Director General of UNIDO
On June 24, 2013, Li Yong was elected by UNIDO’s Industrial Development Board to succeed Kandeh Yumkella as Director General of UNIDO.
Mr. Li has had an extensive career as a senior economic and financial policy-maker. He was involved in setting and harmonizing fiscal, monetary and industrial policies, and in supporting sound economic growth in China. Li Yong gave great importance to innovative programs in favor of agricultural development and SMEs, considering them as the cornerstones for creating economic opportunities, reducing poverty and promoting gender equality. He also played a key role in China’s cooperation with multilateral development organizations, such as the World Bank Group and the Asian Development Bank.
| June 2013 ‑ now | Director General of UNIDO |
| 2003 ‑ 2013 | Vice-Minister, Ministry of Finance (MOF), People’s Republic of China |
| 2002 ‑ 2003 | Assistant Minister, MOF |
| 1999 ‑ 2002 | Secretary General, Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants |
| 1996 ‑ 1998 | Executive Director for China, World Bank Group |
| 1992 ‑ 1996 | Deputy Director General and then Director General, World Bank Department, MOF |
| 1990 ‑ 1992 | Senior Advisor to Executive Director for China, World Bank Group |
| 1989 ‑ 1990 | Director, World Bank Department, MOF |
| 1985 ‑ 1989 | Second Secretary and then First Secretary, Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations |
| 1984 | Deputy Director, Foreign Fiscal Research Office, Research Institute for Fiscal Science, MOF |