Charting The Future: Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran

Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran

V Anantha Nageswaran, the Chief Economic Advisor (CEA), has completed two years in this pivotal role. The CEA, who prepares the economic survey along with his team, has been pivotal in shaping the country's economic policies. He succeeded KV Subramanian, and was appointed the CEA in January 2022, days ahead of the tabling of the year's economic survey on January 31, which precedes the union budget.

In his second year as CEA, Nageswaran was deeply involved in India's G20 Presidency in 2023, particularly in the finance track. He has also been vocal on global issues such as climate finance and the assessment methodologies used by global ratings agencies for emerging markets like India.

Before being appointed  the CEA, Nageswaran served as a part-time member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC) from 2019 to 2021. In this role, he contributed to shaping economic policy and providing strategic advice on various economic issues​.

Nageswaran's academic background includes a post-graduate diploma in management from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad. He also holds a PhD in finance from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he focused on exchange rate behaviour. He's taught at business schools and management institutes in India and Singapore, and authored four books, including ‘The Economics of Derivatives’ and ‘The Rise of Finance: Causes, Consequences and Cures.’

Nageswaran has also held several leadership roles in his 17-year-long career in the corporate sector, with UBS, Credit Suisse, and Julius Baer.  He's worked in roles such as Head of Research and Investment Consulting for Credit Suisse Private Banking in Asia, Global Chief Investment Officer at Julius Baer and in various roles related to macro-economic and capital market research in UBS. His expertise in macroeconomic and capital market research has been widely recognised.

With his diverse background and extensive expertise, Nageswaran continues to play a critical role in shaping India's economy,  advising the government on economic policy, tackling challenges such as income inequality and unemployment, and contributing to key documents like the economic survey.