Proverbial Economist, David McWilliams is an Adjunct Professor of Global Economics at School of Business Trinity College Dublin and Co-founder of Kilkenomics Festival. Devoted to the enigmatic subject, David focuses on educating an audience by making what seems indecipherable, fun and digestible. Being the only economist in Ireland to precisely forecast the 2008 global crash, a strong UK Brexit vote, and the Trump victory, David continually impresses the industry with his accuracy and initiative.
After graduating from Trinity College Dublin with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics in 1989, McWilliams went on further to gain his Masters Degree from College of Europe in Belgium. He is now an Adjunct Professor of Global Economics at Trinity College Dublin, as well as a columnist for Irish Independent since 2005, writing on business and economics plus a frequent contributor to the Financial Times. As the 3rd most followed economist in the world, David McWilliams is a commended Economist, Author, Journalist, and Broadcaster.
Since becoming one of the Young Global Leaders by the World Economic Forum in 2007, David’s devotion has driven him to create many accessible and entertaining platforms for a wide audience to engage with. He is responsible for Co-founding two annual events, running since 2010, the Dalkey Book Festival and Kilkenomics, Europe’s only festival for economics, fusing together economics with stand-up comedy. He is also the Founder of The David McWilliams Podcast, he has launched his own economics course, Economics without Boundaries, as well as a series of animated videos on economics named Punk Economics, receiving over 2 million views.
Extending his passion and knowledge, David has also written five books bringing obscure economics stories to life; The Generation Game, The Pope's Children, Follow the Money, The Good Room, and Renaissance Nation. Named the 10th most influential economist in the world, David is a highly sought-after economics speaker with an energetic flare and captivating voice.
David has previously spoken at Google’s prominent Zeitgeist conference and regularly presents trends in growth, geo-politics, financial markets, and currencies. With over 30 years of knowledge and his relatable approach, David has an innate talent to demonstrate the complexities of economics to any audience.
