Dr. Ravi Ratnayake
Dr. Ravi Ratnayake, formerly the Chief Economist for the Asia-Pacific Region at the United Nations (UN) and the Director of Trade and Investment at UNESCAP, has left an indelible mark on regional cooperation efforts. During his tenure at the UN, Dr. Ratnayake spearheaded various initiatives, including the establishment of the Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network on Trade (ARTNeT), the Asia-Pacific Business Forum (APBF), the Asia-Pacific Sustainable Development Network, the Asia-Pacific Network of Experts on Paperless Trade (UN NExT), and played a pivotal role in rejuvenating the Asia-Pacific Trade and Agreement (APTA) among member countries. He also coordinated and oversaw numerous significant publications and projects on diverse subjects, such as the Millennium Development Goals, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), sustainable development, trade, investment, and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). Dr. Ratnayake's expertise extended beyond the UN, as he provided consultancy services to esteemed institutions like the World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). In addition, he served as an Advisor to several developing nations, including Sri Lanka, from 2016 to 2018.
Notably, as the Secretary-General of the Bridging the Gap Foundation (BGF), Dr. Ratnayake orchestrated the development and implementation of various Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects aimed at enhancing educational opportunities for Sri Lankan children.
Before his UN career commenced in the early 1980s, Dr. Ratnayake held a position in the Ministry of Finance and Planning in Sri Lanka. During this time, he served as the Research Director for the Presidential Commission on Tariffs and Trade. Furthermore, his academic journey included a role as a Senior Lecturer in economics at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, from 1991 to 1999 and a visiting Professor of economics at Korea University in South Korea. Dr. Ratnayake's contributions to academia were evident in his supervision of numerous Master's and PhD theses in economics.
With over four decades of experience as an economist, Dr. Ratnayake seamlessly merged his practical and academic expertise in the realms of macroeconomics and international economics. His scholarly contributions encompassed the publication of over 60 refereed journal articles, books, and working papers, in addition to guiding the preparation of numerous publications. Furthermore, he actively participated in various professional associations, including the American Economic Association.