Zafer Mustafaoglu is the practice manager for Finance, Competitiveness and Innovation in the East Asia and Pacific Region, covering China, Mongolia, Korea, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam. Mr. Mustafaoglu, a Turkish National, joined the World Bank in 2005. His last two positions were Practice Manager for Finance, Competitiveness and Innovation Global Practice in the Latin America and the Caribbean Region and Lead Economist and Program Leader for Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. Zafer worked on various operations and research projects at the World Bank, spanning both macro and micro policy. Zafer received his Ph.D. in International Economics from the Middle East Technical University, Turkey, and completed Masters degree and research studies in Economics at the University of Essex and Cambridge University, England. Prior to joining the Bank, Zafer worked twelve years for the Turkish Government and he held the Head of Modeling and Economic Analysis Department position at the Prime Ministry State Planning Organization of Turkey.