Global economy: major exchange rates and interest rates; business environment; IMF/G7, monetary and fiscal policy, US economy, European monetary union (EMU), currency regimes and crises, global forecasts, new economy, world trade, country credit risk, operational risk, Basel II capital accord, global financial service industry.
Background:
As Chief Economist, Robin Bew is responsible for the formulation of the Economist Intelligence Unit’s overarching view on the outlook for the global economy. Working with a team of 120 country and regional specialists, he provides the intellectual leadership necessary to ensure that Economist Intelligence Unit forecasts are among the most accurate and insightful available to international decision makers. This involves framing the Economist Intelligence Unit’s response to events as broad ranging as the introduction of the euro and the US led war in Iraq--always aiming to ensure that EIU forecasts reflect the very best and latest information and contain real insight and value, as well as being consistent within and across the 190 markets covered by our analysts. Robin additionally provides insight and leadership on broader economic issues which impact on the Economist Intelligence Unit’s work on behalf of clients, and has written on subjects as diverse as international capital controls and sustainable development. He regularly works on consultancy projects, helping to specify and deliver bespoke solutions to specific client problems such as investment location decision making or market potential forecasting. He is also responsible for refining the Economist Intelligence Unit’s forecasting methodology, working with a central team of 12 economists and model builders.
Robin also plays an important role in the drive to increase the Economist Intelligence Unit’s analysis of industries. He is responsible for ensuring that all EIU industry forecasts are closely integrated with our country and global macroeconomic outlooks, and works closely with eight Industry Specialists within the EIU to ensure that our industry forecasts are as insightful and accurate as those in our core macroeconomic product offering. In addition to his responsibilities relating to industry forecasting and analysis in general, Robin currently has specific responsibility for the EIU’s coverage of the Financial Services Sector in 60 markets worldwide.
As Director of Risk, Robin has responsibility for all Economist Intelligence risk services, ranging from our sovereign credit risk ratings services to our analysis of and rankings for business operating risk. In this role, Robin manages a team of nine risk specialists, who in turn work with the EIU’s country analysts to ensure that our risk ratings and analysis are consistently of the highest possible quality and provide real insight to our clients. As part of this, Robin is responsible for ensuring that the Economist Intelligence Unit’s methodology for assessing country credit risk, sovereign credit risk, currency, banking and operation risk, are as robust as possible and fully utilise the EIU’s expertise on national and international economic and political analysis, and the depth of our knowledge on 190 markets around the world. He is also in charge of a vibrant and fast growing risk consultancy business, helping clients to build bespoke risk solutions for their businesses.
Robin plays an important role in taking the Economist Intelligence Unit’s analysis to our clients and the media. He publishes a monthly forecast report on the global economy (Global Outlook), and frequently visits clients to give briefings on the global economic situation and outlook. He also regularly gives speeches at conferences across the world, and frequently gives interviews to media outlets such as the BBC and CNN on breaking economic news or the general economic outlook for the global economy.
Robin Bew joined the Economist Intelligence Unit in 1995 and became Chief Economist in 1997. He was previously an Economist at Her Majesty's Treasury, where he was variously involved in the forecasting of government expenditure, the analysis of UK fiscal policy, and the forecasting of UK trade performance.
