Jason Bell

Jason Bell is an Economist and Researcher at the Centre for Competition Regulation and Economic Development (CCRED).

Jason holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree majoring in Economic Science, Corporate Finance and Investment from the University of the Witwatersrand. He also holds a Bachelor of Economic Sciences (Honours) (Cum Laude) and a Master of Commerce in Economics from the same institution.

Jason’s area of interest is in political economy issues, focusing on the role that regulations, governments and institutions play in fostering growth and the evolution and distribution of power within global value chains. His personal work has investigated the role of manufacturing in South Africa and other developing nations in fostering economic growth. He has researched the possibilities for the re-industrialisation of South Africa by comparing the experiences of similarly-sized upper-middle income countries.

Jason currently forms part of the team investigating the structure of the South African economy under the Industrial Development Think Tank (IDTT). His work has ranged from the metals, machinery and equipment sector to development finance institutions in South Africa. He contributed to inputs into a Digital Industrial Policy Framework for South Africa through his joint-work investigating the technological capabilities of South African plastics firms and comparing the plastic automotive component sectors of South Africa and Thailand. He currently is leading and project managing CCRED’s Southern African Market Observatory project tracking multiple food and other input prices across a range of Southern African economies.

Jason has contributed to multiple research outputs across a diverse subject range and has been a part of teams that have published research in peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and other international publications.