서울대 경제학과를 졸업하고 영국 케임브리지대학 경제학 박사학위를 받았다. 1990년부터 케임브리지대학 경제학부 교수로 재직중이다. 주요 저서로 2003년 뮈르달상 수상작 Kicking Away the Ladder(한국어판 『사다리 걷어차기』)와 『개혁의 덫』 등이 있다.

After studying economics (BA) at Seoul National University and Cambridge University (M Phil and Ph D), Chang Ha-Joon has served as a professor at Cambridge University since 1990. His major works include Kicking Away the Ladder: Development Strategy in Historical Perspective(published in both English and Korean), which won the Myrdal Award in 2003, The Political Economy of Industrial Policy(English), Globalization, Economic Development and the Role of the State(English), Reclaiming Development: An Alternative Economic Policy Manual for Activists and Policymakers(English; co-authorship), The Trap of Reform(Korean), and The East Asian Development Experience: The Miracle, the Crisis and the Future(English; forthcoming).