Niu is an Economist at the World Bank, specializing in poverty analytics and structural transformation. He has served as the Poverty Economist for both Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, most recently leading the Tajikistan Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD), Tajikistan Poverty and Equity Assessment, and the E-GATE program in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and the Kyrgyz Republic, supporting export-led growth through digital trade and B2B e-commerce. Niu holds a Ph.D. in Applied Economics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His work bridges rigorous impact evaluation with high-level policy engagement, and he recently convened minister-level digital economy regulators across Central Asia to advance a regional e-commerce integration agenda. He has also led major analytical initiatives across the East Asia and Pacific region, with published work on poverty and labor markets in Mozambique, Philippines, Vietnam, China, and Latin-American and Caribbean countries. His research has appeared in peer-reviewed journals including the American Economic Review. His approach combines data-driven insights with operational relevance to inform policy and lending decisions.