Policy Work

Over my 17-year career working with governments, international organizations and private sectors, I advised policy makers of 30+ countries from fragile state to high income economies.

• While working as the World Bank's Senior Country Economist for China where I managed projects on fiscal policies and economic reforms, and lead policy dialogues with the government in the areas of trade, FDI, macro-fiscal reforms and digital economy.

• Previously, with the World Bank, I worked as a Senior Economist with the Office of Chief Economist, Africa Region, where I produced a policy report on the Future of Work in Africa, which has been downloaded more than 5,000 times, and cited in a number of media outlets. I also conducted research on Digital Economy and Global Value Chains issues in Africa.

• Prior to that, with the World Bank’s Finance, Competitiveness and Innovation Global Practice, Eastern Europe and Central Asia region, I advised multiple transitional economies at the highest government level on designing and evaluating their economic policies for integration, regulatory reforms and growth, and I managed investment and policy support projects.

• With African Development, I worked as a country economist for Egypt throughout the 2011 Arab Spring where I coordinated international development partners’ support for the country's transition and monitored macroeconomic trends.

• I wrote a book, Comparative studies of export and industrial policies in Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and South Korea. I also managed large infrastructure and PPP projects for the sub-Saharan African countries. I joined the AfDB as a Young Professional and as the first South Korean staffer of the AfDB since 1982 when Korea became a member.

• With Samsung Electronics, I oversaw the implementation of large telecommunication infrastructure projects in China and ran a local post in Hanoi, Vietnam. In fact, I was one of the first Samsung staff working on telecommunication sector in Vietnam, which has now become the largest export sector of the country. I worked as a liaison with the major telecom operators and governments, and analyzed the ICT regulation and licensing policies of multiple governments.

Selected Investment and Policy Support Projects

• Managed projects on fiscal policies and economic reforms, and leading policy dialogues with the government in the areas of trade, FDI, and macro-fiscal reforms, China

• Designed and Implemented Competitiveness and Export Readiness lending (US$16m), with National Quality Infrastructure, export matching grants and inspection system reform components, Kosovo

• Managed IFC's investment climate and policy advisory program (US$2.3m) and supported the development of new Investment Law and Investment Promotion Activities, Albania

• Supported the Re-unification Negotiation and Analyzed the Economic Impact of the Re-unification, Cyprus

• Advised on exchange rate liberalization and its impact on competitiveness, Uzbekistan

• Analyzed the Opportunities and Constraints of the Eurasian Customs Union Accession, Kyrgyzstan

• Developed the National Private Sector Development Strategy, Kyrgyzstan

• Supported Regulatory Impact Assessments and Advised on Competition Policy, Kazakhstan

• Coordinated a large group of experts and identified the areas in which International Financial Institutions could urgently support the transition during the 2011 Arab Spring in Egypt, and monitored macroeconomic developments, Egypt

• Advised Export and Industrial Policies, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia

• Designed policy-based operations to enhance business environment, Zambia

Research Achievements

While working, I wrote applied research studies on firms, R&D policies, innovation, productivity, trade, foreign direct investment, global value chains, industrial organization and regulation of telecom infrastructure services. My publications are listed in my CV. My work has been cited in scholarly articles and a number of media. I frequently speak and participate at conferences and seminars. As a Teaching Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, I taught courses on econometrics and finance in their Master in Public Policy program. As a Research Associate, I advised Oxford's Technology and Management Center for Development (TMCD) on its interdisciplinary research agenda. As a Visiting Professor, I currently teach at Seoul National University's Graduate School of International Studies.

Discussing how to promote women amidst the changing nature of work, on a Catalyst panel at Lockheed Martin, 2019