Fabio Cian is the European Space Agency (ESA) Representative to the World Bank. In this role, he supports the strategic development of the ESA–World Bank partnership and the implementation of joint activities under this collaboration.
A space engineer specializing in Earth observation, Fabio holds a PhD in Science and Management of Climate Change. His career spans academia, the private sector, and international organizations, including ESA, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Columbia University, and Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. Over the past fifteen years, his work has focused on innovative Earth observation applications and geospatial analysis to support climate change adaptation, disaster risk management, and disaster risk financing. His research has particularly focused on flood mapping, disaster-related economic impact assessment, social vulnerability to disasters, and disaster risk analysis.
Prior to taking on his current role, Fabio worked with the World Bank for seven years as a consultant, collaborating with multiple teams, primarily on disaster risk reduction and disaster risk financing.