David Mcwilliams

David McWilliams was born in Dún Laoghaire in 1966 and raised in Monkstown, Dublin. He pursued his education at Blackrock College, followed by Trinity College Dublin, where he earned a degree in economics in 1988. He furthered his studies with a Master’s in economics from the College of Europe, Belgium, in 1989. His early career saw him working as an economist at the Central Bank of Ireland from 1990 to 1993, a period marked by significant European economic changes including German reunification and the Maastricht Treaty. Following this, he moved to London to work at UBS as a senior European economist and later as head of Emerging Markets research for Banque Nationale de Paris. During this time, he was instrumental in popularizing the term “Celtic Tiger” in reference to Ireland’s economic growth, while also issuing early warnings about a potential housing market bubble in Ireland, comparing it to situations in Boston and Thailand.

McWilliams’ analyses and predictions often placed him as an economist offering a contrasting view to the mainstream. He forecasted a recession by 2005 due to Ireland’s low interest rates within the EMU and predicted a housing market crash by 2000. Although these earlier predictions did not materialize exactly as foreseen, his persistent warnings about the fragility of the Irish economy, particularly regarding the housing market and borrowing rates, set the stage for later vindication during the 2008 financial crisis. From 1999 to 2002, he served as an emerging markets strategist at Rockwest Capital, a New York-based hedge fund, before returning to Ireland to engage more deeply with writing and broadcasting.

Since 2005, David McWilliams has solidified his reputation as a public intellectual, best known for his ability to translate intricate economic concepts into understandable narratives through his books and media appearances. His acclaimed book, “The Pope’s Children,” became a significant bestseller and introduced memorable economic archetypes. After the 2008 financial crisis, his early warnings gained wider recognition, leading to increased prominence in Irish media. He has written regular columns for The Irish Times and Irish Independent, hosted various television and radio programs, and co-founded popular annual events like the Dalkey Book Festival and Kilkenomics, which combines economics with stand-up comedy. His innovative approach includes the “Punk Economics Series” of animated videos and an online course titled “Economics without Boundaries.” He also conceived “The Global Irish Forum,” an initiative to foster economic ties between Ireland and its diaspora. His contributions extend to policy advice, notably to Brian Lenihan on the bank guarantee, and continued roles as an Adjunct Professor of Global Economics at Trinity College Dublin, and the host of “The David McWilliams Podcast,” launched in 2019.