Joel Cheung
Asia Economist
I analyse Asia's economics and geopolitics at The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) to help clients make well-informed decisions.
About
I'm an Asia economist at the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), where I analyse macroeconomic and geopolitical trends to forecast developments across the region.
My background is in quantitative economics. I combine data-driven rigour with regional knowledge and multilingual fluency to produce forecasts that help organisations navigate a complex world.
I serve as a board trustee of The Economist Charitable Trust, setting strategy and overseeing grant funding to maximise the impact of causes closest to our colleagues.
I'm from Hong Kong—one of the world's most international cities—where global capital and trade meet. University was in Sweden, now based in London.
Before entering economics, I co-founded a travel company, securing grant funding from the Hong Kong government via the Youth Entrepreneur Award. That experience shapes how I approach research—practical, commercially minded and focused on what matters.
Expertise
Asia Pacific macroeconomics
Hong Kong, Japan, Laos, Papua New Guinea
Macro forecasts and political risk assessments. Coverage spans monetary policy, trade dynamics, sovereign risk and electoral outlook.
AI developments
Asia
AI adoption, semiconductor supply chains and digital infrastructure, and what they mean for regional growth.
Financial Flows
Asia
Cross-border investment, currency dynamics and Hong Kong's role as a financial conduit.
What I do
Country analysis.
Macro forecasts and geopolitical risk assessments covering monetary policy, trade dynamics, fiscal sustainability and economic growth. Analysis combines quantitative modelling with on-the-ground institutional knowledge, translating complex developments into clear, actionable intelligence.
Speaker engagements.
Available for media commentary, panel discussions and expert briefings on Asia's macroeconomic and geopolitical landscape and AI developments, drawing on EIU forecasts and analysis.
Board Trustee
As a board trustee of The Economist Group Charitable Trust, I help shape strategy to maximise the impact of causes our colleagues care about.