Dambisa Moyo, Baroness Moyo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Baroness Moyo
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Moyo in 2024
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| Born |
Dambisa Felicia Moyo
2 February 1969 Lusaka, Zambia
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| Alma mater | University of Zambia American University (BS, MBA) Harvard University (MPA) St Antony's College, Oxford (DPhil) |
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| Known for | Economic theories on macroeconomics, global affairs, international development |
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Notable work
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Dead Aid (2009) How the West Was Lost (2011) Winner Take All (2012) Edge of Chaos (2018) How Boards Work (2021) |
| Political party | Non-affiliated |
| Spouse(s) | Jared Smith |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| Assumed office 8 November 2022 Life peerage |
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Dambisa Felicia Moyo, also known as Baroness Moyo, was born on February 2, 1969. She is an economist and author from Zambia. She is well-known for her ideas about how the world's economies work and how countries interact.
Moyo has written five books. Four of these books became New York Times bestsellers. Her books include Dead Aid (2009), How the West Was Lost (2011), Winner Take All (2012), Edge of Chaos (2018), and How Boards Work (2021).
Contents
Early Life and Education
Dambisa Moyo was born in 1969 in Lusaka, Zambia. She lived in the United States for some time as a child. This was while her father was studying there. Later, she returned to Zambia.
She first studied chemistry at the University of Zambia. She then received a scholarship to attend American University in Washington, D.C.. There, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry in 1991. In 1993, she completed her Master of Business Administration (MBA) in finance at the same university.
Moyo continued her studies at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. She earned a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree in 1997. In 2002, she received her Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) degree in economics from St Antony's College, Oxford University.
Career Highlights
Working at the World Bank and Goldman Sachs
After getting her MBA, Moyo worked at the World Bank from May 1993 to September 1995. She was a consultant, helping different departments. She also helped write the World Bank's important 1994 annual World Development Report.
After finishing her MPA and PhD, Moyo joined Goldman Sachs in 2001. She worked there as a research economist and strategist until November 2008. Her work involved advising developing countries on how to get money by selling bonds. She also led economic research for countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Serving on Company Boards
After leaving Goldman Sachs, Moyo joined the board of directors for the international brewing company SABMiller in 2009. She has also served on the boards of other big companies. These include Barclays Bank, Barrick Gold (a mining company), 3M, and Seagate Technology (a data storage company).
As of 2025, she is a director on the boards of National Geographic, Chevron Corporation, Condé Nast, and the Starbucks Corporation.
Moyo has also been a board member for charities like Lundin for Africa and Room to Read. She is also part of important global groups. These include the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on Global Economic Imbalances, The Trilateral Commission, and the Bretton Woods Committee.
Public Speaking and Writing
Dambisa Moyo is a well-known public speaker and writer. She often shares her ideas in international financial and economic newspapers and magazines. Some of these include The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The New York Times, and Time.
She has given talks at many important economic events and conferences. These include the annual World Economic Forum in Davos and the Council on Foreign Relations. She also speaks at places like TEDTalks and on the BBC show HARDtalk. She is a regular commentator on business news TV channels.
Awards and Recognition
On November 8, 2022, Dambisa Moyo was given the title of Baroness Moyo. This is a life peerage, which means she became a member of the House of Lords in the United Kingdom for life. She was also chosen to be part of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences in 2022. In 2023, she became an Honorary Fellow of Queens' College, Cambridge.
Some of her other recognitions include:
- World Economic Forum Young Global Leader (2009)
- Time 100 (2009)
- Oprah Winfrey's O First-Ever Power List (2009)
- Hayek Lifetime Achievement Award (2013)
- GQ and Editorial Intelligence The 100 Most Connected Women (2014)
- Handelsblatt 25 Great Thinkers (2015)
- Evening Standard: London's Most Influential People (2015, 2016, 2017)
Her Books
About Dead Aid
Moyo's first book, Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There is Another Way for Africa (2009), became a New York Times bestseller. In this book, she argues that money given as aid from rich governments to African governments has actually caused harm. She believes this type of aid should be stopped over time. She points out that over $1 trillion in aid has gone to Africa in the past 50 years, and she questions if it has truly helped.
The book suggests that official development aid, which is different from help given during emergencies, can keep countries poor. It can also stop them from growing their economies. Instead, she offers ideas for how developing countries can grow financially without relying on foreign government aid.
The Financial Times summed up her argument. They said that "endless development aid to African governments... has created dependence, encouraged corruption and ultimately kept bad leadership and poverty going."
About How the West Was Lost
Moyo's second book, How the West Was Lost: Fifty Years of Economic Folly – And the Stark Choices that Lie Ahead (2011), also became a New York Times bestseller. It reached No. 6 on the list.
In a review, Paul Collier said that her explanation of recent financial problems was "clear and smart." The Guardian newspaper said this book was "more interesting, wider in scale and more important than Dead Aid."
About Winner Take All
Moyo's third book, Winner Take All: China's Race for Resources and What It Means for the World (2012), looks at how countries will get important resources in the future. It focuses on China's huge search for natural resources around the world. These include metals, minerals, wood, and food. The book talks about what might happen financially and politically as resources become scarcer. It suggests that China is already becoming very powerful in the world economy.
Winner Take All also became a New York Times bestseller. A review in the Financial Times said that "If Dambisa Moyo is right, the demands of the world's most populated country are bad news for everyone else."
About Edge of Chaos
In her book Edge of Chaos: Why Democracy Is Failing to Deliver Economic Growth – and How to Fix It (2018), Moyo argues that a lack of steady economic growth for everyone causes political problems. She believes that improving how workers produce things is key to economic growth. She also discusses the need to update how democratic capitalism works and offers possible solutions. The book includes a 10-point plan for a "New Democracy" to help capitalism grow.
About How Boards Work
Moyo's fifth book, How Boards Work: And How They Can Work Better in a Chaotic World, was released in 2021. This book gives an inside look at how company boards operate. It suggests that boards need to be more open, knowledgeable, and diverse. This would help them guide companies through the challenges of today's world. The Financial Times said the book would be "very helpful for people hoping to join boards."
Personal Life
In December 2020, Dambisa Moyo married Jared Smith. He is a billionaire and co-founder of Qualtrics, a cloud computing company based in Utah.
See also
In Spanish: Dambisa Moyo para niños
