Westpac gets new chief economist

Westpac has appointed Kelly Eckhold as its new chief economist in New Zealand.

Eckhold will join the bank following a long career at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and most recently the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

He worked at the IMF for 11 years on central banking policy in both advanced and emerging markets economies and was recently involved in the IMF’s five yearly Financial Sector Assessment Program reviews for both the US and UK.

Prior to his time at the IMF, he worked with the RBNZ for more than 20 years in the economics and financial markets areas and provided advice to the governor as part of the Monetary Policy Committee.

Eckhold will take up the role in March, filling the role vacated by Dominick Stephens.

Since Stephens left Michael Gordon has been the acting chief economist.