Emerson Economics provides expert policy and economic advice to governments and business clients seeking commercial opportunities in Australia and Asia.

Dr Craig Emerson is an eminent economist with 35 years’ experience in policy, politics and public service. He is Managing Director of Emerson Economics Pty Ltd.

Dr Emerson is Director of the Australian APEC Study Centre at RMIT, a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University, an Adjunct Professor at Victoria University’s College of Business, Chair of the McKell Institute and Chair of the Australian Alliance for Animals.

Dr Emerson is a former Australian Minister for Trade and Competitiveness and Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research. Prior to that, he was Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs, Minister Assisting on Deregulation and Minister for Small Business.

As Minister for Trade and Competitiveness, Dr Emerson was the architect of the White Paper on Australia in the Asian Century and was appointed Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Asian Century Policy. Earlier, he developed a program of reform in 27 areas of business regulation and successfully chaired the regulatory reform group of the Council of Australian Governments.

Dr Emerson was Economic and Environmental Adviser to Prime Minister Bob Hawke. He has also worked as a senior public servant, heading the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage and the Southeast Queensland Transit Authority.

Dr Emerson’s early career was as Assistant Secretary in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Economic Adviser to Finance Minister Peter Walsh, and Economic Analyst at the United Nations.

Dr Emerson has a PhD in Economics from the Australian National University. He writes a fortnightly column for The Australian Financial Review.

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