In my latest podcast episode, I explore what economists do and why the world needs them. I talk about the important roles that economists play in advising on government budget and economic policies and on the feasibility of specific projects, as well as the diverse roles they play in the private sector: in banks, hedge funds, professional services firms, and in industry more broadly. Hal Varian’s work at Google on its ad auctions gets a mention (see Wired article on Google Chief Economist Dr Hal Varian), and I also mention the work of behavioural economists, which I explored in my conversation with Dr Brendan Markey-Towler last year. Thanks to my good friend Tim Hughes for participating in the conversation.

The Treasury in Canberra is a major employer of economists who get to advise on budget, tax, macro-economic, micro-economic, and financial markets policy settings.