I have been working as an economist for more than 30 years, being graduated from the University of Economics in Prague, Columbia University in the City of New York as well as the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. After five years in economic research (The World Bank, IIASA), I have spent more than 20 years in applied economic research in the financial sector (Erste Bank, Patria Finance, Conseq Finance), being partly also responsible for investment decisions. In 1995 – 1998, I was Economic Adviser to the Czech President Václav Havel; in 2009 – 2014, I was a Member of the National Economic Council of the Government of the Czech Republic (NERV). I have also a strong academia experience, being in 2001 – 2013 ETI Professor at New York University. In 2014 – 2015, I was Director of the Brussels Office of the Czech energy group ČEZ. Since September 2015, I have been a Member of the European Economic and Social Committee, Member of ECO and TEN Sections.