James x. Zhan

Chair, WIC Executive Board

WAIPA

James X. Zhan - Chairman of the Executive Board of the World Investment Conference (WAIPA); Founding Co-chair of Global Alliance of Special Economic Zones (GASEZ); Co-founder and Chairman Emeritus of the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE). - Chief Advisor to the Chairman of the World Free Zones Organization; Member of fDi Editorial Advisory Board of the Financial Times. - Senior fellow associated with the Chatham House (the Royal Institute of International Affairs); Senior Research Associate at Oxford University; also holds several advisory positions at leading academic institutions, including Oxford University, Columbia University, Cornell University, and Fribourg University. - Member of the Global Agenda Councils for Advanced Manufacturing and for Trade and Investment at the World Economic Forum (2013-2018). - 2023 - 2024, Chief Advisor to the Secretary-General at the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD). 2008 - 2023, Senior Director of Investment and Enterprise at UNCTAD and Chief Editor of the UN World Investment Report and the Transnational Corporations journal. Led the formulation of the UN Investment Policy Framework for Sustainable Development (IPFSD), a new generation of investment strategies and policies used in over 150 countries. Established the World Investment Forum in 2008, leading it to become a prominent global platform for investment stakeholders. - Provided strategic policy advice to heads of state, ministers, and parliaments in over 100 countries; advised and facilitated cabinet strategic meetings of a number of countries ; and facilitated consensus-building of global conferences, including G20, BRICS, ACP, APEC, and ASEAN. - Published over 100 articles and book chapters on investment, trade, technology, and sustainable finance-related economic and legal issues; led the preparation of over 300 publications and reports for the United Nations.