Key qualifications:               

I am a PH.D economist with a proven track record in analyzing and effectively addressing economic policy and institutional development conditions and constraints in emerging market settings.  This includes successful program and project initiatives in the fiscal and monetary reform, financial market regulation and development, pension reform, privatization, accounting reform, and commercial law development areas. During the past 15 years I have served as a program economist and program/project manager with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).  In this capacity I have monitored and analyzed macroeconomic and financial market performance and constraints in emerging market economies; and overseen the design and implementation of major economic policy reform and private sector development support programs.  I have also engaged in effective on-going dialogue with senior USAID officials on program strategy and budgets; and with senior economic policy-making officials from numerous governments and senior representatives from major donor agencies on economic reform and private sector development strategy and implementation.

Education: 

Ph.D. Economics, Boston University, 1986.
B.A.   Economics, Boston University, 1979

Experience:   

1999-2002:  Director, Economic Restructuring Office, USAID/Kosovo.  Designed and managed the implementation of comprehensive post-conflict USAID economic restructuring and private sector development programs for Kosovo.  This has included the development from scratch of an effectively functioning Ministry of Finance and Central Bank; design and effective implementation of a market-friendly and comprehensive tax policy regime and tax administration system; introduction of a sound intergovernmental finance system; design and implementation of a rigorous prudential oversight system for the nascent Kosovar banking system; successful introduction of the EURO as the  primary currency of Kosovo; design and implementation of a market-oriented commercial law regime (including corporate, contract, property, trade, and foreign investment legislation); design and adoption of a path-breaking pension system (which mandates the phased introduction of a mandatory individual retirement account system as the backbone of the Kosovar pension system, starting mid-CY 2002); introduction of an International Accounting Standards (IAS) consistent accounting/audit  regulatory framework and training/certification system; and establishment of a sound insurance legal/regulatory framework and a functioning insurance industry oversight system.  In addition, established a commercial banking institution in Kosovo with mixed public/private ownership in which USAID is currently the principal shareholder.  Under this effort, planned and managed implementation of a proactive development finance program which established a comprehensive business services and private sector competitiveness training and support program, a commercial credit fund, and a full service commercial banking institution in Kosovo (the American Bank of Kosovo, established November 2001).   Overall economic reform support programs for Kosovo averaged approx. $25 million in annual funding during the FY 2000-2002 period.  Oversaw and coordinated the work of approx. 50 expatriate and over 150 local project/program implementers in the economic restructuring area at any point in time. 

Designed and managed comprehensive policy conditionality-based budget support programs for Montenegro; and an intensive technical and training support program to promote key macroeconomic and structural reforms.  .  The budget support program totaled approx. $50 million over the FY 2000-2001 period.  The technical assistance program averaged approx. $13 million annually over the FY 2000-2001 period; and entailed oversight and coordination of the approx. 40 expatriate and over 120 local project/program implementers in the economic restructuring area.  This included planning and implementation support for the introduction and effective management of a new currency regime (Montenegro successfully shifted from the Yugoslav dinar to the D-Mark and later to the EURO); establishment and operationalization from scratch of a new central banking institution, introduction of a rigorous prudential banking regulatory system; introduction of a centralized treasury system; design and passage into law of a comprehensive international best practices-consistent tax code, adoption and implementation of an IMF-consistent budget classification system; development of an IAS-consistent accounting/audit regulatory framework; development and approval of a comprehensive market-based commercial law framework; establishment of an independent regulatory framework for the telecommunications sector and the competitive conduct of a tender for majority privatization of the state telecom company; establishment of a new privately-owned stock exchange;  and successful conduct of a competitive and transparent mass privatization voucher program for state shares in over 200 state-owned companies.  Formulated and successfully presented the Kosovo and Montenegro economic reform support strategy and budget proposal for the 2001-2003 period within the USAID/Kosovo Mission and for approval by USAID/Washington.    

1998-99:  Director, Office of Economic Development, USAID/Philippines.  Managed a range of complex economic policy and institutional reform and business development support programs; including development and implementation of a comprehensive trade/investment support strategy and program for the high-profile and politically volatile Mindanao region.  Played a pivotal role in the design and negotiation of the first Development Credit Authority (DCA) Agreement put in place by USAID; which established an incentive-based guarantee fund for critically needed municipal infrastructure loans from a local banking institution in the Philippines.  Designed and managed support programs designed to strengthen the banking and securities market regulatory regime and the bankruptcy/insolvency legal regime in the Philippines.  Designed and implemented a politically sensitive trade/investment reform support program for Vietnam, which contributed vitally to the successful negotiation and signing of the bilateral trade and investment treaty between the U.S. and Vietnam.  Played pivotal role in the development of USAID’s Asian Financial Crisis Response Program for selected East Asian countries.  Oversaw and coordinated the activities of approx. 25 expatriate and more than 80 local project/program implementers in the economic restructuring area at any point in time; and oversaw an annual economic restructuring budget of approx. $20 million.  

