Rita Ramalho is the Manager of the World Bank–IFC Doing Business. Previously Rita Ramalho was the program manager of World Bank–IFC Enterprise Surveys andWomen, Business and the Law project. Enterprise Surveys provide the world's most comprehensive company-level data for emerging markets and developing economies. Enterprise Surveys data are available on more than 120,000 firms in 125 countries. The data are used to create indicators that benchmark the quality of the business and investment climate across countries from the perspective of both female and male entrepreneurs. Women, Business and the Law presents indicators based on laws and regulations affecting women's prospects as entrepreneurs and employees, drawing in part on laws contained in the Gender Law Library. The data can inform research and policy discussions on how to improve women's economic opportunities and outcomes. Rita Ramalho holds a PhD in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her previous research focused on the impact of regulation on economic variables such as growth, where she found that better business regulations can lead to more growth. Currently she is researching the impact of regulations on female labor force participation, tax policy and entrepreneurship, labor regulations, and the size of the informal sector. She speaks Portuguese and is conversant in Spanish.
