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
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"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 AwardsJune 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
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