Richard Werner
Richard Werner is a globally recognized banking and development economist, best known as the originator of the quantitative easing (QE) concept and a leading authority on monetary policy, banking systems, and sustainable finance. He serves as Chair in International Banking at the University of Southampton and Director of its Centre for Banking, Finance and Sustainable Development, where he conducts research on credit creation, central banking, and economic development. Werner is also the Chief Investment Officer and Fund Manager at Providence Asset Management and Founding Chair of Local First, a UK-based community interest company promoting the establishment of not-for-profit community banks. With extensive experience in both academia and the private sector, he has served as a researcher, economist, strategist, fund manager, and entrepreneur, advising financial institutions, central banks, and governments worldwide. Earlier in his career, he held senior positions in Japan’s finance sector, including Chief Economist at Jardine Fleming Securities and Senior Managing Director and Portfolio Manager at Bear Stearns, and has served on multiple corporate boards, such as the asset allocation board of TelWel, a pension fund managing over US$5.6 billion. Werner is also the author of Princes of the Yen, a bestselling book in Japan that explores the inner workings of the Bank of Japan and the origins of financial crises.
Richard Werner Professional Experience / Academic History
Professional Experience
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Professor and Chair in International Banking
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Professor of Finance
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Senior Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager
Academic History
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D.Phil., Economics
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B.S., Economics, First Class Honors
EARLY CAREER
Richard Werner has built an extensive career advising a wide range of institutional and government clients, including U.S. state pension funds, the Asian Development Bank, the Japanese Ministry of Finance, and the Thai government, as well as parliamentarians in several countries.
He has served on numerous corporate and academic boards, including the Executive Board of the Southampton Management School and the Supervisory Board of major international firms, where he also chaired audit committees.
Werner previously held consulting and research roles at the Bank of Japan, the Japan Development Bank, the Nomura Research Institute, and the Asian Development Bank.
In 1995, while in Japan, he introduced the concept of Quantitative Easing (QE) — a groundbreaking monetary policy proposal first published in the Nikkei — to help resolve banking crises and stimulate economic growth.
ACADEMIA
In academia, Professor Werner has held numerous prestigious positions across global institutions.
Before joining the University of Southampton, he served as Assistant Professor of Economics at Sophia University in Tokyo and as a Marie Curie European Commission Doctoral Fellow at the University of Oxford’s Institute of Economics and Statistics.
He was also Professor of Banking and Finance at De Montfort University, where he directed the Center for Research on Accountability, Governance and Sustainability, and Professor of Economics at Goethe University.
Werner has lectured extensively on banking, finance, and sustainable development, including teaching appointments at Moscow State University and other international universities.
His academic work continues to influence the fields of central banking, credit creation, and sustainable finance.
MEDIA PRESENCE & PUBLICATIONS
Richard Werner is a highly respected voice in international finance and a frequent media commentator featured on major networks such as BBC, CNBC, ITV, ZDF, Bloomberg, and Reuters TV, among others.
His expert insights on monetary policy, banking systems, and macroeconomic trends have made him a trusted analyst in both academic and public policy circles.
In recognition of his leadership and influence, the World Economic Forum in Davos named him a Global Leader for Tomorrow in 2003.
Werner has also appeared as a guest on Real Vision, contributing to global discussions on sustainable economics, financial reform, and the future of banking.