Robert Zymek

Last Updated: January 05, 2024

Robert Zymek is an Economist in the Development Macroeconomics Division of the IMF Research Department. Prior to joining the IMF, he was an assistant professor with tenure ("lecturer") at the University of Edinburgh, and an economic adviser at HM Treasury. He obtained his PhD from Universitat Pompeu Fabra, and completed his undergraduate education at the University of Cambridge. Robert's research interests are International Economics and Macroeconomics. His research has been published in the Review of Economic Studies, Journal of International Economics, European Economic Review, and IMF Economic Review, among others.

Personal WebPage: www.zymek.eu

Fluent In: German.

Education:

PhD in Economics, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Spain, 2011

MSc in Economics, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Spain, 2006

BA (MA) in Economics, University of Cambridge, UK, 2005


Previous Experience:

2023 - present, Economist, Development Macroeconomics Division (DM), Research Department, IMF

2021 - 2023, Economist, East I Division (E1), Africa Department, IMF

2020 - 2021, Economic Adviser, Global Economics Team (GE), International Directorate, HM Treasury

2011 - 2021, Lecturer, School of Economics, University of Edinburgh


Referee Activities:

American Economic Review, Journal of the European Economic Association, Economic Journal, American Economic Review: Insights, Journal of International Economics, International Economic Review, Journal of International Money and Finance, Journal of Development Economics, IMF Economic Review, Economic Letters, Macroeconomic Dynamics, Empirical Economics, Review of International Economics, International Journal of Central Banking, Journal of Economic Surveys, The Canadian Geographer


Other Professional Positions:

2016 - present, Research Affiliate, CESifo Network, CESifo Munich


Country work or Mission Assignment:

South Sudan (2021-23)

Publications in Journals (Refereed)

Bilateral Trade Imbalances, Review of Economic Studies, vol. 91(3), pp. 1537-1583 (joint with A. Cuñat)

The (Structural) Gravity of Epidemics, European Economic Review, vol. 144, May 2022, (joint with A. Cuñat)

Friends Without Benefits? New EMU Members and the “Euro Effect” on Trade, Journal of International Money and Finance, vol. 83, pp. 75-92, May 2018 (joint with A. Mika)

Specialisation Patterns, GDP Correlations and External Balances, CESifo Economic Studies, vol. 63(2), pp. 141-161, Jun. 2017 (joint with A. Cuñat)

Factor Proportions and the Growth of World Trade, Journal of International Economics, vol. 95(1), pp. 42-53, Jan. 2015

Banks’ Liquidity Buffers and the Role of Liquidity Regulation, Journal of Financial Services Research, vol. 48(3), pp. 215-234, Dec. 2015 (joint with C. Bonner and I. van Lelyveld)

Sovereign Default, International Lending and Trade, IMF Economic Review, vol. 60(3), pp. 365-394, Sept. 2012

Other Published Materials

Global Value Chains, Volatility and Safe Openness: Is Trade A Double-Edged Sword?, Bank of England Financial Stability Paper No. 46, Jan. 2021 (joint with L. D’Aguanno, O. Davies, A. Dogan, R. Freeman, S. Lloyd, D. Reinhardt and R. Sajedi)

UK Regional Productivity Differences: An Evidence Review, Industrial Strategy Council, Feb. 2020 (joint with B. Jones)

Wealth of the Nation: Scotland’s Productivity Challenge, David Hume Institute, Sept. 2018 (joint with J.-F. Kelly and M. Mitchell)

Review of Europe Isn’t Working (L. Elliott and D. Atkinson, 2016), Journal of Economic Literature, vol. 55(1), pp. 227-229, Mar. 2017

Robert Zymek is an Economist in the Development Macroeconomics Division of the IMF Research Department. Prior to joining the IMF, he was an assistant professor with tenure ("lecturer") at the University of Edinburgh, and an economic adviser at HM Treasury. He obtained his PhD from Universitat Pompeu Fabra, and completed his undergraduate education at the University of Cambridge. Robert's research interests are International Economics and Macroeconomics. His research has been published in the Review of Economic Studies, Journal of International Economics, European Economic Review, and IMF Economic Review, among others.

