ZEW Supervisory Board Supports Appointment of Achim Wambach as New President

The Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board of the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW), Baden-Württemberg's Minister of Research Theresia Bauer, has been given the mandate to enter into talks with Professor Achim Wambach, PhD. The Supervisory Board speaks in favour of Professor Wambach as the new President of ZEW. In a meeting, the Department of Economics at the University of Mannheim likewise expressed its strong support for the candidate.

Minister Bauer stressed that Professor Wambach is an excellent economist with strong leadership qualities: "I am happy that we have found an outstanding candidate who is expected to provide valuable stimulus in the field of economic policy, and who will not only maintain but also successfully enhance ZEW's excellent reputation across Europe."

"I am very pleased with this decision and I very much look forward to collaborating with Achim Wambach," says Professor Ernst-Ludwig von Thadden, President of the University of Mannheim.

Achim Wambach is the current Director of the Institute for Economic Policy (iwp) at the University of Cologne and Director of the European Centre for Liberal Professions, University of Cologne.

Wambach studied Physics and Mathematics in Cologne before obtaining his PhD at the University of Oxford. After finishing his Master of Science degree in Economics at the London School of Economics, he completed his habilitation thesis in Economics at the University of Munich. Between 2001 and 2005 he was Professor of Economics at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg.

His research interests lie in the field of information problems in markets. He uses methods from information economics, auction and game theory, and industrial economics and applies them to energy and telecommunication markets as well as insurance and health markets. He is the Head of the Research Group "Design & Behavior - Economic Engineering of Firms and Markets".

"His broad profile makes Achim Wambach an excellent match for ZEW's research spectrum. What is more, he will also considerably contribute to the international visibility of the research institute," says ZEW's Director of Business and Administration, Thomas Kohl.

In 2014, Achim Wambach was appointed a member of the Monopolies Commission. Since 2006, he has been a member of the academic advisory board of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, and served as chairman of the board between 2012 and 2015. He is chairman of the academic advisory board of the Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE) and a member of the academic advisory board of the Institute for Energy Economics (EWI) at the University of Cologne.

Achim Wambach is designated chairman of the Management Board of the German Economic Association (Verein für Socialpolitik). From 2007 to 2008, he was President of the European Group of Risk and Insurance Economists.

For more information please contact

Thomas Kohl, Phone +49 621 1235 111, E-mailkohl@zew.de