Adam Posen

What sets Adam Posen apart is his clarity on how bad economics becomes bad politics. A vocal critic of Trump’s tariffs and protectionism, he has warned policymakers in Washington and beyond that the costs of weaponising trade fall hardest on the very workers such policies claim to protect. He describes tariffs as a “bad form of tax,” highlighting their role in fueling uncertainty, distorting markets, and opening doors to corruption.

Before leading PIIE, Adam Posen served on the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee during the aftermath of the global financial crisis, where he championed quantitative easing to counter sluggish recovery and accurately forecast global inflation trends. His interventions helped steer the UK through one of the most turbulent economic periods in recent history. This earned him recognition from The Atlantic as a “Superstar Central Banker.” His contributions to British economic policymaking were also honoured by Queen Elizabeth II with the title of Honourary Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2014.

An early and influential scholar of Japan’s lost decades, Adam Posen was among the first to argue that Japan’s economic malaise was not cultural inevitability but the result of preventable policy failures. An argument that shaped subsequent thinking on macroeconomic crises. Posen was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun in 2021, by the Japanese government for his contributions to US-Japan relations. Adam Posen’s co-authored book, Inflation Targeting, remains a seminal text for central bankers grappling with price stability and credibility.

Under his leadership, PIIE has expanded its global reach, forging deeper connections with policymakers in Europe, East Asia, and particularly China, while broadening public understanding of international economics through accessible analysis. His work continues to inform debates on US-China economic rivalry, the future of globalisation, and the threats posed by rising economic nationalism. Posen has advised the Congressional Budget Office, US state senators and the UK Cabinet Office during the London G20 Summit.

In a world increasingly prone to mistaking economic coercion for strategy, Adam Posen stands out for his insistence on facts over populism, evidence over ideology, and long-term prosperity over short-term wins.