Michael Wong is a Lead Economist at the World Bank’s Financial, Competitiveness and Innovation Global Practice – Central and West Africa Region. He joined the World Bank in 2002, in the Financial and Private Sector Development. His particular focus is on development finance, special economic zones, industry competitiveness and public private partnerships. As the Lead Financial and Private Sector specialist based in Abuja, Nigeria, Michael led several programs for the World Bank such as the development of the Nigeria Housing Finance Refinance Facility and the Nigeria Development Bank. In South Asia, he led financing operations in Bangladesh and in Sri Lanka. He also provided policy advice to the Governments of Mexico and Uganda covering long-term financing, SME financing and financing of special economic zones. Before joining the World Bank, Michael worked for the Austrian Government as an economist in the Austrian Regional Office in Kampala, Uganda, leading the private sector development program, including micro-finance. He holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of Vienna, Austria.