Dr Michele Palladino is Senior Policy Analyst at the Policy Links unit, IfM Engage, University of Cambridge. Policy Links is a not-for-profit innovation consultancy unit that works with governments to develop effective industrial innovation policies. He joined IfM Engage in 2017.

Dr Michele is an economist and project manager with more than 10 years’ experience in academia and the consulting sector. He is an expert in development and industrial economics, with a focus on science, technology and innovation policy, including Industry 4.0, national systems of innovation, industry structural analysis, and industrial strategies. As Senior Policy Analyst, he provides economics expertise to all Policy Links projects and manages technical and financial proposals for international donors.

Michele has been the lead economist on several reports produced by Policy Links, with a focus on Industry 4.0 as well as the impact of emerging digital technologies. He advised clients such as the UK Government, the Inter-American Development Bank, UNIDO, UNDP, and the Asian Development Bank, as well as national and regional innovation and industrial development agencies in countries such as Ireland, Indonesia, Brazil, and South Africa. Before joining Policy Links, he worked as a consultant economist for a leading economics and environmental consultancy based in the UK, as well as in consulting roles in Brazil and Italy. Michele holds a PhD in Production and Development Economics from the University of Insubria (Italy) and an MSc in Development Economics from the University of Sussex. A native Italian speaker, he is also fluent in Portuguese.