Sir Paul Collier, one of the premier economists of our time plus best-selling author, focuses on methods to assist poorer countries become more prosperous. Professor of economics and public policy at England's University of Oxford, along with hands-on experience at top global organizations including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, Sir Paul has set his reputation as a leading expert on financial opportunities across the underdeveloped world. In 2014 Sir Paul received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II in recognition for his service promoting economic policy change in Africa.

In 2024 Sir Paul released his book Left Behind: A New Economics for Neglected Places, examining the poorest regions of the world, some of which exist within the boundaries of the richest nations. With keen insight, he draws lessons from such disparate fields as behavioral psychology, political science, evolutionary biology, and moral philosophy to explain how to address the needs of individual economies for fairer, more balanced globalization.

From Sir Paul:

For a generation, political science has focused on analysis within the framework of rational choices. Although this has allowed major advances, it has not provided an explanation as to why some parts of the world are still suffering from social and political dysfunctionality. Recently, economics has incorporated cultural motivations and values—such as esteem, fairness, hatred—to refresh this framework supporting narratives with deviations from expected behaviors.

In his best-selling book The Bottom Billion Sir Paul highlights the paradox of the 58 nations with the one billion poorest people, while also home to extraordinarily wealthy people. As the causes of this vast inequality, he identifies four factors most likely to contribute to poverty and stagnation: long-term civil conflict, exploitation of natural resources, landlocked geography, and weak governance. He refutes the premise that impoverished regions will progress through traditional economic forces, citing examples of languishing urban as well as developing localities all over the world.

Not only is Sir Paul a big thinker, he is an engaging speaker for businesses and organizations concerned with emerging markets, as he addresses the value and virtue in combining compassion with financial strategies. He offers a balanced vision for inclusive prosperity, prioritizing local agency and buy-in rather than capitalist market forces or centralized government bureaucracy. Describing the need for bespoke solutions, he offers a compelling vision for renewal that can reverse the divide between prosperous and neglected places for greater human progress.