Personal WebPage: www.zymek.eu

Fluent In: German.

Education:

PhD in Economics, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Spain, 2011

MSc in Economics, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Spain, 2006

BA (MA) in Economics, University of Cambridge, UK, 2005


Previous Experience:

2023 - present, Economist, Development Macroeconomics Division (DM), Research Department, IMF

2021 - 2023, Economist, East I Division (E1), Africa Department, IMF

2020 - 2021, Economic Adviser, Global Economics Team (GE), International Directorate, HM Treasury

2011 - 2021, Lecturer, School of Economics, University of Edinburgh


Referee Activities:

American Economic Review, Journal of the European Economic Association, Economic Journal, American Economic Review: Insights, Journal of International Economics, International Economic Review, Journal of International Money and Finance, Journal of Development Economics, IMF Economic Review, Economic Letters, Macroeconomic Dynamics, Empirical Economics, Review of International Economics, International Journal of Central Banking, Journal of Economic Surveys, The Canadian Geographer


Other Professional Positions:

2016 - present, Research Affiliate, CESifo Network, CESifo Munich


Country work or Mission Assignment:

South Sudan (2021-23)

IMF Books and Working Papers:

Divided We Fall: Differential Exposure to Geopolitical Fragmentation in Trade , Working Paper No. 2023/270 , December 22, 2023

Trade Integration in Africa: Unleashing the Continent's Potential in a Changing World , Departmental Paper No 2003/003 , May 05, 2023

Bilateral Trade Imbalances , Working Paper No. 2022/090 , May 13, 2022

IMF Occasional Papers, Pamphlets, and Special Issues Papers

People's Republic of China: Service Sector Productivity, Allocative Efficiency and Innovation, Selected Issues, IMF Country Report No. 2024/276, August 2024

F&D articles

Back to Basics: Total Factor Productivity

Other Published Materials

IMF World Economic Outlook, April 2024, Chapter 3: Slowdown in Global Medium-Term Growth: What Will It Take to Turn the Tide?

Publications in Journals (Refereed)

Bilateral Trade Imbalances, Review of Economic Studies, vol. 91(3), pp. 1537-1583 (joint with A. Cuñat)

The (Structural) Gravity of Epidemics, European Economic Review, vol. 144, May 2022, (joint with A. Cuñat)

Friends Without Benefits? New EMU Members and the “Euro Effect” on Trade, Journal of International Money and Finance, vol. 83, pp. 75-92, May 2018 (joint with A. Mika)

Specialisation Patterns, GDP Correlations and External Balances, CESifo Economic Studies, vol. 63(2), pp. 141-161, Jun. 2017 (joint with A. Cuñat)

Factor Proportions and the Growth of World Trade, Journal of International Economics, vol. 95(1), pp. 42-53, Jan. 2015

Banks’ Liquidity Buffers and the Role of Liquidity Regulation, Journal of Financial Services Research, vol. 48(3), pp. 215-234, Dec. 2015 (joint with C. Bonner and I. van Lelyveld)

Sovereign Default, International Lending and Trade, IMF Economic Review, vol. 60(3), pp. 365-394, Sept. 2012

Other Published Materials

Global Value Chains, Volatility and Safe Openness: Is Trade A Double-Edged Sword?, Bank of England Financial Stability Paper No. 46, Jan. 2021 (joint with L. D’Aguanno, O. Davies, A. Dogan, R. Freeman, S. Lloyd, D. Reinhardt and R. Sajedi)

UK Regional Productivity Differences: An Evidence Review, Industrial Strategy Council, Feb. 2020 (joint with B. Jones)

Wealth of the Nation: Scotland’s Productivity Challenge, David Hume Institute, Sept. 2018 (joint with J.-F. Kelly and M. Mitchell)

Review of Europe Isn’t Working (L. Elliott and D. Atkinson, 2016), Journal of Economic Literature, vol. 55(1), pp. 227-229, Mar. 2017