Neil Balchin is an Economic Adviser – Trade Policy Analysis at the Commonwealth. He previously worked as a researcher and consultant in several different capacities in South Africa, undertaking a diverse range of policy-oriented research on trade and economic development issues across the Southern African region. This has included work in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zambia. Most recently, Neil worked as a Research Associate for the Centre for International Development at Harvard University. His areas of expertise include regional trade agreements, product market integration, and supply chain linkages and he holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Cape Town.