Robert F. Wescott is Special Assistant to the President for International Economics at the National Economic Council (NEC) at the White House. He helps develop policies on a wide range of international economic and financial issues. Prior to joining the NEC in early 1999, he was Deputy Division Chief at the International Monetary Fund. In the IMF’s Research Department (1994-97) he worked on the World Economic Outlook, the Fund’s semi-annual review of world economic prospects and policy challenges, while in the European Department (1997-99) his work focused on the countries in transition. His research has included fiscal policy issues, exchange rate determinants, inflation targeting, and economic development issues.

Previously Wescott was Chief Economist at the Council of Economic Advisers (1993-94), where he developed the Clinton Administration’s macroeconomic forecasts and performed policy analysis. From 1982-93, he was Senior Vice President and Chief U.S. Economist at Wharton Econometric Forecasting Associates (WEFA Group) a private forecasting and consulting firm in Philadelphia, where he oversaw forecasting, analysis, consulting, and research activities. In 1989-90, he helped the University of Pennsylvania establish the International Center for the Study of East Asia Development (ICSEAD) in Kitakyushu, Japan, a research institute that does economic analysis of East Asia.

Wescott holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, 1983.