About

Bio of Dr. Ghulam Mohey-ud-din

Dr. Ghulam Mohey Ud Din is a Principal Economist, Policy Advisor, and Data Intelligence Leader with over 18 years of multidisciplinary experience in economic research, public policy, and data-driven strategic planning. His career bridges academia, government, and the private sector—anchored in the belief that sound data and rigorous analysis form the foundation of sustainable economic development and evidence-based policymaking.

Currently serving as Principal Economic Planner at Parsons Corporation (Royal Commission of Jubail and Yanbu, Saudi Arabia), Dr. Mohey Ud Din leads the formulation and evaluation of large-scale socio-economic strategies that align with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 agenda. His portfolio includes the design of social impact evaluation frameworks, KPI systems, and spatial-economic models that strengthen institutional decision-making and optimize public investments. His work integrates econometrics, policy advisory, and digital analytics to assess program effectiveness and support strategic planning for regional economic growth.

Before joining Parsons, he served as Director of Economic Affairs at the Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies (CASS), Lahore, where he established and led the think tank’s Economic Affairs Department. There, he managed a multidisciplinary team of economists and analysts, setting research agendas on national economic security, fiscal stability, and development policy. He authored numerous analytical papers, book chapters, and opinion pieces addressing Pakistan’s economic resilience, policy effectiveness, and social impact evaluation frameworks. His contributions at CASS advanced the integration of data-driven insights into national economic policy dialogue.

Earlier, at The Urban Unit, Government of Punjab, he spent six years as Senior Urban Economist and Senior Program Manager (Social Development), leading the economic research and social planning components of major projects such as the Punjab Spatial Strategy (US$ 60 million, World Bank–supported) and the Punjab Planning & Policy Support Programme (PKR 200 million).

He directed a interdisciplinary team in conducting advanced econometric, spatial, and policy analyses—producing evidence-based recommendations that informed regional development, urban infrastructure investments, and spatial policy design. Under his leadership, data visualization tools and GIS-integrated decision support systems were developed to guide policy evaluation and resource allocation. His work on spatial econometrics, regional inequalities, and liveability indices has been recognized as a pioneering contribution to sub-national economic policy design in South Asia.

Dr. Mohey Ud Din’s professional journey also includes experience in academia, consulting, and public administration. As Senior Assistant Professor and Acting Head of Department at Bahria University, he guided postgraduate research in economics and methodology, supervised over a dozen MS/MPhil theses, and coordinated academic programs with an emphasis on analytical rigor and applied economics. Earlier roles as Urban Economist at Meinhardt Pakistan, Economist at Punjab Small Industries Corporation, and Research Analyst at the Ministry of Economic Affairs reflect his early engagement with applied economic development, industry policy, and SME competitiveness.

Throughout his career, he has collaborated with a diverse range of international development partners, including the World Bank, DFID (UK-Aid), UNDP, and GIZ, contributing to multi-million-dollar programs and policy initiatives focused on spatial planning, industrial competitiveness, labor market mapping, and social protection diagnostics. His analytical approach merges econometric modeling with contextual policy interpretation—enabling him to identify structural patterns in data and translate them into actionable policy insights.

Dr. Mohey Ud Din’s research credentials are extensive. He has published one book, two book chapters, more than twenty peer-reviewed journal articles, and ten official technical reports, in addition to numerous policy briefs and opinion columns. His scholarly works have appeared in respected international journals such as Sustainability and Public Health and in leading national outlets like the Pakistan Development Review.

His 2023 book chapter, “State of the Economy 2023,” published by the Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies, offers a multidimensional examination of Pakistan’s macroeconomic challenges amid global disruptions. His 2021 article in Public Health on COVID-19 lockdown identification represents an intersection of economics, epidemiology, and spatial data science.

As a conference speaker, he has represented his work internationally, including at the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) and Asian Growth Research Institute (AGI) Joint Workshop in Japan, and at multiple national conferences hosted by the Pakistan Society of Development Economists (PSDE) and other academic institutions. These engagements underscore his commitment to advancing applied economics as both a discipline and a tool for sustainable development.

His professional affiliations reflect deep integration within the global research community, including memberships in the Urban Economics Association, Development Studies Association, Regional Studies Association, and the Pakistan Society of Development Economists (PIDE).

Beyond analytical expertise, Dr. Mohey Ud Din is recognized for his leadership and mentoring capabilities. He has managed multi-stakeholder teams, built institutional research capacities, and conducted training workshops on applied econometrics, data analysis using Stata and SPSS, and spatial decision support systems for government departments and academia. His training sessions for the Planning & Development Board of Punjab and Bahria University have contributed to strengthening technical capacity in quantitative policy analysis and spatial decision-making.

His technical toolkit includes advanced proficiency in Stata, R, Python, SPSS, and ArcGIS, with working knowledge of econometric modeling, time-series forecasting, and machine learning for predictive analytics. His familiarity with data visualization and impact evaluation frameworks enables him to bridge the gap between quantitative modeling and strategic communication—turning complex datasets into policy-relevant narratives that resonate with decision-makers.

Academically, Dr. Mohey Ud Din holds a PhD in Economics (2015) and an MPhil in Economics (2008) from Government College University, Lahore, where his research focused on spatial economic disparities and human capital dynamics. He also holds an MA in Economics (2002) from Islamia University, Bahawalpur.

Complementing his academic background, he is PMI-PBA® certified in Business Analysis and holds a Diploma in Project Management from the Pakistan Institute of Management. His training portfolio further includes certifications from the World Bank Institute, Johns Hopkins University (Data Science Specialization), and national institutions on econometric software, literature review methods, and qualitative research tools such as NVivo.

His diverse project experience encompasses both macroeconomic and microeconomic domains, including industrial policy, urban planning, trade facilitation, education sector analytics, and social protection. Notable projects include:

Yanbu Industrial City Economic Plan (Saudi Arabia) – Principal Economic Planner
Punjab Spatial Strategy (World Bank) – Lead Urban Economist
Urban Platform for Local Economic Development (UNDP) – Team Lead
ISPA Core Diagnostic Assessment (GIZ) – Team Lead
Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project – Urban Economist
Punjab Skills Mapping Exercise (TEVTA) – Deputy Project Director

Across these projects, he has consistently demonstrated the ability to synthesize data, theory, and stakeholder perspectives into comprehensive policy solutions.

In essence, Dr. Ghulam Mohey Ud Din represents a new generation of applied economists—technically adept, strategically minded, and globally engaged. His work is distinguished by an integrative approach that combines econometrics, spatial analytics, and policy design to address complex economic and social challenges. Whether advising governments, designing data frameworks, or producing analytical reports, his goal remains the same: to convert economic data into actionable insights that improve governance, equity, and development outcomes.

Dr. Mohey-ud-din, Ghulam - Lead Urban Economist