Dr. Nikola Spatafora is Lead Research Economist for East Asia & the Pacific at the World Bank. He is currently on leave from the IMF, where he has served in the Research Department, European Department, Fiscal Affairs Department, and IMF Institute. He has published widely, including in the Journal of International Economics, Journal of Development Economics, IMF World Economic Outlook, and World Bank Global Economic Prospects. His research has also been featured in the Economist, Financial Times, and Wall Street Journal. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Yale, and a B.A. (First Class) in Politics, Philosophy, & Economics from Balliol College, Oxford.