Singapore, 12 January 2026… The National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) have jointly appointed Professor Alan M. Taylor as the MAS Distinguished Term Professor in Economics and Finance from 12 to 16 January 2026. Professor Taylor will be hosted by the Department of Economics at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Economic Policy Group of MAS during the term of the Professorship.
2 Professor Taylor is currently Professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. He has been an external member of the Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England (BOE) since September 2024 and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations Professor Taylor is also a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) and the Center for Economic Policy Research (CEPR).
3 Professor Taylor is widely recognised for his work on international trade, finance, macroeconomics and economic history. He has published in the leading economics journals including the American Economic Review, Econometrica and the Quarterly Journal of Economics. Professor Taylor was the Houblon-Norman/George Fellow at the BOE in 2009 to 2010 and awarded the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship in 2004.
4 Professor Lionel Wee, Dean of NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, said, “We are privileged to host Professor Alan Taylor as the MAS Distinguished Term Professor. He brings a distinctive breadth of experiences and insights drawn from academia, industry, and the policy realm. Professor Taylor’s work has fundamentally reshaped our views of economic history and macro-finance, precisely at a time when the world economy is going through multiple, significant upheavals.”
5 Mr Edward Robinson, Deputy Managing Director (Economic Policy) and Chief Economist, MAS, said, “Professor Taylor is one of the pioneer researchers into the empirics of exchange rate behaviour, financial crises and capital flows in the context of the ‘open economy trilemma’, which says that a country cannot simultaneously maintain fixed exchange rates, free capital movement and independent monetary policy. His recent research with co-authors on the global natural interest rate has gained traction amongst central banks worldwide and comes at an opportune time as policymakers grapple with questions about the appropriate calibration for monetary policy in a post-pandemic environment. It is our great privilege to welcome him as the 24th MAS Term Professor.”
6 Professor Taylor will deliver a public lecture at NUS on 14 January 2026 titled, “Driving over the peak — or a false summit?” Drawing on historical perspectives from the first age of globalisation in the 1800s to the present day, he will examine whether we have reached “peak trade” and explore the implications for monetary policy in an era of potential downswing in globalisation. In addition, Professor Taylor will engage in dialogue sessions with NUS faculty members to discuss his latest research findings.
7 Professor Taylor will also give a talk at MAS and engage senior policymakers and economists on international economics and monetary policy issues.
About the MAS Term Professorship in Economics and Finance
First established in 2009, the MAS Term Professorship in Economics and Finance is awarded to distinguished scholars, who are appointed as Visiting Professors at the Department of Economics at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the NUS Business School, or the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. It aims to strengthen Singapore’s financial and economics research infrastructure and contribute to a vibrant research community and culture at local universities. Since its inception, the MAS Term Professorship in Economics and Finance has been awarded to 24 distinguished scholars over the last 15 years.
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About National University of Singapore (NUS)
The National University of Singapore (NUS) is Singapore’s flagship university, which offers a global approach to education, research and entrepreneurship, with a focus on Asian perspectives and expertise. We have 15 colleges, faculties and schools across three campuses in Singapore, with more than 40,000 students from 100 countries enriching our vibrant and diverse campus community. We have also established more than 20 NUS Overseas Colleges entrepreneurial hubs around the world.
Our multidisciplinary and real-world approach to education, research and entrepreneurship enables us to work closely with industry, governments and academia to address crucial and complex issues relevant to Asia and the world. Researchers in our faculties, research centres of excellence, corporate labs and more than 30 university-level research institutes focus on themes that include energy; environmental and urban sustainability; treatment and prevention of diseases; active ageing; advanced materials; risk management and resilience of financial systems; Asian studies; and Smart Nation capabilities such as artificial intelligence, data science, operations research and cybersecurity.
For more information on NUS, please visit nus.edu.sg .
About Monetary Authority of Singapore
As Singapore’s central bank, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) promotes sustained, non-inflationary economic growth through appropriate monetary policy formulation and close macroeconomic surveillance of emerging trends and potential vulnerabilities. It manages Singapore’s exchange rate, foreign reserves and liquidity in the banking sector. MAS is also an integrated supervisor overseeing all financial institutions in Singapore — banks, insurers, capital market intermediaries, financial advisors, and financial market infrastructures. Being an integrated supervisor allows MAS to adopt a consistent and progressive regulatory and supervisory approach and framework, thereby ensuring a level playing field across all market segments, sectors and activities. With its mandate to foster a sound and progressive financial services sector in Singapore, MAS also helps shape Singapore’s financial industry by promoting a strong corporate governance framework and close adherence to international accounting standards. In addition, it spearheads retail investor education. MAS ensures that Singapore’s financial industry remains vibrant, dynamic and competitive by working closely with other government agencies and financial institutions to develop and promote Singapore as a regional and international financial centre.
For more information, please visit www.mas.gov.sg .
