HOW WE WORK

We are a small group of independent or university-affiliated specialists with deep practical economic, political, and policymaking experience. 
 
We help to create economic growth strategies that are not just technically sound, but politically viable, understanding that our partners need to navigate complex political landscapes to build and sustain support for tough reforms. 

LOCAL REALITY FIRST

We meet partners where they are. We accept that political contexts are messy and help leaders find practical, broadly-supported paths to growth.

TRUST THROUGH INDEPENDENCE

Our institutional and financial independence buy us the neutrality to speak hard truths and allow us to act as an honest broker locally and internationally 

MOVE AT THE SPEED OF POLITICS

Political windows of opportunity open and close quickly. We deploy experts immediately when a window opens – and disengage if political will disappears.  

LONG-TERM HORIZONS

Our ultimate loyalty is to the long-term welfare of the population .

BEYOND POLITICAL CYCLES

Political time horizons are often short, but economic logic is long-term. We bridge this gap by helping leaders design reforms that are politically viable today and deliver prosperity tomorrow.

SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

We advise against trading the well-being or natural habitat of future generations for short-term gains, ensuring that growth improves rather than degrades living standards

OUR TEAM

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Stefan Dercon

Professor of Economic Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, and former Chief Economist of the UK Department for International Development (DFID). Author, Gambling on Development.
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Pascal Mensah

Pascal leads EPN's strategy, operations, and global network of advisors, associates, and country partners. His research interests focus on the political economy of aid and growth. 
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Abebe Aemro Selassie

Visiting Professor of Practice at the Blavatnik School of Government. Former Director of the African Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

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Christian Lippitsch

Based at the University of Oxford, Christian leads applied research to support evidence-based economic policy making. Former Senior Country Economist for the IGC in Rwanda, where his work focused on private sector productivity, value chains, trade, and climate-related growth challenges.
Stephen Paduano

Stephen Paduano

Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, and a Senior Economist at the Finance for Development Lab. Previously a Senior Policy Adviser at the US Treasury and a consultant at the UN Economic Commission for Africa. His research focuses on international finance and development.

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Páll Kvaran

Páll specialises in building and scaling organisations that address systemic challenges in emerging economies, helping translate ambitious ideas into operational institutions. He brings broad cross-sectoral experience, having worked across local and international NGOs, private companies, banks, and government institutions.
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Shantayanan Devarajan

Professor of the Practice of International Development at Georgetown University. Previously the Senior Director for Development Economics at the World Bank, where he also served as the Chief Economist for the Africa, South Asia, and Middle East & North Africa regions. 

Victoria Kwakwa

Former World Bank Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa, and previously for East Asia and the Pacific. Also served as Country Director for Vietnam. Currently serves as IGC Country Director for IGC Zambia.​

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Nick Lea

Nick Lea is a Fellow of Practice at the Blavatnik School of Government. Former Deputy Chief Economist at the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and DFID. He has extensive experience leading economic policy dialogue and programming across Africa and Asia, specializing in growth diagnostics, public financial management, and the political economy of reform.
 

Sri Mulyani Indrawati

World Leaders Fellow at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford. Formerly twice-serving Minister of Finance of Indonesia and Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of the World Bank. She brings rare experience translating economic reform from policy design into implementation at the highest levels of government and international finance.

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Ken Opalo

Associate Professor at the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University. A leading expert on the political economy of institution building and legislative development in emerging markets. Author, Legislative Development in Africa.
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Christopher Adam

Professor of Development Economics at the University of Oxford and former Head of the Department of International Development. He is a Visiting Scholar at the IMF, a Lead Academic at the International Growth Centre, and a former advisor for the Bank for International Settlements. His research focuses on the macroeconomics of low-income countries.

Abdoulaye Ndiaye

Assistant Professor of Economics at NYU's Stern School of Business, specializing in macroeconomics and public finance. Previously a Research Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

Catherine Pattilo

Senior Fellow at the Center for Global Development and former Deputy Director in the African Department of the IMF, where she also served as Assistant Director in the Fiscal Affairs Department. Her research focuses on growth, debt, development finance, and macroeconomics in low-income countries and African economies.

ABOUT US

 

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EPN and BSG logo

 

Launched in 2023, the Economic Policy Network is a partnership between the Centre for the Study of African Economies and the Blavatnik School of Government, at the University of Oxford in the UK.