Biography
Joe Studwell is an acclaimed author, economic researcher, and journalist specializing in emerging market development and industrial policy. He is currently a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) in London, advising governments and international organizations on developmental strategies. With over 25 years of experience living and working across East Asia, Studwell was the founding editor of the _China Economic Quarterly_ and co-founder of the research firm Dragonomics (now GaveKal Dragonomics). He is the author of four landmark books, including _The China Dream_, _Asian Godfathers_, and the pan-Asian bestseller _How Asia Works_, which Bill Gates named one of his favorite books on economic development. His latest work, _How Africa Works_ (2025), extends his comparative analysis to the African continent. Studwell holds a PhD from the Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, where his research focused on technology acquisition and manufacturing competitiveness.