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Thomas Laursen

 

  • Curriculum Vitae Dr. Thomas Laursen

    Personal Data

    •  Name: Thomas Laursen

    •  Address: Srodkowa 16, 05-510 Konstancin-Jeziorna , Poland

    •  Date of birth: February 9, 1962.

    •  Telephone: +48 22 520 8037 (office); +48 22 757 6808 (home); +48 603 336 332 (mobile)

    •  Email: tlaursen@worldbank.org (office); flaursen@msn.com (home)

    Marital Status

    •  Marital status: Married (to U.S. citizen)

    •  Wife's position: Lawyer ( Citibank , Poland )

    •  Children: Three boys (born 1995/1996/2002). Dual Danish-U.S. citizens.

    Leisure

    •  Activities: Tennis, soccer (coaching), windsurfing, and skiing.


    Education

    •  Masters-PhD Economics 1988 ( Aarhus University , Denmark )

    •  Dissertation: “Foreign Capital, Savings, and Growth in Less-Developed Countries”

    •  Thesis: “The Oil Market—Partially Cartelized Models and Intra-Cartel Behavior”

    •  Grades: Thesis (11); Seminar Paper (11); Overall average (10).

    •  Mathematics/Physics Baccalaureate 1980 (Marselisborg Gymnasium, Aarhus , Denmark )

    •  Grade: Overall average (10).

    Language Skills

    •  Danish: Native

    •  English: Fluent

    •  Spanish: Excellent

    •  French/German/Polish: Good

    Military Service

    •  1980-82; Noerrejyske Artilleri Regiment, Skive (Sargent)

    Professional Career (see separate sheet for further details)

    •  2002-present: World Bank, Washington D.C.

    •  2004-present: Lead Economist, Central Europe and Baltics, Europe and Central Asia Department (based in Warsaw , Poland )

    •  2002-2003: Lead Economist, Economic Policy Division, Poverty Reduction and Economic Policy Network

    •  1992-2002: International Monetary Fund, Washington D.C.

    •  1999-2001: Senior Economist, Russia Division, European II Deparment

    •  1997-1998: Economist/Senior Economist, Central Europe 3 Division, European I Department

    •  1995-1996: Resident Representative , Jamaica

    •  1992-1994: Economist, Debt and Program Financing Division, Policy Development and Review Department

    •  1988-1992: Danmarks Nationalbank, Copenhagen

    •  1990-91: Economist, International Department

    •  1988-89: Economist, Governors' Secretariat



    Selected Publications

    "The Oil Market: Partially Cartelized Models and Intra-Cartel Behavior," University of Aarhus Thesis (1987).

    Foreign Capital, Savings, and Growth in LDCs: "An Empirical Cross-Couuntry Study." University of Aarhus Dissertation (1988).

    "The Historical Experience with International Bond Restructuring," IMF Working Paper (1994).

    "Pension Reform Options in the Czech Republic," IMF Working Paper (1998).

    "Volatility and Poverty," Chapter in "Managing Volatility" (Brian Pinto and Joshua Aizenman, editors), Cambridge University Press (2005).

    "Current Issues in Fiscal Reform in Central Europe and the Baltic States," World Bank (2006).

    http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/ECAEXT/EUEINPEXTN/0
    ,,contentMDK:20307221~pagePK:141137~piPK:141127~theSitePK:590766,00.html

    "EU8 Quarterly Economic Reports," April 2004-May 2006, World Bank.

    http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/ECAEXT/0
    ,,contentMDK:20268176~pagePK:146736~piPK:146830~theSitePK:258599,00.html


    Recent Awards

  • June 2005: World Bank (ECA) Spot Award (EU8 Quarterly Economic Reports).

    December 2005: World Bank (ECA) Spot Award (2005 EU8 Fiscal Study).

