Curriculum Vitae

Education

1970 Graduated in Mathematics and Economics

1982 Ph.D. Thesis: The world rubber economy to the year 2000, Free University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Professional career

2010 – Present Independent Consultant on Analysis and Forecasts for the Rubber Economy.

2005 – 2009 Secretary-General, International Rubber Study Group, London/Singapore

1979 – 2004 Many consultancies for World Bank, European Union, United Nations’ Conference on Trade and Development, United Nations’ Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Food and Agriculture Organization, Common Fund for Commodities, Ministries (in The Netherlands and abroad), Companies (in The Netherlands and abroad).

1995 – 2004 Managing Director, Economic and Social Institute (ESI), Free University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

1986 – 1995 Head of the Economic Research Division of the ESI, Free University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

1979 – 1986 Associate Professor, ESI and Department of Economics, Free University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

1976 – 1978 Expert to United Nations’ Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, stationed in Bangkok, Thailand

1970 – 1976 Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Free University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

2010 – Present Consultant on Analysis and Forecasts for the Rubber Economy

Activities

  • Analytical and advisory reports for a number of clients;
  • A large number of consultations especially with organisations such as investment companies either in their office or in a one-to-one call, by teleconference or via webcast;
  • Presentations at conferences, seminars and training workshops.

2005 – 2009 Secretary-General of the International Rubber Study Group

Dr. Hidde Smit was Secretary-General of the International Rubber Study Group (IRSG) during 2005-2009. The IRSG is an intergovernmental organization analysing supply and demand of natural and synthetic rubber. Smit concentrated on setting up and improving models for forecasting demand, supply and prices of natural and synthetic rubber. He also started intensive cooperation with the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries and the International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers. He gave presentations at 72 conferences, seminars and meetings in 23 different countries. During his tenure industry membership of IRSG doubled.

1979 – 2004 Economic and Social Institute, Free University, Amsterdam

During this period Smit conducted substantive research for a large number of companies and for national and international organisations. His areas of work were:

Research

  • Commodity markets: modelling commodity markets, price stabilisation, price risk management, concentration, globalisation and market structures;
  • General commodity policy: production and processing policies, marketing policies, modelling, investment and long-term production in agriculture, management information systems for production, marketing and trade policies;
  • Macro-economic modelling: modelling national economies, applied general equilibrium models, agricultural sector models.

Publications

During this period Smit prepared/presented over 130 publications on rubber and a large number on the other areas of research mentioned above.

Teaching

Applied model building and econometrics, Department of Economics, Free University, Amsterdam, 1970-1976, 1979-1988;

Special courses and workshops in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria.