Featured Speaker Seminar: Dr Alexander Plekhanov on Navigating Industrial Policy

On 31 March 2025, a Featured Speaker Seminar will be held in Tokyo, featuring Dr. Alexander Plekhanov, the Director of Transition Impact and Global Economics at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The seminar, scheduled from 11:00 to 12:00 Tokyo time, aims to address the critical question of what policies can effectively support developing economies amid geopolitical turbulence. Dr. Plekhanov will present insights from the EBRD's latest report, discussing various strategies such as a stronger focus on service-led growth, direct state assistance to firms, and the mixed success of special economic zones. The objective of the seminar is to enhance understanding of the economic conditions and geopolitical challenges faced in the EBRD regions. The target audience includes academics, policymakers, and the general public, with the expected output being a presentation that outlines the evolving objectives of economic policies, the shift towards services-led growth, and the increasing interest in special economic zones. The event is organized by the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI).