ECN Seoul - Regional Strategic Forecast:

Simon Baptist is Editorial Director and Chief Economist at The Economist Intelligence Unit. Prior to his current role, he has held a number of other senior management and editorial positions in the business, including Managing Director for Asia, Regional Director of our Asia editorial team, Director of Global Forecasting, and Consulting Director in both Europe and Asia

Simon’s focus is on the global economy, national and international political developments, and public policy. He engages with business, government and international organisations, helping them to understand the operational and strategic implications of the EIU’s forecasts.

He has a doctorate in economics from and was a lecturer at Oxford University, along with degrees in economics and science from the University of Tasmania. His academic research investigated technology and the determinants of productivity in manufacturing firms.

Suktae Oh is Chief Korea economist at Societe Generale Corporate and Investment Bank, based in Seoul. Suktae joined SG in June 2013 from Standard Chartered, where he had been regional head of research for Korea since 2009. He has spent 25 years as an economist covering Korea, and has become a renowned expert among financial market participants and policymakers, both local and global. He started his career at Citibank Seoul in 1996. He received his Bachelor in Economics degree from Seoul National University in 1990, and an MA in Economics from Harvard University in 1996.

Chong Hoon joined Standard Chartered Korea in 2009 and currently heads Korea research team.

In this position, he provides in-depth analysis on Korean economy to Standard Chartered Bank clients and business functions.

Before joining the Bank, he has worked as a Senior Research Fellow/ Head of Telecommunication Policy at Korea Information Society Development Institute (KISDI) for six years and as an Executive Vice President/ Head of Strategy and Government Relation at SK Broadband (former Hanaro Telecom) for four years in Seoul.

Chong Hoon brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as a researcher and strategist.

Chong Hoon completed his doctorate degree specialising in international economics and development from Northwestern University.

Jacco Zwetsloot has lived in Korea for 20 of the last 25 years, with a broad range of work experience in the communication, legal, tourism, training and broadcasting sectors. He has worked as an English teacher, a tour guide for the US military, a regular radio show guest, and a translator of North Korean propaganda. Currently, Jacco works as a content creator for a communications consultancy Insight Communications Consultants, hosts a weekly podcast about North Korea, moderates panel discussions, writes a monthly Korean newspaper column and still leads occasional lunchtime walking tours in downtown Seoul for the Royal Asiatic Society Business & Culture Club. Jacco holds a Master of Arts degree in Korean Studies from Leiden University, a Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies from Monash University and a separate Bachelor of Arts in Modern European Studies and German Language from the University of Melbourne.