Thorsten Beck, Tilburg University

THORSTEN BECK Thorsten Beck is professor of economics at Tilburg University. Previously, he was a senior economist in the Finance and Private Sector Development Team of the Development Research Group of the World Bank. His research, academic publications and operational work have focused on two major questions: What is the relationship between finance and economic development? What policies are needed to build a sound and effective financial system? Recently, he has concentrated on access to financial services, including SME finance, as well as the incentive-compatible design of financial safety nets. He has published numerous academic papers and is co-author of the Making Finance Work for Africa Flagship report and the forthcoming Policy Research Report on Finance for All? Policies and Pitfalls in Expanding Access. His country experience, both in operational and research work, includes Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Mexico, Russia and several countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. He holds a PhD from the University of Virginia and and an MA from the University of T¿bingen in Germany.

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