Peter De Keyzer

Peter De Keyzer is a Belgian economist who was the 2014 Prize for Liberty Laureate.

Background

Peter De Keyzer was born in Etterbeek, Belgium on April 23, 1975.

Expertise

De Keyzer has held the position of Chief Economist for BNP Paribas Fortis since April 2011, taking over from Freddy Van Spiegel who was with the bank for three-and-a-half decades. He is the author of “Growth Makes You Happy – An Optimist’s View of Progress and the Free Market.” He lectures on the European economy, the Eurozone, issues with Japanification, European Central Bank’s activities in Quantitative Easing, and more.

Acclaim

According to Sam Peltzman, Professor Emeritus, Booth School of Business at The University of Chicago, De Keyzer’s book “is a wake-up call, not only for his fellow-Europeans, but for all of us in the developed countries.” Tyler Cowen, professor of Economics at George Mason University, added, “Europe needs to hear the message of freer markets and stronger economic growth, and this book is one very good place to start.”

Education

De Keyzer graduated (magna cum laude) in 1998 with a Masters in Applied Economics from the University of Antwerp. His final paper was on the topic of central banks’ independence. In 2008, he graduated in Advanced Risk Management from the Solvay Master Class at the Free University of Brussels. He has a PhD in Applied Economic Sciences.

Employment history

De Keyzer was a research and teaching assistant at the Faculty of Economics in Antwerp from 1998 to 2000. Following that he held the roles of: economist (KBC Asset Management) Chief Investment Advisor (ABN AMRO), Chief Economist (Petercam), Chief Economist (BNP Paribas Fortis).

Other roles

De Keyzer has given lectures in a variety of places around the world, his specialty being economics in Europe. In this capacity he has been guest lecturer at: Antwerp University, Antwerp Management School, and Rotterdam’s Erasmus University, as well as spokesperson for BNP Paribas Fortis on economic matters. His works are often published in various global journals, The following year he addressed the ESW Conference that also took place in Brussels. De Keyzer is a member of the Febelfin Panel of Bank Economists.