Stefan Dercon served as chief economist of the U.K. Department of International Development from 2011 and 2017. In this position, he provided strategic advice, and was responsible for ensuring the use of evidence in decision making. He is currently the professor of Economic Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government and the Economics Department, and a fellow of Jesus College at the University of Oxford. He is also director of the Centre for the Study of African Economies.