Christopher Pissarides

Sir Christopher Pissarides is the 2010 Nobel Prize laureate in economics, the Regius Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics, and the Professor of European Studies at the University of Cyprus. He is a foremost macroeconomist specializing in the economics of labor markets, economic growth, and structural change, particularly as they pertain to challenges in free-market operations. His significant contributions include the influential book "Equilibrium Unemployment Theory," which is a primary reference in academic literature on unemployment and has extensively influenced labor market policies. His scholarly work has earned him numerous accolades, including the Grand Cross of the Republic of Cyprus and a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II.

Over the past decade, Pissarides has focused on the employment impacts of automation and artificial intelligence, as well as the economic rise of China. He has also been instrumental in drafting a report on the development of the Greek economy, known as the Pissarides Report, and plays a key role as the Co-Chair of the Institute for the Future of Work in London, where he works on fostering conditions for quality employment in the age of automation. Additionally, he chairs the Republic of Cyprus’ National Economy Council, actively contributing to national economic strategies.

Born in Cyprus, Pissarides pursued his education in economics at the University of Essex and the London School of Economics. In 2005, he became the first European economist to win the IZA Prize in Labor Economics. He has served on the influential European Employment Task Force and has been a consultant for major international economic organizations such as the World Bank, the European Commission, the Bank of England, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. He was an external member of the Cyprus Monetary Policy Committee from 2000 to 2007, during which Cyprus adopted the euro. His presidency of the European Economic Association and his extensive involvement in academic and policy-making communities have further solidified his impact in the field. Pissarides holds honorary doctorates from institutions such as the University of Essex and the University of Cyprus, and frequently engages in academic activities at Harvard, Princeton, and the University of California-Berkeley. He is also the Laiki Professor of European Studies at the University of Cyprus and the Helmut and Anna Pao Sohmen Professor-at-Large at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.