1995-98:  Director, Office of Market Transition, USAID Regional Mission for Central Asia (USAID/CAR), Kazakhstan.  Designed and managed a $60 million annual portfolio of economic policy and institutional reform-related programs and projects for the USAID/CAR  Mission.  This included private pension development, securities market development, tax and budget reform, external and internal debt management, monetary policy, banking sector regulatory and restructuring reform, accounting, privatization, and commercial law reform.  It also entailed ongoing dialogue with senior government policy planners, senior donor officials (IMF, World Bank, Asian Development Bank), and large Western financial institutions.

Major achievements in these areas included:  the adoption of comprehensive modern tax codes in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan (the first CIS countries to adopt such legislation); the adoption of modern budget and treasury laws in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan; the adoption of modern external debt management systems in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan; the planning and successful implementation of the 1st Eurobond issuance for Kazakhstan; the adoption and successful implementation of comprehensive pension reform legislation in Kazakhstan (the most radical overhaul of the pension system among all transitional economy countries); the adoption of western accounting standards in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan (the first CIS countries to legally adopt modern accounting standards); comprehensive overhaul and modernization of bank supervision systems and practices in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan; design and successful conduct of comprehensive mass privatization programs in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan; establishment of model charter stock exchanges and a rigorous regulatory framework for the development of securities markets in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan; establishment of functional securities trading infrastructure and development of key securities market self-regulatory institutions in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan; adoption of market-friendly bankruptcy, foreign investment, and public procurement laws and regulations in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan; and official accession to the World Trade Organization by Kyrgyzstan in 1998.  Formulated and successfully presented the Central Asia economic reform support strategy and budget proposal for the 1998-2000 period within the USAID/CAR Mission and for approval by USAID/Washington.  

  1994:  Senior Program Economist, USAID/CAR:  Monitored and analyzed macroeconomic and structural reform status of Central Asian economies and growth implications for private investment.  Maintained intensive dialogue with senior host country government officials and international donors.  Formulated and successfully presented the Central Asia economic reform support program strategy and budget proposal for the 1995-97 period within the USAID/CAR Mission and for approval by USAID/Washington.

1992-93:  Senior Program Economist, Office of Economic Analysis, Europe Bureau.  Analyzed macroeconomic and structural reform progress and priorities of the Balkan countries (Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Macedonia); and growth implications for private investment.  Provided analytical and programmatic support to USAID Missions in the Balkan region on the optimal design of macroeconomic, financial sector and privatization support programs.  Designed and managed start-up macroeconomic and financial sector reform-related technical assistance programs in Macedonia and Romania.  Undertook periodic field assignments to Balkan countries to analyze economic policy reform  strategy and priorities; and to review the progress of economic policy support programs with senior host country and donor officials.  Designed and managed start-up macroeconomic and financial sector reform-related technical assistance programs in Macedonia and Romania.

1988-92:  Program Economist, USAID/Honduras.  Analyzed macroeconomic and financial sector conditions and reform priorities in Honduras.  Provided on-going analysis of fiscal and monetary performance in the Honduran economy; and participated in intensive dialogue with key host government and donor officials on economic reform performance and priorities and USAID support programs.  Participated in the design and management of major policy conditionality-based budgetary and balance of payments support programs.  These programs averaged approx. $100 million during the 1988-92 period.  Analyzed macro-economic performance and policy reform progress.  Undertook cost/benefit analysis of a range of proposed USAID projects; and coordinated on the design and implementation of major sectoral projects in the agriculture, road construction/maintenance, employment generation, health, and education areas.

1987-88:  International Development Intern (IDI) Economist, Program Office, LAC Bureau.  Analyzed macroeconomic and structural reform conditions and performance across a range of Latin American countries.  Analyzed the determinants of capital formation in selected Latin American economies; and implications for USAID economic and private sector development support strategy.

                                                          Selected Articles

Faculty Ratings of Major Economics Departments by Citations, Co-authored with Gustav Papanek.  American Economic Review, March 1985.

Managerial Compensation in Theory and Practice.   Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, University Microfilm International, 1987.

Honduran Agricultural Policy – Whence From, Where To.  Mimeo, USAID, 1988.

Bulgaria Financial Sector Assessment, Co-authored with Daniel Hogan and Robert Vogel.  Mimeo, USAID, 1993. 

Economic Restructuring and Privatization Action Plan – Central Asian Republics.  Mimeo, USAID, 1994.
 
Taxation Issues in the Former Soviet Union Countries, Co-authored with Daniel Lee.   Papers and Proceedings of the 5th Annual World Congress of the Regional Science Association International, December 1996.

USAID/CAR Strategic Plan for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.  Mimeo, USAID/CAR Mission, 1997.

USAID/Kosovo Strategic Plan for Kosovo (2001-2003).  Mimeo, USAID/Kosovo, 2000.

USAID Concept Paper for Montenegro (2001-2003).  Mimeo, USAID/Kosovo, 2000.

References:

Available upon request