Simon is the Chief Economist of the EIU and also the Director of Custom Research in Asia. He is an experienced economist and econometrician who specialises in global macroeconomics with a focus on Asia, international competitiveness, economic development, commodity and industrial product markets, and the energy sector. Prior to taking up this position within the company, Mr Baptist was responsible for providing intellectual leadership for the EIU's coverage of Asia and China and ensuring that economic and political analysis and forecasts are the best available for international decision makers. Mr Baptist is an experienced economist who has previously spent time as a lecturer at Oxford University, and as an economics consultant advising many governments, multinational corporations and international organisations in Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. His specialist topics include economic growth and policy, international competitiveness, productivity, commodities, energy and the environment.