Ulrike Malmendier

Ulrike Malmendier

Ulrike Malmendier

Professor of Economics at UC Berkeley and Member of the German Council of Economic Experts (GCEE)

Ulrike Malmendier, Professor of Economics at UC Berkeley and Member of the German Council of Economic Experts (GCEE), is one of the leading experts in behavioral economics, corporate finance, and law and economics. Her research explores how psychological factors affect economic decisions and outcomes. For instance, she has studied how CEO overconfidence influences corporate investment and mergers, how inflation experiences during childhood shape saving behavior later in life, and how media exposure affects consumer choices such as movie attendance.

Since August 2022, Ulrike Malmendier is a member of the GCEE, a council of economic experts that advises the German government on economic policy. Her appointment is noteworthy because she is the first member of the GCEE who holds a professorship outside of Europe. Her nomination is a testament to her expertise and contributions to the field of economics, both in Germany and the United States. As a result, now the GCEE is for the first time composed of three female economists and two male economists.

Ms. Malmendier holds two PhDs, one in business economics from Harvard University and one in law from the University of Bonn. She is currently a professor of economics and finance at the University of California, Berkeley. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to the field, she received numerous honors and awards for her work, including the Fischer Black Prize from the American Finance Association in 2013. Additionally, she has appeared on various media outlets such as The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, and NPR to share her insights on economic issues.