External Debt Statistics Fundamentals

Renato Pérez is a distinguished economist currently serving as Regional External Sector Statistics Advisor at the IMF's Capacity Development Office in Thailand, where he leads projects strengthening economic statistics capacity across Southeast Asia and Pacific Island countries. His career at the IMF spans over a decade, including roles as Senior Economist in the Balance of Payments Division and the Financial Institution Division, where he coordinated external debt statistics and contributed to major investment surveys. Pérez's expertise extends beyond his IMF tenure, encompassing key positions in Ecuador's public sector as Undersecretary in the Ministry of Economy and Finance and at the Central Bank, as well as private sector experience leading risk management in commercial banking. His academic background includes a BA in Economics from the Catholic University of Ecuador and an MA in Economics and Finance from INCAE Business School, complemented by teaching experience at Universidad del Pacífico. Throughout his career, Pérez has conducted numerous technical assistance missions globally, coordinated specialized courses, and made significant contributions to international financial statistics, including the revision of the FSI Compilation Guide. His multifaceted experience in public policy, central banking, and international financial institutions makes him a key figure in advancing global economic statistics and capacity development.

Tamara Razin is a Senior Economist in the Balance of Payments Division of the IMF's Statistics Department (STA), where she has made significant contributions to external sector statistics (ESS) over her 13-year tenure. Her major accomplishments include coordinating and authoring several chapters of the BPM6 Compilation Guide, drafting the Guide for Compiling Remittance Statistics, and leading the conversion of the IMF's balance of payments and international investment position (IIP) database to the BPM6 framework. As Secretary of the IMF Committee on Balance of Payments Statistics, she plays a crucial role in developing ESS methodology internationally. Razin has designed the IMF's new external sector statistics training architecture, including both online foundational and intermediate courses on balance of payments and IIP. Prior to joining the IMF, she spent 13 years as Deputy Chief of the Balance of Payments Division at the National Bank of Moldova while also lecturing on macroeconomic statistics at Moldova's Academy of Public Relations. Her expertise extends to capacity development, having led numerous initiatives to help IMF member countries worldwide develop and improve their ESS compilation systems, and she has authored several working papers addressing complex methodological issues in external sector statistics.

Maria Borga is a distinguished economist serving as Deputy Division Chief in the Balance of Payments Division at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), where she leads the update of international statistical standards, including the Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual. Her career spans influential roles across major international organizations and government agencies. Prior to the IMF, Borga was a Senior Statistician at the OECD, overseeing the implementation of the Benchmark Definition of Foreign Direct Investment, 4th edition (BD4) and integrating FDI statistics with the Trade in Value Added Database. Her earlier work at the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis as Assistant Division Chief for Research and Analysis focused on improving measures of service trade and analyzing the impact of offshoring on U.S. multinational enterprises (MNEs). Borga's research portfolio includes studies on foreign expansion effects on domestic operations of U.S. MNEs, globalization of R&D activities, and adaptation of production processes in foreign manufacturing affiliates. Her academic background includes a B.A. in Economics and B.S. in French from Pennsylvania State University, complemented by a Ph.D. in Economics from Boston University. Borga's expertise in FDI statistics, MNE operations, and international economic analysis has significantly contributed to enhancing global economic measurement standards and understanding the complex dynamics of multinational enterprises in the global economy.

Kristy Howell is Deputy Division Chief in the Balance of Payments Division at the International Monetary Fund, having been promoted to this role in January 2023 after serving as Senior Economist since September 2020. Her expertise spans external sector statistics, climate change indicators, and international economic analysis. Before joining the IMF, Howell held several leadership positions at the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, including Chief of the Balance of Payments Division and Assistant Division Chief for Goods and Services Trade, where she oversaw the production of critical international trade statistics. At the IMF, she has made significant contributions to various initiatives, including the Climate Change Indicators Dashboard and the Coordinated Direct Investment Survey, while serving as secretariat of the IMF's Committee on Balance of Payments Statistics. Her work focuses on developing international statistical standards and improving the quality of external sector statistics. Howell's academic background includes specialization in Development Economics, with coursework in Econometrics, Mathematical Economics, Macroeconomics, Monetary Policy, Finance, and Microeconomics. She continues to shape international economic measurement through her role in updating statistical standards and developing comprehensive training programs for balance of payments and international investment position statistics.