Saul Eslake

As the ANZ's chief 'number-cruncher' for nearly 14 years, it's been Saul Eslake's job to look at vast reams of economic data, and make sense of it. He has a knack for explaining economics in terms mere mortals can understand, which is why he's always in such high demand as a speaker and commentator.

Saul Eslake joined the Grattan Institute, a newly established 'think tank' affiliated with the University of Melbourne. He also undertakes a range of speaking, writing and consulting engagements.

Prior to joining the Grattan Institute, Saul Eslake was for 14 years Chief Economist of the Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ANZ), one of Australiass 'big four' commercial banks, and one with a sizeable presence in Asia. In that role he became one of Australia's most widely recognized economic analysts and commentators.

Saul began his career as an economist at the Australian Treasury in Canberra. He subsequently held positions as Chief Economist at McIntosh Securities, a stock broker (now Merill Lynch Australia), and as Chief Economist (International) at National Mutual Funds Management (now Axa Australia).

Saul has a first class honours degree in Economics from the University of Tasmania, and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment from the Securities Institute of Australia. He completed the Senior Executive Program at the Columbia Graduate School of Business in New York.

He is a Senior Fellow of the the Financial Services Institute of Australia, a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian representative on the International Conference of Commercial Bank Economists. 

Saul Eslake has served a number of governments over the past 15 years. He was Chief Executive of the Victorian Commission of Audit, which conducted a wide-ranging inquiry into the State of Victoria's public finances for a then newly-elected State administration. He also served as a director of the Victorian Government-owned natural gas utility, Gascor, and a network of public hospitals in Melbourne's north-eastern suburbs. He was a member of the Tourism Forecasting Council, and he was a non-executive director of the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute.

He was a member of the previous Australian Government's Foreign Affairs Council and Trade Policy Advisory Council. He has been appointed by the current Australian Government to its National Housing Supply Council and was a member of its Long-Term Tourism Strategy Steering Committee. He was also one of 1000 Australians participated in Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's '2020 Summit'.

In his home State of Tasmania Saul is a director of the University of Tasmania Foundation, a director of Hydro Tasmania (Tasmania's electricity generating company) and Chairman of the Tasmanian Arts Advisory Board (which advises the State government on the distribution of financial assistance to artists, arts organizations and institutions).

He is also a member of the Advisory Panels for the Economics Schools of the University of Tasmania, Monash University and RMIT University.

PROGRAMS

How Australia survived the Global Financial Crisis (while others didn't)
China: The Jade Dragon of Opportunity
What's on the Horizon for the Australian Economy
The 'Big Picture' for the Australian residential property market
The importance of growth to Australia's long-term future
The rise of India and Asia - and what it means for Australia
Long Term Prospects of a Global economy

 

 

Client Ovations: Saul Eslake is Australia's most brilliant and incisive economic commentator.

CEDA

I could have listened to Saul all day, extremely interesting, informative and able to make a complex series of data understandable.

National Institute of Accountants Conference

It is rare that an econmist turns the house alight - you certainly did so at lunch last week... the reaction by all present was that of a satisfied gathering. The breadth of the subject matter and the clarity with which you covered issues of significant complexity was exciting to behold.

Chairman, Australia-British Chamber of Commerce

Of all the economic commentators I listen to he is the best... the most comprehensive detailing, Saul joins the dots in the best ways, coupled with his choice of language punctuated with dry humour he enables one to stay focussed on the core message.

Director, Darwin Central

To cover somuch analysis of the curent situation with so much clarity was most impressive.

RMIT University School of Management

I have NEVER seen anyone - not a politician or another speaker - keep people spellbound for 40 minutes, as you did. The feedback from the guests was overwhelmingly positive - not the case with many of our other speakers. I only wish I was able to chat with you afterwards to give this feedback to you personally. Hopefully, Saul, not only the young ones but also our politicians really heard the message you sent us so eloquently. Thank you for that.

Future SA, Young Business Leaders

Our members were very impressed with your high level of knowledge regarding both Australian and New Zealand economic matters. They appreciated your straightforward and honest approach, particularly when answering some of the complex questions raised during the Q&A time.

Executive Director AustCham Shanghai