Jo Dann Darong is an economist, policy practitioner, and academic with over 16 years of experience working at the intersection of public policy, economic research, and industry development. He began his public service career with key Philippine institutions, including the Department of Education, the Development Academy of the Philippines, the Department of Finance, and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Across these roles, he contributed to national policy and regulatory reforms, as well as initiatives aimed at strengthening organizational effectiveness and industry competitiveness.

In his current role, he works closely with ASEAN institutions and the UK Government on regional cooperation initiatives involving innovation and creativity. He also leads and supports programs that strengthen the Philippines’ competitiveness and innovation ecosystem. He also serves as the focal person for establishing the ASEAN Center of Excellence for Creative Industries, a regional initiative aimed at strengthening Southeast Asia's creative economy.

His work and achievements have received international recognition. He was selected as a United Nations Environment Programme-Bayer Young Environmental Envoy in 2005, and later recognized by the ACIAR-Crawford Fund as one of the Asia-Pacific's Early Career Research Scientists in 2017. In 2025, he was selected for the US Department of State's prestigious International Visitor Leadership Program, focusing on leadership, innovation, and public policy. 

Jo Dann holds a bachelor's degree and master's degree in economics. He is a senior PhD candidate in development studies at De La Salle University-Manila and an external doctoral student at the Norwegian School of Economics and Nordic Research School in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

 As an AsiaGlobal Fellow, his research will examine the competitiveness trajectories of Asian cities, investigating how institutions and innovation ecosystems interact to shape urban dynamism.