David Mcwilliams

David McWilliams is an acclaimed economist, writer, and broadcaster, known for making complex economic ideas accessible through his media work, best-selling books, and live events. After gaining early recognition for his incisive economic analysis, including being instrumental in popularizing the term ‘Celtic Tiger’ for Ireland’s economic growth, David McWilliams established himself as a leading voice in global economics. His early career as an economist at the Central Bank of Ireland from 1990 to 1993, a period of significant European change, was followed by roles in London at UBS as a senior European economist and later as head of Emerging Markets research for Banque Nationale de Paris in the 1990s. During this time, McWilliams issued early warnings about a potential housing market bubble in Ireland, drawing comparisons to situations in Boston and Thailand.

His pioneering educational efforts include the ‘Punk Economics Series’ of animated videos and an online course titled ‘Economics without Boundaries.’ His contributions also extend to policy advice, notably to Brian Lenihan on the bank guarantee. David McWilliams maintains a prominent presence in media and academia, having served as an Adjunct Professor of Global Economics at Trinity College Dublin. He continues to engage with a broad audience through regular columns for The Irish Times and Irish Independent, alongside hosting ‘The David McWilliams Podcast,’ which launched in 2019. Most recently, McWilliams released his latest book, ‘Money: A Story of Humanity,’ in 2024, continuing his track record of making economics engaging and relevant to a global audience.