Joseph J. Battat

Joseph J. Battat is a Senior Lecturer of Global Economics and Management at MIT Sloan School of Management and a Senior Consultant at the World Bank Group. He has held leadership roles including Head of Foreign Investment Advisory Services (FIAS) at the World Bank, overseeing programs in over 95 countries to enhance investment climates in developing economies. His career spans academia, corporate, and international development sectors.

Education:

• PhD in International Business and Economics, MIT (1984)
• Diploma in Political Philosophy, Beijing University (1978)
• MS in Electronics Physics, Université de Grenoble (1968)

Research & Expertise: Focuses on cross-border investment, economic development strategies, and institutional capacity-building. His work emphasizes policy reforms to attract domestic/foreign investment and foster inclusive growth. He has pioneered educational initiatives such as China's first MBA program (1978-86) and the Central European University's Business School (1987-88).

Leadership & Governance: Served as trustee/chair of the Institute of Current World Affairs (six terms), board member of China Nature Flooring Inc., and director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Currently advises Indiana University's International Business program.

Professional Background: Prior roles include marketing systems engineer at IBM Canada (1968-72), faculty member at Indiana University's School of Business (1982-89), and academic co-Dean of General Electric's China Executive Education Program.