Benn Steil

Dr. Benn Steil is the Director of International Economics at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, where he also serves as the official historian in residence. He holds a PhD in Economics from Nuffield College, Oxford, and a BSc in economics summa cum laude from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining the Council in 1999, he was the director of the International Economics Programme at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London. He is the founding editor of "International Finance," a scholarly economics journal, and leads the Council’s Geo-Graphics economics blog.

Steil has authored numerous books on economic and diplomatic history, financial markets, and monetary policy. His latest book, "The World That Wasn’t: Henry Wallace and the Fate of the American Century," was published in January 2024. His previous work, "The Marshall Plan: Dawn of the Cold War," received multiple awards including the New-York Historical Society’s 2019 Barbara and David Zalaznick Prize for best work on American history. Another notable publication, "The Battle of Bretton Woods: John Maynard Keynes, Harry Dexter White, and the Making of a New World Order," won the 2013 Spear’s Book Award in Financial History. Additionally, "Money, Markets, and Sovereignty" earned the 2010 Hayek Book Prize.

Steil has testified before the U.S. House, Senate, and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on various topics relevant to his field. He focuses on global economic and geopolitical trends in his engagements. He continues to contribute op-eds and serves as a commentator on networks such as CNBC, enhancing public understanding of complex economic issues.