LUDVIG WIER
Tax and inequality researcher
BIO
My research and teaching relates to taxation, development and inequality. I hold a PhD in economics from the University of Copenhagen. Currently I work as a Director at the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prior to that I was Head of Secretariat at the Danish Ministry of Finance and a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer at UC Berkeley. I have also worked as a consultant to the Boston Consulting Group and IMF. Finally, I am the founder of Economists Without Borders.
RESEARCH
(With Gabriel Zucman)
Revision requested by the Review of Economics and Statistics
Wepbage with data and interactive map. Cited in two US senate hearing on pharma and corporate tax cuts.. Press: The Conversation, Fortune, VoxEU, WIDER, Transfer Pricing News
(With Thomas Tørsløv and Gabriel Zucman)
Review of Economic Studies (2023)
Interactive webpage with updated estimates
Press: Washington Post Wall Street Journal New York Times Guardian Le Monde, Sueddeutche El Mundo El Confidential Bloomberg DW Sueddeutche DR Politiken Weekend Avisen ICIJ Irish Times Manager Magazin DerStandard Quartz Politico VOX Economist
(With Thomas Tørsløv and Gabriel Zucman)
American Economic Journal: Economic Policy (2023)
Press: Vox Law360 Politiken Harvard Law Forum Tax Notes
(With Hayley Erasmus)
IMF Economic Review (2022)
The original title of this paper was "Big and Unprofitable - How 10% of foreign-owned firms do 98% of profit shifting"
Press: World Economic Forum SABC eNCA The Money Show Tonight with Jane Dutton Mail Guardian The Citizen AllAfrica Businesstech
Journal of Public Economics, 2020
Press: Vox How Africa SABC eNCA The Money Show Tonight with Jane Dutton Mail Guardian The Citizen AllAfrica Businesstech
(With Niels Johannesen and Thomas Tørsløv)
World Bank Economic Review, 2019.
Book chapter, in S.Cnossen and B. Jacobs (ed.) "Tax By Design in the Netherlands" (Forthcoming, Oxford University Press)
Press: AccountantWeek Volkskrant rtlnieuws
LECTURES
GLOBAL INEQUALITY (SPRING 2021)
Master course at the University of Copenhagen, Department of Economics
ECON 133: GLOBAL INEQUALITY AND GROWTH (SPRING 2020)
Undergraduate course at the University of California, Berkeley (all course material available here)
ADVANCED DEVELOPMENT: MICRO ASPECTS
Master course at the University of Copenhagen, Department of Economics
GROWTH AND INEQUALITY
Master course at the University of Copenhagen, Global Development Studies
TAXATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Master course at the University of Copenhagen, Department of Economics
PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS
Bachelor course at the Danish School of Journalism
CONSULTING
2010-
ECONOMISTS WITHOUT BORDERS
I am the founder of Economists Without Borders - a non-profit with that assists charitable projects in evaluating their social impact. The organization today has a global reach with more than 60 consultants operating out of Copenhagen and Oxford University. To read more go to: www.economistswithoutborders.net
2018-
THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND
On the IMF Expert Roster, which implies going on IMF missions to developing countries. Working with big data analytics and tax enforcement -> how big data can raise tax compliance.
2018/2019
BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP
Attached to the public sector practice area and a member of the social impact comittee. In my time at BCG I worked with governments in multiple countries and amongst other things, 1) helped implement a major digital customs solution 2) drafted a proposal for a major health care reform 3) helped power the world with CO2 free nuclear energy
2016-2018
UNU-WIDER AND THE SOUTH AFRICAN TREASURY
I managed a South African research project on multinational tax avoidance. This involves structuring the research process, talking to stakeholders and presenting at conferences
2017-
UNITED NATIONS, EU AND OECD
I advise (pro-bono) the OECD, the EU and the United Nations on how to measure the impact of illicit financial flows.
2019-
WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
I am the co-curator of the World Economic Forum's transformation maps as an expert on the topic of taxation. Click here to read more.