Willem Buiter
Profile
Willem Buiter is an economist, author, and advisor whose work bridges academia, central banking, and global financial policy. Over the course of his career, he has held senior roles at leading international institutions and taught at some of the world’s most respected universities. His writings and research combine rigorous theoretical analysis with a deep understanding of real-world markets, fiscal systems, and monetary institutions.
Academic and Professional Career
Dr. Buiter has taught economics at the London School of Economics, Yale University, Cambridge University, Princeton University, Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and the University of Bristol. His teaching and research have focused on macroeconomics, monetary theory, and international finance, shaping generations of economists and policymakers.
Within academia, he is known for advancing the understanding of how fiscal and monetary authorities interact, and for his influential work on monetary transmission, stabilization policy, and the limits of central bank independence.
Policy and Advisory Roles
Beyond academia, Willem Buiter has served in several pivotal policy and advisory capacities.
From 2013 to 2018 he was Global Chief Economist at Citigroup, followed by his appointment as Special Economic Adviser to the bank until 2019.
He was Chief Economist and Special Counselor to the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) from 2000 to 2005, and previously served as a member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England between 1997 and 2000.
These roles placed him at the intersection of policy and practice—where his analyses of fiscal sustainability, exchange-rate regimes, and financial stability informed decision-making at the highest levels of global finance.
Publications and Research
Dr. Buiter is the author of eight books and more than seventy refereed journal articles, alongside numerous policy papers and non-technical essays.
His most recent volume, Central Banks as Fiscal Players (Cambridge University Press, 2021), examines the evolving relationship between central banks and fiscal authorities. His earlier works, including Principles of Budgetary and Financial Policy and International Macroeconomics, remain foundational references in modern macroeconomic thought.
Across his prolific output, Buiter explores themes such as fiscal sustainability, sovereign debt, the design of monetary unions, and the balance between government intervention and market mechanisms.
Talks and Media
As a speaker and commentator, Willem Buiter is widely recognized for his clarity, intellectual precision, and willingness to challenge orthodoxy. He has delivered talks and interviews on topics such as Helicopter Money, The Fiscal Theory of the Price Level, and The Role of Central Banks in Financial Stability, among many others.
His public lectures and media appearances reflect his long-standing belief that economic ideas must inform policy debates in real time.
Intellectual Contributions
Buiter’s work is often associated with the New Keynesian tradition, emphasizing how monetary and fiscal frameworks interact under uncertainty and global integration. His analyses of exchange-rate regimes, negative interest rates, and the constraints of the zero lower bound have influenced both academic literature and central-bank practice.
He has also been an articulate critic of simplistic fiscal theories of the price level, arguing instead for nuanced, empirically grounded approaches to macroeconomic policy.
Institutions and Affiliations
Throughout his career, Buiter has been affiliated with:
the London School of Economics, Yale University, Princeton University, Cambridge University, Columbia University (SIPA), the University of Bristol, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Citigroup, and the Council on Foreign Relations.
His contributions continue to inform research networks and policy circles across Europe and the United States.
Languages
Dutch • English • French • German
Education
Ph.D. Economics – Yale University
M.Phil. Economics – Yale University
M.A. Economics – Yale University
B.A. Economics – Cambridge University
Doctoral Dissertation: Temporary Equilibrium and Long-Run Equilibrium
Doctoral Supervisor: James Tobin
Areas of Expertise
Monetary Economics • International Economics • Fiscal Policy • Central Banking • Macroeconomic Stabilization