Elena Ianchovichina is the deputy chief economist for the Latin America and the Caribbean Region of the World Bank. Previously, she was a lead economist in the Office of the Chief Economist of the World Bank's Middle East and North Africa Region, where on many occasions she served as the acting regional chief economist. Since joining the World Bank in 2000, she has been a young professional in the Development Research Group and the East Asia and Pacific Region and an economist and a senior economist in the Economic Policy and Debt Department, where she managed the program on inclusive growth. Her research covers a wide range of topics in development and international economics, including trade policy, economic growth, foreign investment, global general equilibrium modeling, natural resources, food security, inequality, and political violence. She is the author or coauthor of numerous publications, including many articles published in international refereed journals and several books. Born in Bulgaria, she received her PhD from Purdue University in Indiana.