Jagjit Chadha

Jagjit Singh Chadha
Jagjit Singh Chadha
Born	December 1, 1966 (age 59); West Yorkshire, England
Occupation	Economist
Years active	1980s–present
Known for	Director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Jagjit Chadha, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 11 August 2025

Jagjit Singh Chadha (born 1 December 1966 in West Yorkshire) is a British economist currently serving as the Director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research.

Research Interests

Chadha’s research centers on monetary theory, macroeconomic stabilization, and the historical patterns of business cycles alongside financial development. He highlights the pivotal role of financial intermediation in driving and transmitting economic shocks.

Views on Current Economic Policy

He supports a flexible approach to inflation targeting combined with transparent communication from central banks regarding policy rate trajectories under different conditions. Chadha has expressed reservations about the magnitude and length of Central Bank quantitative easing (QE) initiatives. He advocates for a thorough reform of the fiscal framework, criticizing its dependence on discretionary and adaptable rules. Throughout the Covid-19 crisis, he pointed out the policy inconsistencies resulting from unclear objectives.

Education and Professional History

Prior to his 2016 appointment at NIESR, Chadha held the position of Professor and Chair in Money and Banking at the University of Kent. He was the Gresham Professor of Commerce from 2014 to 2018, led the Money, Macro and Finance Research Group between 2011 and 2017, and has provided expert advice to the Treasury Select Committee on multiple occasions. Additionally, he holds a part-time Visiting Professorship at Cambridge University.

Chadha completed his undergraduate studies at University College London and earned a Master’s degree from the London School of Economics. His professional journey began at the Bank of England, where he worked as an advisor and researcher specializing in monetary economics and the interplay within financial markets.

In recognition of his contributions to economics and policy, he was awarded the title of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2021 Birthday Honours.

Advisory Roles

Chadha has acted as an academic adviser to institutions such as HM Treasury, the Bank of England, the Treasury Select Committee, and global bodies including the Bank for International Settlements. He edits the series Modern Macroeconomic Policy-making published by Cambridge University Press and serves as managing editor for the National Institute Economic Review.

His involvement extends to membership on the ESRC research committee and Strategic Advisory Network. He is an executive member of the Productivity Institute, chairs its Productivity Commission, and was elected to a five-year term on the Council of the Royal Economic Society starting in 2019. Chadha has made notable contributions within economic policy communities.

Under his leadership at NIESR, the Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE) was founded in collaboration with the ONS in 2019. He is also lead Editor of the Economics Observatory and participates on the Advisory Council of the Bennett Institute.

In 2018, Chadha chaired the UK Business Cycle Dating Committee, which was launched by NIESR.

Media and Opinions

Chadha frequently offers economic analysis on outlets such as BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky News, and Bloomberg. His opinion pieces have appeared in prominent publications including the Financial Times, Guardian, Spectator, New Statesman, Prospect, The Times, Independent, and Central Banking.

Selected videos:

Interview with Liam Halligan on Channel 4's "Dispatches" (February 2021)
Discussion on Channel 4 in Darlington focusing on the cost-of-living crisis

Chadha has also appeared twice on special editions of "University Challenge".

Publications

The Money Minders: Parables, Trade-offs, and Delays in Central Banking (Cambridge University Press, 2022)
The Euro at Risk, co-authored with Michael Dempster and Derry Pickford (Searching Finance, 2012)
Contemporary Macroeconomic Policy Making (Cambridge University Press, 2010)
Dynamic Macroeconomic Analysis: General Equilibrium Theory and Policy, co-edited alongside Sumru Altug and Charles Nolan (Cambridge University Press, 2003)

External links