James Zhan

Senior director of enterprise and investment at UNCTAD

Dr. James Zhan is senior director of UNCTAD, and editor-in-chief of UN World Investment Report and Transnational Corporations journal.

He chairs the Governing Board of UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges, with all stock exchanges worldwide as members. He also co-chairs the Executive Board of Family Business for Sustainable Development; and the Global Alliance of Special Economic Zones. He is founding chair of the World Investment for Development Alliance. He is also chief strategist for the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies, and member of the Advisory Council of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

He has provided policy advice to numerous governments (including heads of states and ministers), parliaments and global summits. He led the formulation of a global framework for a new generation of investment policies and established the UN World Investment Forum.

He has held several advisory positions in academic institutions, including Cambridge University, Columbia University, Cornell University and Oxford University. He has extensive publications on investment, trade and technology related economic and legal issues.