Danielle Wood (economist)

Danielle Wood (born 1979 or 1980) is an Australian economist who is currently CEO of the Grattan Institute. In September 2023, she was announced as the incoming chair of the Productivity Commission, commencing in November. She will be the first woman to hold the role.

Danielle Wood
Chair of the Productivity Commission
Assuming office
November 2023
Nominated byJim Chalmers
SucceedingMichael Brennan
Personal details
Born1979 or 1980 (age 43–44)
Alma mater

Early life, personal life and education

Wood grew up in the Adelaide Hills, the daughter of Rae and Simon Wood.[1] She attended Walford Anglican School for Girls in Hyde Park, Adelaide. Walford, however, did not offer economics as a year 12 subject, so she took economics classes at Eynesbury Senior College.[2] She then studied at the University of Adelaide, graduating with a Bachelor of Economics with honours in 2001, before attaining master's degrees in both economics and competition law from the University of Melbourne.[3]

Career

After graduating, she began her career as a research economist with the Productivity Commission.[4][3] She then worked at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and NERA Economic Consulting.[3]

In 2014, she joined the Grattan Institute, a public policy think tank based in Melbourne. When the institute's inaugural CEO John Daley retired in July 2020, she succeeded him in the position.[1] Her role helming Grattan made her a prominent and regular economic commentator in the Australian media, with the Australian Financial Review describing her as "one of the most visible and highly regarded economists in the country".[1] She received particular attention for her keynote address to the federal government's Jobs and Skills Summit in September 2022, which focused on efficiency and women's participation in the workforce.[2]

From 2019 to 2022, she was president of the Economic Society of Australia (ESA). She was the first woman to hold the role,[5] which was established in 1925.[6] She also co-founded the Women in Economics Network, which is linked to the ESA.[3]

In September 2023, Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced that Wood would return to the Productivity Commission, this time as chair. She was appointed after Chris Barrett, whom Chalmers had appointed to the role in July 2023, unexpectedly turned down the position.[7] Barrett’s appointment to the role in July drew some criticism, as he had previously been chief of staff for former Labor treasurer Wayne Swan at a time when Chalmers was working in that office. Wood will commence as chair in November 2023.[8] She will be the first woman to lead the Productivity Commission or any of its precursors since their founding over a century before.[7]

References
  1. Hare, Julie (12 May 2023). "Could Danielle Wood be the country's most influential economist?". Australian Financial Review. Sydney. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  2. Towell, Noel (18 November 2022). "Different class: How this economist's starring role began at 16". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  3. "Danielle Wood". Melbourne: Grattan Institute. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  4. Wood, Danielle (7 September 2023). "A bit slow off the mark but very excited to be the next Chair of the Productivity Commission". Retrieved 30 September 2023 – via LinkedIn.
  5. Cassells, Rebecca; Risse, Leonora; Wood, Danielle; Yengin, Duygu (31 October 2022). "Lifting Diversity and Inclusion in Economics: How the Australian Women in Economics Network Put the Evidence into Action". Economic Papers. 42 (1): 1–29 [21]. doi:10.1111/1759-3441.12367. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  6. "History of the ESA". Economic Society of Australia. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  7. Chalmers, Jim (6 September 2023). "Appointment of Productivity Commission Chair" (Press release). Canberra. Treasury. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  8. Maiden, Samantha (11 September 2023). "'Political dynamite': Prime Minister urged to consider inheritance taxes". news.com.au. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
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