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.

Managing Director of KABC Ltd and Visiting Professor of Change Management at KDI School of Public Policy and Management

Tony came to Korea in 1978 and worked for two years as a research assistant to the Director General of Economic Planning at EPB, and subsequently as a consultant to the World Bank, UNDP, ILO while continuing to teach. From 1986 to 1989 worked for ICI and TetraPak in Korea, and founded Korea Associates Business Consultancy Ltd in 1989, working in business development and economic research for businesses and governments. Associate of Economist Conferences 1994-2002.

Main current work the continuing evolution of the Korean economy, major companies and society of Korea and EU-Korea relations. He is also Project Coordinator of the EU-Korea Policy Dialogue Support Facility funded by the EU. Tony is also known for his work in North Korea.

Graduated and Ph D from Cambridge. Taught at Hull University, UW at Seattle, EAP (Paris) and KUL (Leuven). Professor of Change Management at KDI School of Public Policy and Management 1999 – present.

Seokgil Park is an Executive Director and Chief Korea Economist at J.P. Morgan, analyzing Korean macro economy and policies. Before joining the firm in 2015, he worked at the International Monetary Fund (2010-2015) and the Bank of Korea (2002-2005). He received his B.A. from Seoul National University, and a PhD in Economics from Indiana University focusing on monetary and fiscal policy interaction issues.

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.