Dr. Axel Berger is a researcher at the German Development Institute (Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik, DIE), Department for World Economy and Development Finance, Bonn. He holds a doctorate in political science from the University of Duisburg-Essen and a Master degree from the Munich Ludwig-Maximilians-University in political science, economics and modern history. He works on the effects and diffusion patterns of international trade and investment agreements, with a focus on emerging markets and developing countries. Other areas of current research include the impact of free trade agreements on upgrading within global value chains and the role of the G20 in global governance. He has advised developing countries, development agencies and international organisations on trade and investment agreements.