Dr Christopher Payne is the Chief Economist at Peninsula Real Estate. Chris brings to his role 25 years of experience in banking and finance spanning the Gulf, US, UK and Asian Emerging markets.
Prior to joining Peninsula, Chris was chief economist at Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), acting as economic advisor to the Governor. He was responsible for further developing the DIFC’s 2024 growth strategy; and, in addition, advised the Dubai Government on its economic reform program. Based in Kuwait, Chris was Head of Research at the Institute of Banking Studies, where he worked closely with the commercial banks and the Central Bank of Kuwait.
Chris has also worked in the US and UK. Working for Bloomberg LP in Washington DC, he wrote extensively on banking regulation, monetary and fiscal policy; often presenting his findings on Capitol Hill. In the UK, he worked for JPMorgan and F&C Asset Management, specializing in Korean and Taiwanese equities.
Chris is a Chartered Accountant, having qualified with PriceWaterhouseCoopers in the mid-1990s. He holds a Bachelor’s degree (first class) from Cambridge University, England; and Masters (Distinction) and Doctorate degrees from the London School of Economics. He is the author of two books, “The Consumer, Credit and Neoliberalism” (Routledge: 2012); and “The Economists’ Diet” (Simon & Schuster: 2018); and has provided commentary and analysis on financial and economic issues in the US and UK media.
