Professor Pip Okeefe

Professor Pip Okeefe

Professor

BA (Hons), Sydney University

LLB, Sydney University

LLM, London School of Economics

MSc., Oxford University

Business School
School of Economics

Philip (Pip) O’Keefe is Professor of Practice at the University of New South Wales Centre for Population Ageing Research (CEPAR). He leads a policy research program on societal ageing in Asia, covering issues from macro-fiscal, to labor markets, social protection, health and care, silver economy, and inequality and ageing. Between 1993 and 2021, he worked at the World Bank, most recently as Practice Manager for Social Protection and Jobs for EAP region. Prior to that, he was Lead Economist based in Washington DC, Beijing, New Delhi, Budapest and Sydney. Between 1989 and 1993, he was Lecturer at the University of Warwick, UK.

Phone
0450965734
  • Book Chapters | 2025
    O’Keefe P; Yiengprugsawan VS, 2025, 'Aged Care in Emerging Asia: New Demands, Evolving Responses, and Future Directions', in Handbook of Aging Health and Public Policy Perspectives from Asia, pp. 2215 - 2238, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-7842-7_150
    Book Chapters | 2024
    O'Keefe P; Haldane V, 2024, 'Towards a Framework for Impact Pathways between NCDs, Human Capital and Healthy Longevity, Economic and Wellbeing Outcomes', in Unlocking the Power of Healthy Longevity: Tackling non-communicable diseases to save lives, improve wellbeing, reduce inequities, and strengthen human capital. World Bank., World Bank, Washington DC
    Book Chapters | 2023
    Kudrna G; Piggott J; O'Keefe P, 2023, 'Pension Policy in Emerging Asian Economies with Population Ageing: What Do We Know, Where Should We Go?', in Handbook on the Economics of Ageing, Taylor & Francis, pp. 234 - 261, http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003150398-15
  • Journal articles | 2024
    O'Keefe P, 2024, 'Shaping Long-Term Care in Emerging Asia: Policy and Country Experiences', ASIAN-PACIFIC ECONOMIC LITERATURE, 38, pp. 149 - 150, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/apel.12431
    Journal articles | 2021
    O’keefe P; Giles J; Huang Y, 2021, 'Ageing, work and retirement in china, east and southeast asia', China an International Journal, 19, pp. 53 - 78, http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/chn.2021.0028
  • Working Papers | 2026
    O'Keefe P; Rongen G; Dornan M; Lanjouw P; Okeefe P, 2026, Counteracting the Impact of Societal Aging on Income Inequality : A Case Study of Malaysia, World Bank, Washington DC., 11356, http://dx.doi.org, http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/099458004162617894
    Working Papers | 2025
    O'Keefe P; Rongen G; Okeefe P, 2025, Should Malaysia Expand its Social Pension? Global Evidence, design issues and options, World Bank, Washington DC, 204723, http://dx.doi.org, http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/099092525010030187

I am a development economist and lead the research stream on Ageing in Asia within the Centre for Population Ageing Research (CEPAR), which sits within the School of Economics under the Business School.  

My research interests focus primarily on emerging economies of Asia and the various dimensions of societal ageing, and their social and economic implications. This includes macro-fiscal impacts of demographic transitions, labor markets and upskilling across the life course, pension and social protection systems, health and long-term care systems, silver economy, and inequality and ageing. I also undertake regular consultancies with organizations such as World Bank and Asian Development Bank. Prior to joining CEPAR in 2021, between 1993 and 2021, I worked at the World Bank where I led analytical and policy advisory work on various aspects of social policy with around 20 countries in East and Southeast, South and Central Asia, the Western Balkans, and Pacific Islands, as well as investment and budget support lending operations.