Niaz Asadullah is a Professor at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Malaya. Among his research interests include development economics, the economics of education, labor economics, and happiness economics. His current research draws upon data from South and Southeast Asia and focuses on female workforce participation, women's well-being, the impact of poverty programs, life satisfaction and well-being in old age.

After working for eleven years as a researcher and economist in the Japanese government and at J.P. Morgan, Dr. Takashi Oshio started his academic career from 1994 and has been serving at Hitostubashi University since 2009 as a professor at the Institute of Economic Research. He obtained his docoral degree in international public policy from Osaka University in 2002. His research has largely focused on social security, income distribution, education policy, and other issues related to public finance.