Alexandra Mousavizadeh

Alexandra Mousavizadeh (born 18 Sept 1970) is a Danish economist and Director of the Prosperity Index, a comprehensive ranking of the prosperity of more than 140 countries published annually by the London-based Legatum Institute.

Mousavizadeh was born in Copenhagen to a Danish father, Steen Bream Vedel, and an English mother, Susanna Foster Dickson Vedel. Her grandfather, William Dickson was Marshal of the Royal Air Force and Chief of the Defence Staff. Through him she is a direct descendent of Lord Nelson.

She was educated at Lyngby Privat Skole in Denmark and Down House boarding school in Berkshire, England before to returning to Denmark to attend N. Zahle's School in Copenhagen. From 1989 to 1994 she attended the University of Copenhagen, graduating with an MA in Economics.

Mousavizadeh began her career at the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she focused on its humanitarian endeavours and its efforts to support developing countries. After this role, she was a visiting Research Scholar at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC.

Mousavizadeh then worked for Moody's for 10 years. Based in New York, she covered Emerging and Frontier Markets for the Sovereign Risk team. She then moved to Morgan Stanley in London as Head of Country Risk Management for EMEA, before returning to Moody's as Assistant Vice President for the Africa sovereign ratings portfolio.

Before joining the Legatum Institute, Mousavizadeh was CEO of ARC Ratings, an Emerging Market-based ratings agency.

Mousavizadeh's analysis has featured in a number of publications, including The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, The Moscow Times, Euromoney,

and eNCA.