Werner Raza

Dr. Werner Raza is the Head of the Austrian Research Foundation for International Development (ÖFSE) since 2010. He holds a Ph.D. in Social and Economic Sciences from the Vienna University of Economics and Business (1998). His academic roles include Visiting Professor for Foreign Trade Policy at the University of Buenos Aires and lecturer at various Austrian and international universities. His research focuses on development economics, international trade policy (EU/WTO), global value chains, and the geopolitics of development cooperation. He has extensive fieldwork experience across Latin America and Africa.

• Professionally: Director of ÖFSE, former Head of European Economics Programs at bfi Vienna University of Applied Sciences (2009–2010), and expert at the Vienna Chamber of Labor (2002–2009).
• Research: Emphasizes sustainable development, climate policy alignment in export finance, and industrial policy for equitable growth. Authored over 30 publications on EU-Mercosur trade, net-zero export strategies, and Twin Transformation agendas.
• Awards: Summa cum laude dissertation on sustainable development in Bolivia (1998).
• Consulting: Advised Austrian export promotion policies, WTO delegations, and development banks. Member of the Mattersburger Kreis and EuroMemo Group.

His work bridges academic research and policy, addressing challenges such as climate neutrality in trade finance, geopolitical shifts in development aid, and institutional frameworks for inclusive industrialization.