Valerie currently focuses on growth and productivity issues in Bangladesh. Her earlier analytical work was on macroeconomic issues, particularly growth, investment and fiscal issues in DMCs, more specifically taxation of the oil and gas sector. Prior to joining the ADB, she worked as a macroeconomist for Central America and the Caribbean at the Inter-American Development Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. She holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Pennsylvania and a BA from Yale University.
Blogs by this Author
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Why imposing trade tariffs backfires in an interconnected world
Published on Monday, 03 December 2018
Production value chains in Asia and beyond will be severely affected by the US-PRC trade tensions.
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The future of jobs and automation: What I learned from my teenage son
Published on Wednesday, 20 December 2017
Adaptable, flexible job seekers who are always willing to learn more skills will be better equipped to embrace the future, including automation.
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Why Bangladesh's garments won’t go ‘haute couture’ (II)
Published on Wednesday, 09 November 2016
To benefit sustainably from its garment export performance, Bangladesh should shift its production capabilities to cater to the higher value-added category of clothing demand.
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Why Bangladesh's garments won’t go ‘haute couture’ (I)
Published on Monday, 31 October 2016
A recent ADB study suggests that some of the success of Bangladesh's ready-made garment sector over the past 25 years is unlikely to provide the same type of benefits to the economy going forward.
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Rethinking the growth diagnostics framework for Asia
Published on Monday, 07 December 2015
Asian developing countries need a systemic and thorough analysis of productivity drivers, with a roadmap for MDBs to coordinate development priorities and strategies.
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Different genders, different decisions: Why Asian women aren’t in work
Published on Monday, 11 May 2015
A new ADB report shows that how women decide to spend time differs to men, and that helps to understand why many women don’t join the formal workforce – and why, if they do, they are still likely to earn less than men and less likely to gain promotion.