Jean-Louis is an economic adviser with a focus on company performance, barriers to market entry and investment opportunities in emerging economies.

His latest research on these issues is published in the Harvard Business Review ("Even the Poorest Can Be a Thriving Market", May 2008 & "Now is the time to invest in Africa", February 2009, jointly with Paul Collier).

Jean-Louis is based at the Centre for the Study of African Economies at the University of Oxford and also works as an independent consultant to the private sector. He was previously an economist at the UK Department for International Development (DFID) where he worked with the IMF and the World Bank on economic growth and business development. Jean-Louis holds a First Class degree from the University of Bath and a Masters degree with Distinction from Oxford University, where he was awarded the Department of Economics Scholarship and the George Webb Medley Prize in Economics. While still in Germany he co-founded and led one of the country's largest fundraising events, SozialerTag (SocialDay), partnering with the German President, Volkswagen, Siemens, Deutsche Telekom and the national media.

Students get a job for one day with multinational companies or local businesses and donate their salary, while learning about the challenges in South-East Europe. Up to half a million people participate each year, raising around 18 million euro thus far.