Jimena Castillo

Dr. Jimena Castillo is a Research Fellow in the Economics Department at Leeds University Business School (LUBS), University of Leeds, where she also completed her PhD in Economics in 2024. Her research focuses on development economics, financialisation, and structural change, particularly in the context of Latin America.

Education:

• PhD in Economics, University of Leeds, UK
• MA in Development and International Economics (Distinction), Kingston University, UK
• BA in Economics, Universidad de la República, Uruguay

Her research agenda centers on the impact of financialisation on structural transformation and industrialisation in developing countries. She investigates how financial dynamics affect the capacity of nations to transition into higher value-added economic activities, with a focus on production systems and global value chains. Her theoretical framework is rooted in structuralist and post-Keynesian economics.

She is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a member of the Post-Keynesian Economic Society and the Young Scholars Initiative. Her professional experience includes roles as a research and teaching assistant at Universidad de la República and as a consultant at Comuna, where she conducted economic analysis and training for social organizations.

She is actively contributing to academic research in political economy and development, with no current indication of part-time status or retirement. Her work bridges academic research with policy-relevant analysis for social and economic development.