Fatih Karahan
Fatih Karahan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1982 Eskişehir, Turkey |
| Occupation | Economist |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Known for | Governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey |
Fatih Karahan (born 1982) is a Turkish economist who has held the position of Governor at the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey since 3 February 2024. Prior to this role, he was employed as an economist at both Amazon and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Early life and education
Karahan was born in Eskişehir, Turkey, and began his studies at Istanbul High School in 1993. He completed his undergraduate education at Boğaziçi University in 2006, earning a degree in Mathematics and Industrial Engineering.
He pursued graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania, where he obtained a Master's degree in Economics followed by a Ph.D. in economics in 2012, working under the guidance of Dirk Kruger and Guido Menzio.
Career
Karahan’s professional journey started at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where he led the labor and product market division and provided counsel on monetary policy matters until 2022. During that year, he also held adjunct professorships at Columbia University and New York University.
In 2022, he joined the US-based company Amazon as a senior economist, advancing to principal economist by November. His academic research encompasses labor market regulations, macroeconomic consequences of income volatility linked to housing markets, firm behavior dynamics, geographic unemployment mismatches during the Great Recession, persistence of income shocks throughout life cycles, and skill returns influencing college wage premiums. Before his appointment at the Central Bank, Karahan was reportedly considered for a deputy minister position under Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek.
Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey
Karahan was named Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey on 28 July 2023. After Governor Hafize Gaye Erkan resigned on 2 February 2024, he stepped into the governorship the following day. According to Bloomberg News, experts from JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley anticipate that Karahan will implement a more hawkish monetary stance compared to his predecessor.
In March 2025, Karahan was honored with the Foreign Policy Association Medal for his leadership in enhancing the Central Bank’s relationships with global institutions and promoting greater public outreach.
Personal life
Karahan is related to diplomat Hasan Murat Mercan, who serves as Turkish Ambassador to the United States. He is a father to two children.