Zia is a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. His current research revolves around the transformation of economies and globalization by today's forces of change ranging from technology to geopolitics and the implications for public policy and global governance. He previously worked in leadership positions at the World Bank and the IMF, including serving as Director, Development Economics, at the World Bank. He also served as Executive Secretary of the IMF-World Bank Joint Ministerial Development Committee, and represented the World Bank at major international forums, including the G20. He led several World Bank and IMF flagship publications on global issues. He holds a D.Phil. in economics from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. His recent work includes two edited volumes published in 2024: "Harnessing Technology for Inclusive Prosperity: Growth, Work, and Inequality in the Digital Era" and "New Global Dynamics: Managing Economic Change in a Transforming World."