Speaker(s): Dr Simeon Djankov, Anne-Laure Kiechel, Professor Ugo Panizza, Dr Jeromin Zettelmeyer | This talk focuses on the ways in which advanced economies as well as emerging markets can create the fiscal space to boost post-COVID-19 recovery prospects. While some countries are still in the midst of the COVID-19 health crisis, others are starting on their way to economic recovery. Recovery after such a tremendous shock will be painful and expensive. There is still enormous uncertainty both on the health front, as well as on the economic front. Policies in both directions require significant new budget allocations. Simeon Djankov (@SimeonDjankov) is Co-Director for Policy and Research Fellow at the Financial Markets Group, LSE. He was deputy prime minister and minister of finance of Bulgaria from 2009 to 2013. Prior to his cabinet appointment, Djankov was Chief Economist of the finance and private sector vice presidency of the World Bank. Anne-Laure Kiechel (@alkiechel) totals more than 20 years of experience in debt/capital markets and Sovereign Advisory, at both government and SOE level. In 2019, she founded Global Sovereign Advisory (“GSA”). In 2009, she joined Rothschild in Paris, working in the Financial Advisory group. She became Partner in 2014 and initiated Rothschild Sovereign Advisory, a practice she co-created and developed before being appointed Global Head. She started her career at Lehman Brothers in 1999, working in several departments in New York, London, and Paris. She headed Lehman Brothers Debts Capital Markets practices for France and Benelux and co-headed Lehman’s Global Finance practice. Ugo Panizza (@upanizza) is Professor of Economics and Pictet Chair in Finance and Development at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. He is also the Director of the International Center for Monetary and Banking Studies (ICMB), Editor in Chief of International Development Policy and Deputy Director of the Center for Finance and Development. Jeromin Zettelmeyer (@jzettelmeyer) rejoined the IMF as Deputy Director in the Strategy, Policy and Review Department in August 2019. He is a CEPR research fellow and a member of CESIfo, and led CEPR’s Research and Policy Network on European Economic Architecture during 2018-19. Andrés Velasco (@AndresVelasco) is Dean of the LSE School of Public Policy. The Financial Markets Group Research Centre (@FMG_LSE) was established in 1987 at the LSE. The FMG is a leading centre in Europe for policy research into financial markets.