Eimi Watanabe was appointed to the Inspection Panel in November 2009 and served until October 31, 2014. Sheassumed the responsibility of a Chair on May 1, 2013 and remained in this capacity till the end of her term.

A Japanese national, Eimi Watanabe has over 30 years of experience in development. A Sociologist by training, she has been involved in a wide range of substantive areas, both at the project and policy levels, including poverty reduction, gender, child health and nutrition, governance, capacity development, the environment, and migration. From 1998 to 2001,  she served as Assistant Secretary General and Director of the UNDP’s Bureau for Development Policy. 

Prior to that, Ms. Watanabe was UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Bangladesh, and UNICEF Representative in India. Recently she has served as a member of the Strategic and Audit Advisory Committee of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

Throughout her career, Ms. Watanabe has demonstrated a commitment to applying analytical as well as participatory approaches to development programs, and she has a strong record of experience in working collaboratively with civil society organizations, governments, and other development organizations.

Ms. Watanabe earned a PhD from the London School of Economics and received her BA in Sociology from the International Christian University in Tokyo.