KPMG Names Diane Swonk Chief Economist

KPMG has named Diane Swonk – a prominent economist, recognized industry voice and sought-after business advisor – as Chief Economist. Swonk, based in Chicago, will lead the firm’s Office of the Chief Economist, which provides deep insights to clients on the economy and how it impacts strategy, growth and operations.

“Our Office of the Chief Economist offers leading economic intelligence to help our clients improve strategic decision-making,” said Tandra Jackson, Vice Chair – Growth and Strategy, KPMG LLP. “Diane’s broad experience and wide-reaching influence will be tremendously valuable in leading those efforts.”

Swonk joins KPMG from Grant Thornton LLP, where she served as chief economist. She has more than three decades of experience in financial services and consulting and regularly briefs the Federal Reserve and its regional banks. Swonk also serves on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce economic advisory board and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Additionally, Swonk also advised the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) for the White House under three presidents and served two terms on the Congressional Budget Office’s panel of economic advisors. She was named a fellow by the National Association for Business Economics for her outstanding contributions to the field of business economics and was named among the 100 most influential economists in the world for her analysis of the pandemic. She received a lifetime achievement award from the Association for Corporate Growth.

Diane is deeply committed to educational attainment and diversifying the ranks of leadership. She serves on the board of the Posse Foundation in Chicago, an education and leadership program. She works extensively with the Yale Dyslexia and Creative Institute. She just joined the Harris Policy School Council at the University of Chicago after serving for 15 years on the Council for Booth School of Business. She also serves on the board of the Foundation for the National Association for Business Economics (NABE); she serves on the statistics committee for NABE to promote the quality and integrity of U.S. economic data.

She advises the University of Michigan Economics Department, where she earned her B.A. and M.A. in economics with top honors. She earned an MBA in finance and strategic planning with top honors from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business.

Matt Weiss

Matt Weiss

Director, Industry Communications, KPMG US

+1 201-307-8138