     

    Key Personal Characteristics

    •  Strategic thinker/like to challenge conventional views/attention to detail

    •  Strong organizational skills/multi-tasking

    •  Initiative and strong drive for results

    •  Superb writing skills/ability to clearly discuss and present complex issues

    •  Easy-going/get along well with superiors/peers/subordinates


    Annex: Details of Professional Career

    2004-present: Lead Economist, Central Europe and Baltics, Europe and Central Asia Department, World Bank (based in Warsaw , Poland )

    •  Supervisors: Daniela Gressani, Country Director, Central Europe and Baltics; Europe and Central Asia Department; Bernard Funck, Sector Manager, Macro2 Cluster, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Network, Europe and Central Asia Department

    •  Responsibilities: Lead the World Bank's analytical work on economics in the region; support World Bank operations in the region

    •  Lead team of local economists in the region

    •  Major achievements: Initiation of Quarterly Economic Reports and cross-country fiscal studies on the region (rated outstanding/best practice); drive for results (rated outstanding/best practice); regular speaker at international conferences; several spot awards

    •  Country exposure: Poland , Czech Republic , Hungary , Slovakia , Slovenia , Estonia , Latvia , and Lithuania

     

    2002-2003: Lead Economist, Economic Policy Division, Poverty Reduction and Economic Policy Department Network, World Bank

    •  Supervisors: Yaw Ansu (2003); Mohammed Zia Quereshi (2002) (Directors)

    •  Responsibilities: Lead analytical work and operational support on fiscal policy issue; chairman of Bank-wide thematic group of fiscal policy

    •  I was one of three lead economists in the division, which also included a number of economists/senior economists and research assistants

    •  Major achievement: Author of chapter in volume on “Managing Volatility” published by Cambridge University Press (2005)

    •  Country exposure: Egypt , Brazil , Uzbekistan , Georgia

     

    1999-2001: Senior Economist, Russia Division, European II Deparment, International Monetary Fund

    •  Supervisors: Poul Thomsen; Siddarth Tiwari (Assistant Directors)

    •  Responsibilities: Balance of payments and fiscal issues; participation in program negotiating missions; drafting of staff reports and selected issues papers

    •  I was the number two to the mission chief and oversaw the work of junior economists

    •  Major achievement: I wrote a paper on medium-long term fiscal sustainability in Russia that was presented at a high-level seminar in Moscow

    •  Country exposure: Russia

     

    1997-1998: Economist/Senior Economist, Central Europe Division, European I Department

    •  Supervisors: Emmanual Zervoudakis; Robert Feldman (Division Chiefs); Jacques Artus (Deputy Director, European I Department)

    •  Responsibilities: Desk economist for the Czech Republic ; participation in surveillance missions; drafting of staff reports and selected issues papers

    •  I coordinated the work of a team of four economists working on the Czech Republic

    •  Major achievement: I was rated outstanding (top 15% in the IMF) and best number two that mission chief (Deputy Director Jacques Artus) had ever worked with

    •  Country exposure: Czech Republic

     

    1995-1996: Resident Representative , Jamaica

    •  Supervisors: Robert Rennhack; Luis Escobar (mission chiefs)

    •  Responsibilities: Day-to-day liason with senior economic policy-makers (Minister of Finance, Central Bank Governor); ad-hoc economic analysis of key policy issues; participation in program negotiation missions

    •  I managed the local IMF office

    •  Major achievement: Prepared monetary policy operating framework for Bank of Jamaica

    •  Country exposure: Jamaica

     

    1992-1994: Debt and Program Financing Division, Policy Development and Review Department

    •  Supervisors: Charles Collyns; Steve Dunaway (Division Chiefs)

    •  Responsibilities: Analysis of private market financing issues, including commercial bank debt restructuring; contributions to international capital market reports; PDR economist for Panama and Peru (including participation in program negotiation missions)

    •  Major achievement: Provided blueprint for Panama 's and Peru 's Brady deals

    •  Country exposure: Panama , Peru , Vietnam

     

    1990-91: Economist, International Department, Danmarks Nationalbank

    •  Supervisor: Kai Aaen Hansen

    •  Responsibilities: IMF relations; EMU issues; participation in Nordic Financial Committee meetings

    •  Major achievement: Coordinated Nordic policy views to Executive Director in Washington

     

    1988-89: Economist, Governor's Secretariat, Danmarks Nationalbank

    •  Supervisor: Kirsten Mordhorst

    •  Responsibilities: Preparation of quarterly reports; selected notes for Governors; external relations

 
Thomas Laursen