ZEW President Wolfgang Franz Receives Merkur Award from IHK Region Stuttgart

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Wolfgang Franz received the "Merkur", the top award of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of the Stuttgart Region (IHK Region Stuttgart). IHK honours personalities who rendered outstanding services to the economy in the State of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, and Europe with the Merkur award. The award is named after the god Mercury, patron saint of merchants and tradesmen. Dr. Herbert Müller, president of IHK Region Stuttgart, presented the award to Franz on November 20, 2012, in Stuttgart.

The Merkur award recognises Franz’s lifelong dedication to research, science, and economic policy advice. His great commitment as a professor of economics at the Universities of Stuttgart, Konstanz, and Mannheim, his outstanding work as president of the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW), and his expertise as a longstanding member and chairman of the German Council of Economic Experts are exemplary, explained Müller in his laudatory speech.

"It is important to Prof. Franz to address policy makers with his scientific assessments regarding economic developments, to raise their awareness of controversial issues and to impart possible solutions", said Müller.  Furthermore, Müller described the work of ZEW under the management of Prof. Franz as an important basis for corporate planning. Forecasts on growth and economic sentiment as well as analyses regarding financial and labour markets are of great interest for the economy, said Müller.

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Wolfgang Franz, born in 1944, is president of ZEW in Mannheim, professor of economics at the University of Mannheim, and a longstanding member of the German Council of Economic Experts. He has been chairman of the Council since 2009.

Franz’s research mainly focuses on labour markets and macroeconomics. He has published numerous books and scientific articles on these topics, and his textbook “Arbeitsmarktökonomik” (Labour Market Economics) is one of the standard references in German labour market research.