Before Ms. Javorcik took up her position at the EBRD, she was the first woman to hold a Statutory Professorship in Economics at the University of Oxford. Prior to that, she worked at the World Bank (at the same time I was there but our paths seldom crossed).
She holds a Ph.D. in economics from Yale University and in her research has focused mainly on international trade. As I am looking forward very much to her keynote lecture, let me close here, without any further ado, by wishing you an interesting, productive and also entertaining conference and by giving the floor to Ms. Javorcik. Dear Beata, the floor is yours.