Robert Ward
Is the Editorial Director at the Economist Intelligence Unit, where he leads the EIU's country, industry and data analysis and forecasting teams. In this position he plays a key role in shaping the company's response to events and in overseeing the suite of core subscription products to ensure standards of editorial excellence are maintained. He also has oversight of the editorial integrity and independence of all EIU-branded businesses within the Economist Group. Before becoming Editorial Director, Robert was Country Publishing Director and, before that, he led the EIU's Global Forecasting unit. In this latter capacity, Robert led the EIU's response to the global financial and economic crises and he remains an expert on global political and economic issues. Recent highlights include developing the EIU's China strategy and spearheading the company's recent expansion of its China city analysis, and devising the rollout of the EIU's new "Events" service, reorganising the editorial team to integrate the production of quick-response daily analysis with continued output of monthly and quarterly core subscription products. Robert also plays a leading role in communicating the EIU's views to high-level audiences around the world. His external activities have included advising company boards on strategy, keynotes at large corporate gatherings and event chairing. Robert joined the Economist Group in 1997. As well as living in Japan in the 1990s, in the 1980s he attended Voronezh University in the Soviet Union and worked for two years in geriatric care in West Berlin. He is a fluent speaker of Japanese and holds a bachelors and masters degree from Cambridge University. Specialties: global economic/political issues, developed and emerging market economies and politics, Japan and China, China business, political risk analysis, economic forecasting, new product development and strategy, subscription publishing, online publishing, change management within teams, large-team management, team development