Dr. Yasuhiko Matsuda
Country Representative, Malaysia
Dr. Yasuhiko Matsuda is The Asia Foundation’s country representative in Malaysia. Yasuhiko brings nearly three decades of experience with the World Bank, more than 18 years of which were based in Asia and the Pacific. His expertise spans political economy, public sector governance, institutional reform, and human development. Prior to joining TAF, he served as country manager for the World Bank in Malaysia from 2021 to 2024, and most recently was based in Bangkok as Lead Governance Specialist for the East Asia and Pacific Region of the World Bank.
Throughout his career at the World Bank, Yasuhiko held leadership and technical roles across diverse contexts, from fragile and poor states such as Afghanistan and Papua New Guinea to countries across the entire income spectrum such as Bolivia, Kenya, Nepal, and Pakistan to Brazil, Chile, Indonesia, Mexico, and the Philippines. His work contributed to innovative, politically informed approaches to governance and social sector reforms. During his tenure as the World Bank Country Manager in Malaysia, Yasuhiko led a knowledge-based program covering governance, education, social protection, climate finance, and macro-fiscal policy.