Myriam Velia is a lead researcher at the School of Built Environment and Development Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She has a PhD in International Economics from Sussex University, UK. She has worked on a range of projects for a number of funders over the years. She is currently involved in sectoral and industrial research. Myriam was Head of Research at TIPS between February 2008 and March 2012.

David Kaplan is currently Professor of Business Government Relations and Professor of Economics at the University of Cape Town. He has worked extensively on industrial policy. From 200 – 2003 he was chief economist of the Department of Trade and Industry; From 2004 -2011 he worked part time as chief economist for the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, in the Western Cape Provincial Government. His work on innovation includes being the coordinator of the task team that produced the Green Paper on Science and Technology (S&T), December 1996; engaging in the White Paper on S&T, June 1996; panel member…

Kate Philip is a development strategist. She has extensive experience in the development sector as a practitioner and in policy development, focused on issues of economic marginalisation, inequality, employment and enterprise development. From within TIPS, this has included providing support to GTAC in National Treasury on regional economic development strategies, to the Economies of Regions Learning Network, and to the Integrated Wild Coast Development Programme. She has provided advisory support to the South African Presidency on issues of economic marginalisation, and played a central role in the design and development of South Africa’s Community Work Programme. Through the International Labour…

Rob Davies is a Zimbabwean economist who lives in Harare. He was associated with the University of Zimbabwe for more than 30 years. He has also taught at universities in South Africa, the UK and the US. He is currently an independent researcher and works closely with the South African National Treasury and with TIPS. His publications include: (forthcoming) “Measuring the Carbon Intensity of the South African Economy”, South African Journal of Economics, (with Channing Arndt, Konstantin Makrelov and James Thurlow) (2012) The Economic Implications of Introducing Carbon Taxes in South Africa, UNU-WIDER Working Paper WP/046 (with Theresa Alton, Channing…

Dirk Ernst van Seventer lives in New Zealand. He studied economics in the Netherlands and subsequently worked for 20 years as an economic analyst in South Africa amongst others as a research fellow at TIPS. After a 6 year stint at the New Zealand Department of Labour Dirk van Seventer has recently rejoined TIPS as a part-time research fellow where his work focuses on trade and economy-wide policy analysis and capacity building.    

Sandy Lowitt holds a Master of Commerce from Wits University in Economics. She established the Economics Department in the Gauteng Provincial Government in 1995 and remained at GPG until 2006. While specialising in economic research and industrial policy and strategy she also created and ran Blue IQ which delivered large infrastructure projects such as the Gautrain, the Innovation hub and the automotive supplier park. Sandy is active in public policy research and strategy development working for the Presidency, the dti, DST and National Treasury.

Faizel Ismail has a PhD (Manchester, UK), MPhil (IDS, Sussex, UK), LLB (UKZN-Pietermaritzburg) and a BA (UKZN-Pietermaritzburg). His PhD for which he obtained an A grade pass is titled: An Empirical Analysis of Apartheid South Africa in the GATT: 1947 to 1994. Faizel is currently an Adjunct Professor at the UCT School of Economics. He is also an advisor/consultant (part-time) to the Department of Trade and Industry on International Trade and a Special Envoy on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). He was appointed as the Chairperson of the International Trade and Administration Commission (ITAC) for a three-year term (2015-2018).…

Tasneem Essop is an independent expert on climate, energy, poverty and social justice issues. She previously worked as Head of Low Carbon Frameworks for the Global Climate and Energy Initiative in WWF International, which included leading a global team of WWF climate experts as head of delegation to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Before joining WWF International she worked for WWF South Africa as an International Climate Advocate. She is also currently serving her second term as a Commissioner in the National Planning Commission of South Africa. Prior to joining WWF she held the positions of Provincial Minister…