Dr Zeph Nhleko is the Chief Economist of the Development Bank of Southern Africa and an adjunct professor at the University of South Africa. Before this, he served as a Deputy Director-General at the national Economic Development Department overseeing economic policy development and coordination as well as social dialogue. This followed his role as a Deputy Director-General at a provincial (sub-national) Department of Economic Development Tourism and Environmental Affairs responsible for economic planning, sector development and business governance. He earlier spent more than 17 years (more than 7 years as a senior economist) analysing economic data and interpreting macroeconomic policy outcomes at the South African Reserve Bank (central bank). He holds, among others, an MCom, MBA and Phd degrees.