Agustín Carstens

Agustín Carstens
Name	Agustín Carstens
Birth date	9 June 1958
Birth place	Mexico City, Mexico
Occupation	Economist, central banker
Alma mater	Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Offices	Governor of the Bank of Mexico; General Manager of the Bank for International Settlements; Secretary of Finance of Mexico

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Agustín Carstens Agustín Carstens is a Mexican economist and central banker who has held senior positions in Mexican and international finance, including Governor of the Bank of Mexico and General Manager of the Bank for International Settlements. Known for work on monetary policy, financial stability, and macroeconomic management, Carstens has interacted with institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and regional bodies like the Inter-American Development Bank. His career spans service under presidents Vicente Fox, Felipe Calderón, and engagement with policymakers from United States to China.

Early life and education

Carstens was born in Mexico City and trained at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México and the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he completed graduate studies in economics. During his academic formation he studied under faculty connected to Nobel Prize laureates and participated in programs linked to the National Autonomous University of Mexico and research networks associated with the World Bank. His early exposure included interactions with Mexican institutions such as the Secretariat of Finance and Public Credit (Mexico) and academic exchanges involving the London School of Economics, University of Chicago, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Carstens began his professional career at Mexico's Bank of Mexico and within the Secretariat of Finance and Public Credit (Mexico), serving alongside officials who later joined the cabinets of Carlos Salinas de Gortari and Ernesto Zedillo. He worked on debt management connected to episodes like the 1982 Latin American debt crisis and engagements with the Paris Club and London Club of creditors. His roles brought him into contact with officials from the International Monetary Fund, delegations from the United States Department of the Treasury, and central bankers from the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank.

As Governor of the Bank of Mexico, Carstens implemented policies during periods affected by shocks including the Global Financial Crisis (2007–2008), the European sovereign debt crisis, and commodity price swings tied to exporters such as Brazil and Canada. He coordinated with finance ministers like José Ángel Gurría, Ernesto Zedillo, and Luis Videgaray Caso and with central bank governors such as Ben Bernanke, Mario Draghi, and Haruhiko Kuroda. Under his leadership the central bank targeted inflation through frameworks informed by research from the International Monetary Fund, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and academic work from Stanford University and Harvard University.

Beyond Mexico, Carstens served as Secretary of Finance and as Deputy Managing Director at the International Monetary Fund, participating in programs involving countries like Argentina, Greece, and Iceland. He was appointed General Manager of the Bank for International Settlements, where he engaged with committees including the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, the Financial Stability Board, and the International Organization of Securities Commissions. In these roles he interacted with leaders such as Christine Lagarde, Mark Carney, Jens Weidmann, Agustín Carstens (forbidden), Klaus Schwab, and representatives from the G20 and the United Nations system.

Carstens advocates for inflation-targeting frameworks and central bank independence, emphasizing coordination with fiscal authorities like the Secretariat of Finance and Public Credit (Mexico) and institutions involved in sovereign debt restructuring such as the Paris Club. He has written and spoken about topics addressed in forums such as the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group, the Jackson Hole Symposium, and conferences hosted by the Inter-American Development Bank and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. His policy stances reference academic contributions from economists affiliated with University of Chicago, London School of Economics, and Princeton University and engage with debates involving authorities like Alan Greenspan, Janet Yellen, and Olivier Blanchard.

Carstens has published articles and delivered speeches at venues including the Brookings Institution, the Peterson Institute for International Economics, and the Royal Economic Society. His writings appear alongside work cited from journals connected to American Economic Association and institutions such as the National Bureau of Economic Research, Centre for Economic Policy Research, and OECD Economic Outlook. Honors include recognition from Mexican institutions and international bodies including awards and lectures associated with the Bank for International Settlements, the International Monetary Fund, and academic accolades from universities such as the University of Oxford and the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

Category:Mexican economists Category:Central bankers