Klingbeil appoints economist Jens Südekum as his private advisor.
Germany's Finance Minister Appoints Renowned Economist as Personal Advisor
Germany's Federal Minister of Finance, Lars Klingbeil, has announced the appointment of economist Jens Südekum as his personal advisor. The 49-year-old will provide advice on macroeconomic matters, a role praised by Klingbeil as a perfect blend of high-level economic expertise and practical politics.
Klingbeil was effusive in his praise, hailing Südekum as one of the leading economists in the country. The Minister credited Südekum with laying the groundwork for significant investments, linking them with essential structural reforms, particularly through the creation of the 500-billion-euro fund.
Starting from 2014, Südekum has been a professor of international economics at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. Since 2020, he has been a member of the Scientific Advisory Board at the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy. Additionally, he has lent his advisory services to various international institutions, such as the EU Commission, the OECD, and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Südekum is a member of the SPD.
In what he considered a continuation of his previous contributions, Südekum expressed his enthusiasm for assisting the country's progress and revitalizing the economy. He cited his role in the constitutional amendments before the government's formation, which he felt granted crucial flexibility. Now, he aims to utilize this role to accelerate the positive impact of investments and structural reforms on both companies and citizens.
The Ministry of Finance clarified that Südekum's role will be voluntary and independent, with him being directly assigned to Klingbeil. He will not be an employee of the Ministry.
In his new role as personal advisor to Germany's Finance Minister, Jens Südekum aims to leverage his expertise in economics to guide policy decisions, with a particular focus on business and finance. To further equip himself for this role, Südekum intends to explore vocational training opportunities in the realm of economic policy-making, stressing the importance of ongoing skill development in this dynamic field.
