Main
Rendell E. de Kort
Development Economist
Senior Development Economist with experience in public policy and macro economic analysis in the Dutch Caribbean. Currently providing economic and financial advisory with a focus on sustainability.
Professional Experience
Commissioner of State-owned Enterprise
Aruba Agri Development Company N.V.
Oranjestad, Aruba
2024 - Present
Senior Partner
Capstone Research Group VBA - trade names: Cornerstone Economics / Lovely Data
Oranjestad, Aruba
2018 - Present
- Financial and economic advisory with a focus on sustainability
- Business analytics and data solutions advisory and training
- Research, including randomized control trials (RCTs) on social interventions
Adjunct faculty
University of Aruba
Oranjestad, Aruba
2012 - 2024
- Political and Economic Development (Faculty Arts & Science)
- Macro Economics (Faculty Accounting, Finance & Marketing)
- Small Island Developing States (Faculty Arts & Science)
- COVID-19 Food Security and Economic Diversity in the CAS islands (ZonMw research project)
Economist Consultant
The World Bank
Remote (Washington, DC office)
2020 - Present
- Disaster Risk Financing (DRF) assessment for Sint Maarten
- Liaison Food security assessment for Aruba and Curacao
- Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) and Carrying Capacity Assessment for Bonaire
- DRF assessment and structuring CAT-DDO for Barbados
- DRF operational plan for Commonwealth of Dominica
Consultant Tourism Statistics and National Accounts Statistics
Central Bureau of Statistics Aruba
Oranjestad, Aruba
2019
- Programmed the analysis of tourism expenditure survey data
- Coordinated a data system to process quarterly firm level data and aggregating it to GDP.
- Programmed a data pipeline to combine and analyze firm level data from various sources.
Economist
Centrale Bank van Aruba
Oranjestad, Aruba
2010 - 2018
- Spearheaded the development, operation and maintenance of forecasting models and the macroeconomic model of the Aruban economy
- Formulated and communicated the narrative concerning economic development of Aruba
- Served as the secretary to the Monetary Policy Committee as well as to the Coordination Committee of the public sector
Education
VU University Amsterdam
Ph.D. candidate: Economic resilience to external shocks in Small Island States
Remote (the Netherlands)
2022 - Expected 2028
- Advisor: Prof. Kees Boersma, Professor of socio-technical innovation and societal resilience in the Faculty of Social Sciences, VU University Amsterdam
- Co-adivsor: Prof. Mark Sanders, Professor of International Economics in the school of Business and Economics, Maastricht University
University of Manchester
Msc. in Development Economics & Policy
Manchester, UK
2008 - 2009
- Thesis: Searching for Binding Constraints on Economic Growth in Aruba: Applying the Growth Diagnostics Approach
- Courses included: Econometrics, Public Sector Economics, Stabilization & Development, Macroeconomics and Applied Development Econometrics
University of Nottingham
Graduate Diploma Economics
Nottingham, UK
2007 - 2008
- Courses included: Mathematics for Economists, Advanced Macroecnomics and Microeconomics, Health Economics and Econometrics.
- Contributor to the Nottingham Economic Review and elected student representative at the school of Economics.
Inholland University of Applied Sciences
Bachelor of Business Administration
Rotterdam, the Netherlands
2003 - 2007
- Completed a semester at the Ecole Supérieure du Commerce Extérieur (ESCE) in Paris France as part of an Erasmus exchange program.
Research Experience
Diagnostics on the technology divide on Aruba
Co-authored through Cornerstone Economics for a project commissioned by Aruba Futura foundation.
Oranjestad, Aruba
2022
COVID-19 Post-Disaster Needs Assessment Bonaire: Socioeconomic assessment (March - December 2020)
Co-authored as part of a diverse team of World Bank experts.
2021
Building Aruba’s Food Security During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond
Co-authored as part of a diverse team of World Bank experts.
2020
The economic valuation of agriculture in Aruba
Chapter in The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity, Aruba (with F. Lacle)
2018
Forecasting tourism demand through search queries and machine learning
IFC Bulletin, Bank for International Settlements No. 44
Bali, Indonesia
2017
The economic consequence of the dissapearance of Natalee Holloway
Published in Dutch (with J. Ridderstaat and W. Hassink) on Mejudice.
2015
Getting the price right: Calibrating tourism price measures for Aruba
Co-authored (with W. Mosher) for the Annual Review Seminar “Macroeconomic Policy And the Way Forward: Redesigning Economic Policy in the Context of Global Challenges.
Bridgetown, Barbados
2011
Additional activities
Board Member and Secretary Centro Deportivo Playa
Appointed as part of a new board entrusted to restore the multi-functional sport facility
Oranjestad, Aruba
2022 - Present
Board Member and Treasurer Fundacion Guia Mi
Fundacion Guia Mi is a government subsidized foundation on Aruba to which the court assigns custody of minors. The foundation also recruits , provides training to, and guides foster families.
Oranjestad, Aruba
2015 - Present
President Kiwanis Young Professionals Aruba (KYPA)
One of four adult Kiwanis clubs on Aruba, KYPA is specifically geared towards young professionals.
Oranjestad, Aruba
2014 - 2015
Personal achievements
Young Leaders of the Americas Professional fellow
The U.S. Department of State
Washington, U.S.
2021
Top 5 nomination Best in Business Award 2019
Guardian Group
Oranjestad, Aruba
2019
Founding Curator Oranjestad Global Shapers
Global Shapers Community - an initiative of the World Economic Forum
Oranjestad, Aruba