Lodewijk Smets joined IEG as a staff member in 2016. Lodewijk also has extensive experience as a consultant working for DECRG, DIME and OPCS. He specializes in quantitative evaluation techniques such as survey research, econometrics and randomized trials. Thematically, Lodewijk has expertise in investigating the impact of World Bank policy lending.

Lodewijk holds a Master in Economics from KU Leuven and a PhD in Applied Economics from Antwerp University, specializing in aid effectiveness. Prior to joining IEG, Lode was a post-doctoral researcher at KU Leuven’s Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance (LICOS). He published in journals like Economic Development and Cultural Change (EDCC), The Journal of Development Studies and World Development.