Dr. Dirk Schumacher Appointed Chief Economist of KfW Group, Bringing Extensive Economic Expertise

Dr. Dirk Schumacher Appointed Chief Economist of KfW Group, Bringing Extensive Economic Expertise. Source: KfW-Bildarchiv / Alexander Kempf

(IN BRIEF) Dr. Dirk Schumacher has been appointed as the new Chief Economist of KfW Group, effective 1 April 2025. With a doctorate in economics, Schumacher brings extensive experience from his previous roles at Commerzbank, Goldman Sachs, the European Central Bank, and Natixis. He will head the Economics Department at KfW (KfW Research), succeeding Dr. Fritzi Köhler-Geib. Stefan Wintels, CEO of KfW, emphasized Schumacher’s broad economic expertise, particularly in German and European economic analysis.

(PRESS RELEASE) FRANKFURT, 7-Jan-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — KfW Development Bank (KfW Entwicklungsbank GmbH), a German state-owned investment and development bank as well as one of the world’s leading promotional banks, has announced the appointment of Dr. Dirk Schumacher as its new Chief Economist, effective 1 April 2025. Dr. Schumacher, a doctor of economics, will take the lead at KfW’s Economics Department (KfW Research), bringing years of experience in economic analysis from a range of prestigious institutions.

Stefan Wintels, CEO of KfW, praised Schumacher’s vast expertise, stating, “With his extensive background in various banking roles and experience at the European Central Bank, Dr. Schumacher will offer invaluable insights into the German and European economies. We are eager to benefit from his broad knowledge and look forward to his contributions.”

Dr. Schumacher’s career began in 1997 at the Economics Department of Commerzbank, followed by a position at Goldman Sachs in 1999, where he specialized in macroeconomic research. In 2010, he was appointed Managing Director, overseeing Germany’s economic analysis. He went on to work as a Principal Economist at the European Central Bank in 2017 before becoming Head of European Macro Research at Natixis, a French investment bank, in 2018.

He will be succeeding Dr. Fritzi Köhler-Geib, who left KfW in November 2024. Dr. Schumacher’s appointment marks a new chapter for KfW’s economic research and strategy.

Media contact:

Ms. Nina Luttmer
+49 69 7431 41336
nina.luttmer@kfw.de

SOURCE: KfW Entwicklungsbank GmbH