector development, regional financial cooperation, financial stability and resilience, and the design of innovative financing mechanisms. During this period, he also mobilized external funding across Europe and Asia and managed the Financial Sector Development Partnership Special Fund (FSDPSF).

From 2019 to 2023, Dr. Lee was Chief of ADB’s Finance Sector Group, where he provided policy leadership on finance operations and spearheaded regional finance knowledge initiatives across developing member countries. An economist by rigorous training, he specializes in financial sector development and international economic policy. He led ADB’s engagement with international policy platforms, including the G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group, and worked closely with finance ministries, central banks, and financial regulators to advance financial resilience and capital market development in Asia and the Pacific.

Before joining ADB in 2012, Dr. Lee served at the Republic of Korea Ministry of Strategy and Finance (MOSF) as G20 and Senior International Economic Advisor. He was also a member of the Advisory Panel of the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) from 2011 to 2012. He has extensive experience in macroprudential policy, capital flow management measures, and financial development policy through the APEC Finance Ministers’ Meeting process and the ASEAN+3 Finance Process.

Dr. Lee has authored and co-authored numerous publications on financial integration, macro-financial linkages, nonperforming loans, municipal bond markets, and development finance institutions.

Alain Borghijs has served as the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB’s) Deputy Representative in North America since 2022. He previously served as Principal Economist in ADB’s Central and West Asia Department, where he led the development of ADB’s Country Partnership Strategies for Afghanistan and Kazakhstan.

Alain joined ADB in 2004. He worked as economist and social sector specialist in ADB’s South Asia Department. After his transfer to the Strategy and Policy Department, he led the team in charge of the replenishment negotiations for the Asian Development Fund, ADB’s largest grant fund. From 2016–2019, he was seconded as Advisor to the Country Credit Department of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

Prior to joining ADB, Alain was a contractual economist at the International Monetary Fund and postdoctoral visiting scholar at the Center for European Studies at Harvard University. Alain holds a PhD in Applied Economics from the University of Antwerp, Belgium.

Chair:

Patrick Leblond is an Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and the CN–Paul M. Tellier Chair on Business and Public Policy. His research focuses on international political economy, trade policy, and economic governance. He has published widely on Canada’s role in the global economy and is regularly consulted by governments, international organizations, and the media on issues of trade and finance.

About ADB: 

ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth across Asia and the Pacific. Working with its members and partners to solve complex challenges together, ADB harnesses innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to transform lives, build quality infrastructure, and safeguard our planet. Founded in 1966, ADB is owned by 69 members—50 from the region. ADB North American Representative Office (NARO) acts as a liaison between ADB’s Headquarters in Manila and policymakers and major stakeholders in the United States and Canada.