Walter Yao
Director, Country Analysis Unit

Walter Yao is currently Director of the Country Analysis Unit. In that capacity, he manages a team of country analysts and coordinates the Unit's research of Asian financial sectors, as well as the analyses of Asian foreign banking organizations. Prior to managing the Unit in October 2007, his primary focus was on the areas of accounting, disclosure, and capital standards. He also served as co-chair of the Accounting Communications Network, a Federal Reserve System committee on accounting issues, and participated in the planned implementation of Pillar 3 of the revised Basel capital framework.  

While working at the Federal Reserve, he also has served as an Advisor to the International Monetary Fund under its technical assistance programs with various Asian central banks. Most recently, he participated in the IMF's Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) for the People’s Republic of China in June 2010.

Walter Yao received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley, and his Master of Science in Industrial Administration from Carnegie Mellon University. In addition, he holds the professional designations of Chartered Financial Analyst, Certified Management Accountant, and Certified Public Accountant.

R. Ashle Baxter
Country Manager - Japan and Thailand
                       
Ashle Baxter is a Country Manager and Financial Analyst for Japan and Thailand in the Country Analysis Unit.  Prior to joining the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, he worked for three years as a Senior International Trade Analyst for Asia at White & Case in Washington, DC. He also worked for two years as a Research Associate for Asia and Economic Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, DC. Ashle has an MA in International Relations from American University with a focus on   International Economic Policy and an MA in International Relations from Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan with a focus on the Japanese economy. He earned his BA in International Relations from Middle Tennessee State University.

Nkechi Carroll
Country Manager – Philippines
Asia Program Coordinator

In CAU Nkechi is responsible for coordinating events and publications for the Asia Program including our Asia Financial Forum speaker series, Asia conferences and publicly distributed analysis. In addition, Nkechi is responsible for monitoring and reporting on the condition of Philippines’ banking system and relevant economic and political trends that affect that banking system. Prior to the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Nkechi worked as a Trader/Analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for six years, where her work included the Euro portfolio conversion and conducting open market operations. Nkechi graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Economics and French and also has a Masters in International Economics from New York University.

Cindy Marks
Country Manager – China and Hong Kong

Cindy Marks is a Country Manager and Financial Analyst for China and Hong Kong in the Country Analysis Unit. Prior to joining the Federal Reserve Bank (FRB) of San Francisco, she worked in FRB New York’s Bank Supervision Group as a member of the Market Risk Monitoring and Analysis team. She also spent three years helping to manage Asia-related programs at the Institute of International Education in New York and Washington, DC. Cindy holds a Masters degree in International Affairs from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) with a focus on China and International Economics. She earned her Bachelors degree in International Relations at Tufts University.

Christopher Sigur
Sr. Project Analyst

Christopher Sigur is currently Senior Project Analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, working in the Banking Supervision & Analysis Group’s Asia Program. 

Until 2006, he was Executive Director of the Japan Society of Northern California for eight years, and led San Francisco’s commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the San Francisco Peace Treaty in 2001, and the 100th birthday of the Society in 2005.  He was Vice President of Asia Studies at the Carnegie Council in New York from 1989 to 1997, and from 1979 to 1987 represented the Asia Foundation in Jakarta and Seoul.

Mr. Sigur holds an MPhil from Columbia University, an MA from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and an undergraduate degree from Georgetown University.

Rob Speaks
Country Manager - Taiwan and India

Rob Speaks is the Country Manager and Analyst for Taiwan in the Country Analysis Unit (CAU).  With 20 years of experience with the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Rob has a broad range of knowledge covering both domestic and foreign banking institutions.  In his responsibilities with the Federal Reserve, he has supervised a portfolio of foreign banking organizations, functioned as examiner-in-charge of a variety of large and small financial institutions, served as the central point of contract in the Large Institutions Group, and has focused on assessing risk and risk management practices at those institutions.

Rob graduated from Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia with a B.A. in Economics and History.  He also earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of San Francisco with an emphasis in Finance.  In addition, Rob is a commissioned examiner of the Federal Reserve System.