Blendy Rom
Blendy supports ADB Ventures’ logistics, administration, and coordination for the team. Blendy has over 3 years of experience in project management and processing. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting.
Chee Anne Roño
Chee Anne Roño brings more than 10 years of experience in leading development projects including environmental safeguard and urban development in Asia and the Pacific. Prior to ADB Ventures, she managed the preparation of bankable urban infrastructure investments for the CDIA Trust Fund and engaged in innovative urban projects incorporating smart systems for ADB. She […]
Connor McGuinness
Connor supports the fundraising, investor relations, and impact reporting functions of ADB Ventures. Connor brings over a decade’s experience with the Australian Government, United Nations, Multilateral Development Banks, and management consulting implementing high-risk, high-value projects across the Indo/Asia-Pacific. Connor’s recent roles have focused on economic development, business climate reform, infrastructure and trade, capital markets, and venture capital investment at a national and regional level in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific. Connor has a BA (International Relations) and a Master of Strategic Studies from the Australian National University.
Howard Brooke
Howard has for the last twenty years worked as a counsel in ADB’s legal department. For six of those years, he has headed ADB’s growing Private Sector Legal Team, acting as Assistant General Counsel. Prior to joining ADB, Howard worked as General Counsel in two significant Asian project companies, first Bangkok Skytrain, and secondly Manila North Tollways. Howard joined Bangkok Skytrain after more than 10 years with the US company, Bechtel Inc., during which time he held a variety of roles both in the company’s San Francisco and Asia offices.
Melissa Q. Navarra
Melis has over two decades of experience in involuntary eviction, resettlement, and housing prior to joining the ADB Ventures. During years in the government, she designed, pioneered, and led government’s Participatory Resettlement Monitoring with “Community Building” in resettlement sites and led the participatory remedial interventions in 18 resettlement sites with 30,000 families. She has likewise worked with the World Bank and ADB as a Social Safeguards Specialist and with international foundations as a researcher for local and international projects leading to development-induced resettlement. Currently, Melis continues to work with the resettled families and the informal settler families through CSO and People’s Organization partners. Melis earned her Master’s in International Studies from Kobe University, Japan and her PhD from Wageningen University, The Netherlands. She has likewise published research on areas of social capital, food security, housing, and involuntary resettlement in the Philippine and Indonesia setting.
Nattasuda A. Kaplin
Nattasuda brings over a decade of experience across multiple fields – journalism, documentary production, broadcasting, impact and emergency communications in Asia and the Pacific. Prior to ADB Ventures, Natt was part of the Associated Press (AP)’s team of investigative journalists whose articles led to the freeing of over 2,000 enslaved fishers and won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Services. Natt took part in an Emmy Award-nominated documentary production while co-directing gender equality short films that received several awards at international film festivals. She also set up a social enterprise focusing on waste management and recently led communications in emergencies and media engagement at an international NGO. Natt has a BA (Business Communications) and an MBA (Marketing Management) from Stamford International University.
Regine Cokieng
Regine supports ADB Ventures’ portfolio, fund, and impact management activities, and also takes responsibility for investor reporting. She has over 10 years of experience in project financing, financial consulting, impact investing, and alternative investments, with a focus on distressed assets, real estate, and other equity investments. Prior to ADB, Regine worked for Ferrier Hodgson and was part of the pioneering team that set up the Philippines-based boutique investment firm Elite Union. A New Zealand ASEAN Scholar, she has a Master of Entrepreneurship from the University of Otago. She also holds a B.S. in Management Engineering from Ateneo de Manila University.
Rylyn L. Dala
Rylyn is the Project Coordinator at ADB Ventures. Prior to joining the team, she held various administrative and secretarial roles both in the banking industry and academia. She holds a bachelor’s degree in management.