Michael A. Schwarz
Michael A. Schwarz | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 18, 1970 Moscow |
| Occupation | Economist |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Known for | Contributions to advertising auction mechanisms, marketplace design, decision theory |
| Notable work | Reserve Prices in Internet Advertising Auctions: A Field Experiment; A Theory of Brinkmanship, Conflicts, and Commitments |
Michael A. Schwarz is an economist with expertise in marketplace design and decision theory, particularly recognized for his contributions to the creation of advertising auction mechanisms within technology firms.
Early life and education
Born on June 18, 1970, in Moscow, Schwarz is the son of renowned mathematician Albert Schwarz. He relocated to the United States in 1990 and obtained a Master of Science degree in physics from UC Davis. Remarkably, he completed a PhD in economics at Stanford without having earned an undergraduate degree.
Career
Following the completion of his doctorate, Schwarz served as an assistant professor specializing in microeconomics at Harvard University from 1999 to 2004. He has held influential positions at Yahoo!, Google, and Microsoft. While at Yahoo!, he directed the economics research division, where he applied economic principles to redesign the advertising auction system, resulting in substantial profit growth. His collaborative efforts with Michael Ostrovsky were instrumental in generating millions of additional dollars in Yahoo’s annual advertising revenue. In 2006, Business Week featured Schwarz and his students for their success in deciphering Google's AdWords algorithm, highlighting the increasing demand for economists within technology companies.
During his tenure at Google, Schwarz spearheaded the development of a carpooling platform that eventually became Waze. He also occupied the role of Chief Economist for Google Cloud. Presently, he holds the position of Corporate Vice President and Chief Economist at Microsoft.
Honors
- Honored with Yahoo's premier recognition, the Super Star award.
- Recipient of the 2013 Prize in Game Theory and Computer Science awarded by the Game Theory Society for exceptional contributions at the intersection of game theory and computer science.
Selected works
- Schwarz, Michael; Ostrovsky, Michael. Reserve Prices in Internet Advertising Auctions: A Field Experiment. Stanford University Graduate School of Business Research Paper No. 2054, 2009.
- Schwarz, Michael; Sonin, Konstantin. A Theory of Brinkmanship, Conflicts, and Commitments. Journal of Law, Economics, & Organization, vol. 24, no. 1, 2008, pp. 163–183.