Ka Lok Wong (Steve)
Macroeconomist · Associate Economic Affairs Officer, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)
Publications
Determinants of Sovereign Bond Issuance in Emerging Markets. First author; with Mark Manger and Ugo Panizza. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 42(2), 415–447 (2026). Journal article. Earlier version: CEPR Discussion Paper 21251 (2026).
Working Papers
Africa's Domestic Debt: Balancing Resilience and Vulnerability. With Michael Chui, Leonardo Gambacorta, Ugo Panizza and Niccolò Rescia. BIS manuscript; in editorial preparation.
Africa's Domestic Debt Boom: Evidence from the African Debt Database. With Mark Manger, David Mihalyi, Ugo Panizza, Niccolò Rescia and Christoph Trebesch. CEPR Discussion Paper 20747 (2025).
Work in Progress
Monetary Shocks and Fiscal Consequences: Exchange Rate Pass-Through to Tax Revenues in Emerging Markets. Single-authored; in development.
The Non-Interchangeability of Sovereign Debt: Allocation Across Three Ceilings. In development.
The Impact of China on Trade Invoicing: An Examination of Market Size and Trading Market Location. Single-authored; under revision.
Domestic Gravity: Household Surplus Capacity and Economic Resilience. In development.
Selected Skills
Software (teaching / working): Python, Stata, Matlab, Dynare, R, LaTeX
Data platforms: Bloomberg, Refinitiv DataStream, ORBIS, S&P Capital IQ, assorted APIs
Selected Employment
Economist (Associate Economic Affairs Officer)
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Macroeconomic Analysis, Institutions & Economic Governance Section, Macroeconomics and Governance Division (MGD)
Young Professionals programme, Economic Affairs
Addis Ababa · Feb 2025 – present
PhD Researcher
Centre for Finance and Development, Geneva Graduate Institute (SNIS project on sovereign debt)
Geneva · Oct 2022 – Aug 2024
Research Intern, then Consultant
International Labour Organization (ILO)
Bangkok · Feb 2019 – Jul 2020; external collaboration in Aug–Sep 2022
Education
PhD in International Economics
Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID)
2021 – 2025 · Summa cum laude
Thesis: Essays in International Finance and Macroeconomics
MA in International Economics
Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID)
2020 – 2021 (fast-track to PhD)
MSc in Economic History
London School of Economics
2017 – 2018 · Merit
BA in Culture Management
City University of Hong Kong
2013 – 2017 · First
Research Assistance during PhD
Worked as research assistant to Ugo Panizza (2022); Philippe Bacchetta (2021–22); Richard Baldwin & Jonathan Dingel (2021).