Mark M. Zandi (born 1959) is an Iranian-American economist who is the chief economist of
Moody's Analytics, where he directs economic research.
Zandi's research interests encompass macroeconomics, financial markets and public policy. He analyzes the economic impact of government spending policies and monetary policy response. A trusted advisor to policy makers, he has testified before Congress on the economic outlook, the nation's fiscal challenges, fiscal stimulus and financial regulatory reform. Zandi also publishes on mortgage finance reform and the determinants of foreclosure and personal bankruptcy. In 2005, he was one of the first economists to warn of an impending
financial crisis
A financial crisis is any of a broad variety of situations in which some financial assets suddenly lose a large part of their nominal value. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, many financial crises were associated with Bank run#Systemic banki ...
that became the
2008 financial crisis
The 2008 financial crisis, also known as the global financial crisis (GFC), was a major worldwide financial crisis centered in the United States. The causes of the 2008 crisis included excessive speculation on housing values by both homeowners ...
.
Early life and education
Zandi was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and is of Iranian descent. The son of Professor
Iraj Zandi
Iraj Zandi (born in Tehran, Iran, in 1931) is Emeritus Professor of Systems & National Center Professor of Resource Management & Technology in the Department of Electrical & Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania (Ivy League- UPenn or Pen ...
, he grew up in
Radnor, Pennsylvania.
Zandi received his B.S. in economics from the
Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Pennsylvania.
Career
Zandi was a regional economist at Chase Econometrics, prior to co-founding
Economy.com in 1990.
Moody's Corporation purchased Economy.com in 2005. Economy.com subsequently became part of Moody's Analytics, a subsidiary of Moody's Corporation.
As Chief Economist of Moody's Analytics, Zandi oversees the global economic forecast and directs the activities of the economic research team. He publishes his outlook for the economy monthly, produces research on key topics and conducts regular briefings for clients, businesses, corporate boards and trade associations.
Zandi infamously discounted the 2007–2009 housing market collapse stating to ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' in March 2006 that "Even in the most vulnerable markets, most people just have to look through it and ignore it because it's of very little relevance to them."
Zandi is a regular contributor to ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' and ''
The Philadelphia Inquirer'', and is a frequent guest on CBS' ''
Face the Nation
''Face the Nation'' is a weekly news and Sunday morning talk show, morning public affairs program airing Sundays on the CBS radio and Television broadcasting, television network. Created by Frank Stanton (executive), Frank Stanton in 1954, ''Fa ...
'',
Fox Business,
Sirius XM's ''Wharton Business Daily'',
C-SPAN
Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN ) is an American Cable television in the United States, cable and Satellite television in the United States, satellite television network, created in 1979 by the cable television industry as a Non ...
,
CNBC,
NPR, NBC's ''
Meet the Press'',
CNN, and various other media outlets.
Zandi is on the board of directors of
MGIC, the nation's largest private mortgage insurance company, and The Reinvestment Fund, a large
CDFI that makes investments in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Writings and research
In 2008, Zandi wrote the book ''Financial Shock: A 360° Look at the Subprime Mortgage Implosion, and How to Avoid the Next Financial Crisis'' and in 2012 he wrote ''Paying the Price: Ending the Great Recession and Beginning a New American Century.'' Zandi's analysis of the impact of an economic stimulus package on the United States economy was cited by
Christina Romer and
Jared Bernstein in their report on President
Barack Obama's proposed American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan, which became the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) (), nicknamed the Recovery Act, was a Stimulus (economics), stimulus package enacted by the 111th U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama in February 2009. Developed ...
. Zandi has authored multiple studies and op-eds, including:
* Protecting Workers and Businesses in the COVID Crisis
* A Timely, Simple Idea to Boost Affordable Housing
* Solving The Student Debt Crisis: Increase Education Supply
* Pride and Protectionism: U.S. Trade Policy and Its Impact on Asia
* Fear the Robots? Better to Embrace them and Adjust
* A Better Economy Under Trump Seems Unlikely
* The Financial Crisis: Lessons for the Next One
* A General Theory of G-Fees
* Time for the Government to Reduce its Role in the Mortgage Business
* Gas Prices and the Economy
* Reforming Fannie and Freddie
* How the Great Recession Was Brought to an End
* Policymaking Through a Panic
* Where are the Regulators?
References
External links
Mark Zandi's homepageat
Economy.comEconomy.com part of
Moody's Analytics
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zandi, Mark
1959 births
20th-century American economists
American people of Iranian descent
Living people
Wharton School alumni
Zandi family (United States)
21st-century American economists
People from Atlanta
Economists from Georgia (U.S. state)