Director, Overseas Development Institute

Alison Evans is an economist with over 25 years of experience working in international development. Alison joined ODI, the UK’s leading international development think tank, in 2006 as a Director of Programmes for Poverty and Public Policy, and became Director in May 2009.

Alison began her career teaching and researching development economics at the University of Sussex. Her practical policy experience stems from six years at the World Bank between 1994 and 2000 and work as an independent consultant between 2000 and 2005 with a specific focus on poverty reduction strategies (PRSPs), budgetary processes, aid modalities, aid effectiveness and evaluation. She has extensive experience in Southern and Eastern Africa and the Western Balkans, and has taken several shorter assignments in South East Asia. As ODI’s director, she continues to work on issues around aid, but also contributes to debate on a broad range of issues relating to international engagement in fragile states and policy coherence for development.

She has a BA (Hons) in Economics from the University of Sussex, an MPhil in Economics and Politics of Development from Cambridge University and a PhD in Development Studies from the Institute of Development Studies.