Kamilah Owmandi
Singapore
Summary
Economist and data training professional with over 12 years of experience in academia, public sector, and consultancy. Expertise in economic modeling, AI data structuring, public finance, and applied econometrics. Proven ability to design problem sets, train AI systems for economic reasoning, and evaluate model outputs for bias and accuracy. Fluent in Mandarin and English, with a strong background in economic policy design and data analysis for informed decision-making.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Lead Economist & AI Data Consultant
Asia Policy Analytics Group
01.2020 - Current
- Developed domain-specific data sets and case-based economic scenarios for AI models in macroeconomics and microeconomics.
- Led the construction of evaluation rubrics for economic model outputs, enabling systematic grading and feedback refinement.
- Supervised a 15-member QA and prompt engineering team in ensuring semantic clarity, logic, and ethical neutrality in LLM outputs.
- Designed over 3,500 training items related to inflation dynamics, international trade, behavioral economics, and public policy.
Senior Economic Policy Advisor
Ministry of Trade and Industry
01.2015 - 01.2020
- Drafted and reviewed national-level policy documents on trade liberalization, SME support, and fiscal stimulus responses.
- Applied advanced econometrics and CGE models to assess impact of tariff changes and trade agreements (e.g., RCEP, CPTPP).
- Represented Singapore in APEC Economic Committee workshops and WTO trade policy reviews.
- Advised AI developers on integrating economic constraints and variables into machine-learning simulations for policy evaluation.
Adjunct Lecturer in Development Economics
National University of Singapore (NUS)
01.2017 - 01.2019
- Taught postgraduate modules in Development Theory, Microeconomic Policy, and International Trade.
- Developed quantitative modules for economics students integrating R and Python for empirical modeling.
- Mentored students pursuing thesis projects on inequality, behavioral nudges, and climate-linked fiscal strategies.
Research Economist
Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)
01.2011 - 01.2015
- Conducted applied research on regional value chains, non-tariff measures, and digital trade regulations.
- Co-authored 8 peer-reviewed papers and over 15 policy briefs cited by governments and regional banks.
- Introduced data annotation protocols to structure economic data sets for machine-learning integration.
Education
PhD - Economics
University of Cambridge
UK01.2011
MSc - International Trade, Finance and Development
Barcelona School of Economics (Universitat Pompeu Fabra)
Spain01.2007
BA - Economics
Nanyang Technological University
Singapore01.2006
Pre-University (A-Levels) -
Raffles Junior College
Singapore01.2002
Skills
- Economic modeling and applied econometrics
- Statistical software proficiency
- Policy analysis and trade economics
- Data analysis and annotation
- Programming in R and Python
- AI model evaluation and prompt engineering
- Curriculum design and instructional content
- Technical writing and peer review editing
- Macroeconomic forecasting and fiscal simulation
- Bilingual data workflows (Mandarin-English)
Certification
- Certificate in Ethical AI Development, HarvardX, 2023
- Advanced STATA for Economists, LSE Executive Education, 2022
- Python for Economic Modeling, MITx Online, 2021
- Certificate in Trade Policy and Global Markets, WTO/World Bank Joint Program, 2020
Accomplishments
- Co-authored 8 peer-reviewed articles on public finance, behavioral economics, and regional trade.
- Increased AI model evaluation consistency by 35% through the development of adaptive grading rubrics.
- Reduced training time for new economics data annotators by 42% via redesigned onboarding material.
- Recognized as a top-tier expert contributor to interdisciplinary AI research involving social sciences.
- Led economic data strategy team contributing to AI system adopted in regional development planning.
Projects
Economics Instructional Dataset for LLMs, Asia Policy Analytics Group, Authored over 3,500 domain-specific question-answer sets categorized by difficulty and sub-discipline (macroeconomics, international trade, labor, environmental economics)., Incorporated feedback loops and statistical verification to optimize machine comprehension. Cross-Border Trade Simulation AI Framework, Contributed to the creation of a data-driven AI model that simulates tariff and exchange rate changes in ASEAN countries., Enhanced realism and ethical grounding by introducing multidimensional rubric-based evaluation.
Languages
- English, Native
- Mandarin Chinese, Native
- Malay, Professional Working Proficiency
Activities
- Member, Economic Society of Singapore (ESS) and American Economic Association (AEA)
- Awardee, ASEAN Research Excellence Grant - ERIA (2014)
- Chair, Annual Behavioral Economics Symposium, Singapore (2019-2022)
- Speaker, OECD Forum on Digital Trade and AI Regulation (2021)
- Volunteer Mentor, Girls in Economics SG (Ongoing)
- Recipient, President's Postgraduate Fellowship - University of Cambridge (2008-2011)
- Delegate, World Bank Global Youth Forum on Development Finance (2010)
Timeline
Lead Economist & AI Data Consultant
Asia Policy Analytics Group
01.2020 - Current
Adjunct Lecturer in Development Economics
National University of Singapore (NUS)
01.2017 - 01.2019
Senior Economic Policy Advisor
Ministry of Trade and Industry
01.2015 - 01.2020
Research Economist
Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)
01.2011 - 01.2015
PhD - Economics
University of Cambridge
MSc - International Trade, Finance and Development
Barcelona School of Economics (Universitat Pompeu Fabra)
BA - Economics
Nanyang Technological University
Pre-University (A-Levels) -
Raffles Junior College
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