Yukon Huang is a distinguished economist and keynote speaker known for his deep insight into China’s economy and global financial trends. As a Senior Fellow in the Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and former World Bank Country Director for China, he has shaped international debate on global development and economic policy. His reputation rests on decades of experience advising governments and analysing complex economic systems.
Yukon’s journey began with a strong academic foundation in economics, earning a BA from Yale University, followed by a Masters and PhD in Economics from Princeton University. Early in his career he joined the World Bank as an Economist for South Asia in 1976, gaining first-hand experience in development economics. Over the years he took on leadership roles that placed him at the heart of economic transitions in major regions, including Director for Russia and the Former Soviet Union Republics. These formative years gave him a nuanced understanding of how policy, politics and markets interact, setting the stage for his future influence on global economic thought.
In his professional career Yukon has held several high-profile roles and achieved important milestones. From 1997 to 2004 he served as World Bank Country Director for China, where he helped guide China’s integration into the global economy during a period of rapid change. After that he was Senior Advisor to the East Asia Vice-President at the World Bank, contributing to key policy discussions at the World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings. Since 2010 he has been a Senior Fellow at Carnegie Endowment, where his research has influenced policy debates on trade, technology and geopolitical risk. He has authored books including ‘Cracking the China Conundrum’ and published widely in outlets such as the Financial Times, Wall Street Journal and Foreign Affairs, bringing economic analysis to both specialist and mainstream audiences.
Organisations seeking clarity on economic strategy and market dynamics should consider Yukon as a speaker because he brings rare depth and context to pressing financial issues. He explains complex trends with clarity, drawing on a career that spans government advisory, international institutions and frontline experience in development economics. His talks on China’s growth policies, global economic governance and emerging market dynamics give audiences practical insights they can trust.
Yukon Huang’s official speaker topics are listed below:
- Asia-Pacific Economic Trends and Risk
- China’s Economic Growth, Reform, and Global Impact
- Emerging Markets and Structural Reform
- Global Development Policy and International Institutions
- Governance, Political Economy and Economic Decision-Making
- U.S.–China Economic and Technology Relations
- 2025 - Published widely-read opinion piece in the South China Morning Post analysing U.S.-China economic relations
- 2024 - Participated in discussions on U.S.-China relations, contributing to the report 'U.S.-China Relations for the 2030s: Toward a Realistic Scenario for Coexistence'
- 2017 - Published the book ‘Cracking the China Conundrum: Why Conventional Economic Wisdom Is Wrong’
- 2010 - Appointed Senior Fellow, Asia Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- 2006 - Served as Senior Advisor to the East Asia Vice-President, World Bank
- 1997-2004 - World Bank Country Director for China
- 1992-1997 - World Bank Country Director for Russia and Former Soviet Union Republics
- 1976 - Joined the World Bank as Economist for South Asia
How to hire Yukon Huang
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Yukon Huang for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
