PEP welcomes Dr Vaqar Ahmed as new Macro/Modelling Research Director

PEP is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Vaqar Ahmed as Research Director of its Macro-Micro Policy Modelling Group. A macroeconomist with over 23 years of experience in public finance, tax and trade policy, and economy-wide modelling in developing countries, Dr. Ahmed brings both deep technical expertise and a long history with PEP to the role.

Dr. Ahmed is currently Team Lead at Oxford Policy Management (Pakistan), where he directs large-scale policy advisory and evaluation portfolios for major international donors including UK FCDO and the European Union. He previously served as Joint Executive Director of the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), one of South Asia's leading think tanks, and has advised ministries of finance, planning, and commerce, as well as the IMF, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and various UN agencies. A specialist in computable general equilibrium (CGE) and microsimulation modelling, his analytical work has supported national planning processes, tariff policy reviews, and medium-term macro-fiscal frameworks across South Asia, Africa, and beyond.

Dr. Ahmed's connection to PEP runs deep. He first engaged with the network in 2005 as a researcher, and has been a PEP Research Fellow for the past nine years, having been among the first cohort inducted in 2017. Over the years, he has led multiple PEP-supported projects on CGE and microsimulation modelling for tax, trade, food security, and the energy sector, and contributed to PEP's Covid Responses for Equity (CORE) initiative — working closely with Pakistani policymakers to assess pandemic impacts and the effectiveness of relief measures. It is precisely this ability to bridge rigorous quantitative modelling with real-world policy design that makes him well-suited to lead the group.

"Vaqar's appointment is a natural fit for PEP and for the Modelling group in particular. He has been part of our community for two decades, first as a researcher, then as a fellow, mentor, and policy engagement expert. He brings exactly the kind of combined analytical depth and policy instinct that this role demands. We are delighted to have him step into this leadership position and look forward to the work ahead," said Prof. Jane Mariara, Executive Director.

"Stepping into the Research Director role feels like a natural progression of my journey with PEP," said Dr. Ahmed. "The network has been instrumental in sharpening my research rigour and connecting me with outstanding colleagues across the globe. My priority will be to support researchers across the network in producing rigorous, policy-relevant evidence and to help deepen PEP's engagement with governments and development partners. I see a real opportunity to strengthen the link between our analytical work and tangible policy reform—particularly in fiscal policy, international trade, and renewable energy—and to ensure that the insights we generate continue to shape equitable and sustainable development pathways."

Dr. Ahmed succeeds Professor Heinrich Bohlmann (Associate Professor at the University of Pretoria, South Africa), who recently stepped down after nearly five years in the role. During Professor Bohlmann's tenure, the Macro-Micro Modelling Group completed major research projects on the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine War, as well as work on women's economic empowerment and multilateral development bank reform—all embedded within PEP's co-production model, with significant capacity building and mentoring for young researchers in partner countries.

Recognising his contribution, Prof. Mariara said: "We thank Heinrich for his stewardship of the Macro-Micro Modelling Group over the past five years, during which the group delivered methodologically rigorous and genuinely impactful research on some of the most consequential policy challenges of that period. We are grateful for his commitment to building the next generation of modellers in the Global South."

Professor Bohlmann has stepped down to focus on growing responsibilities at the University of Pretoria, including as Principal Investigator on a major new project. He remains closely connected to PEP and the Modelling group as a Scientific Mentor. 

Reflecting on his time as Research Director, Professor Bohlmann said: "PEP has been a leader in applying CGE and microsimulation methods to topical policy questions in the Global South for a long time, and I am proud this continued during my tenure. It is especially rewarding to know that the capacity-building efforts embedded in these projects will stand to benefit young researchers in the Global South for many years to come." 

PEP welcomes Dr. Ahmed to his new role and looks forward to the next chapter for the Macro-Micro Policy Modelling Group under his leadership.