From Valencia to Manila: Leyre Ibáñez Jordá Begins Her ADB Journey as Spanish Government Secondee

June 26, 2025

Leyre Ibáñez Jordá has embarked on a new journey as a secondee from the Government of Spain to ADB, where she joins the Strategy and Partnerships (S&P) team, including CDIA. With a background in international cooperation and economics, Leyre is dedicated to advancing sustainable development by supporting infrastructure projects that respond to the needs of ADB’s developing member countries.

Leyre’s path has been shaped by service, discipline, and leadership. Born and raised in Valencia, Spain, she became a scout at the age of nine, served as a volunteer instructor, and earned a black belt in taekwondo. These activities instilled in her the values of perseverance, focus, resilience, and giving back to the community.

Before joining ADB in April 2025, Leyre worked at the Spanish Embassy in Jakarta, where she contributed to water and urban development programs. One notable project was an ADB-funded technical assistance for Nusantara, Indonesia’s new capital city, which gave her firsthand experience in urban planning and multilateral cooperation.

Over the next 12 months, as an Urban Development Specialist, Leyre will support livable cities and water initiatives, ensuring alignment with global best practices. Specifically, with CDIA, she will be involved in project preparation studies and building project pipelines in line with ADB-Spain priorities. In 2022, CDIA received a €5 million funding support from the Spanish Government to scale up the development of sustainable urban infrastructure projects in Asia and the Pacific.

“What drew me to ADB was the opportunity to contribute to meaningful change on a large scale,” Leyre explains. “Water and urban development are critical areas where people’s lives can be improved—and being part of that transformative change is deeply motivating.”

Her secondment is not only a professional milestone but also a personal learning journey. Representing Spain while working in a multilateral development bank offers her a unique opportunity to view development from diverse perspectives. “I hope to deepen my understanding by engaging in various projects, learning from experienced colleagues, adapting to new contexts, and building meaningful relationships across cultures,” she says.

Leyre’s journey from Valencia to Manila is indeed a testament to global collaboration and the pursuit of shared goals. Please join us in welcoming her to ADB and the CDIA team.