Avinash Persaud

Affiliation: Intelligence Capital

Professor Persaud’s career spans finance, academia and public-policy in London and New York. He is currently Chairman of Intelligence Capital, a financial consultancy and a Member of the Board of three investment boutiques. Previously, he was managing director, State Street Corporation; global head, currency and commodity research, J. P. Morgan and Director, fixed income research, UBS.

His analytical innovations led him to be ranked in the top three of currency analysts in global investor surveys for over a decade. According to the Financial Times, his work on investors’ shifting appetite for risk “has entered the popular lexicon of analysts”.

Persaud was elected, Member of Council, Royal Economic Society and is Emeritus Professor, Gresham College. He is Governor and Member of Council, London School of Economics & Political Science, Co-Chair, OECD Emerging Markets Network and Deputy Chair, Overseas Development Institute.

He was Visiting Scholar of both the IMF and ECB and was elected a director of the 65,000-strong Global Association of Risk Professionals. The Financial Times described his work on the failure of modern risk management as the “Persaud Paradox: the observation of safety creates risk.” In 2000, he won the Jacques de Larosiere Prize in Global Finance from the Institute of International Finance, Washington.

Visit: Intelligence Capital




Avinash Persaud's Latest Articles | 7

EU’s Financial Transaction Tax is Feasible, and If Set Right, Desirable

Oct 3, 2011| 

The ‘Tobin tax’ has once again appeared in the headlines having been proposed by the European Commission and opposed by the US. This column argues that such... Read »

Do Not be Detoured by Bankers and Their Friends; Our Future Financial Salvation Lies in the Direction of Basel

Sep 23, 2011| 

The financial crisis revealed substantive problems that need to be solved, especially in the banking sector. This column argues that Basel III, the new accord on... Read »

The Fog of Currency War

Feb 18, 2011| 

Criticism of China’s exchange-rate policy continues throughout the US. This column argues that the US is in fact the exchange rate manipulator, due to its ongoing... Read »

The Empire Strikes Back

Sep 15, 2010| 

The role of financial institutions in the global crisis has led to a consensus that financial regulation must change. This column argues that the banking lobby,... Read »

Why China’s Exchange Rate is a Red Herring

Apr 11, 2010| 

The US obsession with the Chinese exchange rate is a classic example of blaming foreigners for domestic woes. This column argues that we’ve been here before. In... Read »

“Too Big to Fail” is No Redemption Song

Feb 10, 2010| 

Policymakers and commentators have recently argued for downsizing banks that are “too big to fail.” This column argues that the logic is based on an illusion.... Read »

Too Much Capital in the Banking System, Not Enough Safety?

Jun 13, 2009| 

There is a strong consensus that banks had insufficient reserves set aside for a rainy day and that they should be required to hold more capital. This column says... Read »

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