Beata Javorcik is the EBRD's new Chief Economist and has some huge responsibilities - she advises the EBRD President and other senior members of the Bank’s management team on economic issues of strategic or operational relevance to the EBRD regions.
At the forefront of understanding of economic challenges
Beata makes sure that the economics research agenda of the EBRD continues to put the Bank at the forefront of understanding the economic and strategic challenges facing the Bank’s regions and helps the Bank formulate effective policy responses.
The Office of the Chief Economist is also responsible for macroeconomic forecasting and contributes to the work of the Bank’s Risk Management in building scenarios for identifying and navigating emergent risks and conducting stress testing, as well as assisting regional economists with timely cross-country macroeconomic analysis and economic forecasting.
An impressive career and academic journey
Beata is on leave from the University of Oxford, where she holds a Statutory Professorship in Economics (the first woman in this position) and is a Fellow of All Souls College. She is a member of the Royal Economic Society’s Executive Committee and a Director of the International Trade Programme at the Centre for Economic Policy Research in London. She holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Yale and a B.A. in Economics (Summa cum Laude) from the University of Rochester.
Before taking up her position at Oxford University, she worked at the World Bank in Washington DC, where she focussed on research, lending operations and policy advice.
Beata specializes in international trade. Her research interests focus on determinants and consequences of inflows of foreign direct investment, implications of services liberalisation, evaluation of investment promotion programmes, propagation of shock through production networks and evasion of import duties.
Her research has been published in the American Economic Review, Journal of the European Economic Association, Review of Economics and Statistics, European Economic Review, Economic Journal, Journal of International Economics and Journal of Development Economics.
Giving thought leadership on economic issues
Beata also offers thought leadership on economic issues related to the Bank's activity work in the countries where it works. Her Office undertakes and presents research, representing the Bank at high-level external policy and academic conferences and workshops, publishes in academic and non-academic outlets, and maintains strong links between the EBRD and academia.
An example of this includes an article in the Financial Times about Beata's homeland Poland and its progress over the last 30 years. The article discusses how, within a generation, Poland has transformed from a Soviet state to an independent democracy with a growing economy. The country has also opened itself up to alliance with the rest of Europe, after joining NATO and subsequently the European Union.
In the article, Beata discusses the changes Poland has expereinced and what it means for the success of the country.
“Poland is the poster child for a successful transition,” she says. “Within 30 years the country moved from a situation with shortages of essentially everything — empty shelves in shops, where . . . many products from meat, butter and cigarettes to chocolate and vodka were rationed — to joining the club of rich countries.”
However, Beata also addresses some of the problems that quick transition can cause.
“A lot of discontent in transition countries comes from changes in relative position,” she adds. “And these changes are often exacerbated by changes in global trends, globalisation and technological progress.”
If you're interested in more insights from Beata, follow her twitter feed where she will be discussing key economic issues
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