His most recent co-authored books are After the Spring: Economic Transitions in the Arab World (Oxford University Press, 2012) and Catalyzing Development: A New Vision for Aid (Brookings Press, 2011). He has published articles, book chapters and opinion pieces on global development policy, global trends, the global food crisis, international organizations, the G20, the DAC and private philanthropy. He is currently working on scaling up development results.

He has recently served as a Non-Resident Fellow of the OECD Development Center (2009); a member of the National Economic Advisory Council to the Malaysian Prime Minister (2009-10); the post-Busan Advisory Group to the DAC co-chairs (2011); and the International Panel Review Committee on Malaysia’s economic and governance transformation programs (2012). He was a member of the Working Group for the Commission on Growth and Development, chaired by Professor A. Michael Spence (2007-10).

Prior to joining Brookings, Dr. Kharas spent twenty-six years at the World Bank, serving for seven years as Chief Economist for the World Bank’s East Asia and Pacific region and Director for Poverty Reduction and Economic Management, Finance and Private Sector Development, responsible for the Bank’s advice on structural and economic policies, fiscal issues, debt, trade, governance and financial markets.

Kharas is also co-author of Penang’s Cities, People and Economy (2011); An East Asian Renaissance: Ideas for Economic Growth (2007); and co-editor of East Asian Visions: Perspectives on Economic Development (2007); East Asia Integrates: A Trade Policy Agenda for Shared Growth (2004).

Select recent publications include The Challenge of High and Rising Food Prices (2011); What is the Middle Income Trap? (2011); A Quality of Official Development Assistance Assessment (2010); The Emerging Middle Class in Developing Countries (2010); Development Assistance in the 21st Century (2009); Do Philanthropic Citizens Behave Like Governments? (2009); The California Consensus: Can Private Aid End Global Poverty? (2008); Chilean Growth through East Asian Eyes (2008); Measuring the Cost of Aid Volatility (2008); East Asia: Regional Integration among Open Economies (2008); The New Reality of Aid (2008); Trends and Issues in Development Aid (2007).