James Watson PhD

In any small group there is a danger of developing a blinkered view. James sits on our investment committee, where he helps the Chadwicks team by giving an alternative and deeper perspective on the economic outlook.

Dr James Watson is an Associate Professor in Financial Economics at The University of East Anglia, he completed his undergraduate degree in Mathematics before embarking on a private sector career that involved a variety of small business ventures. In 2004, he returned to higher education, completing a Graduate Diploma in Economics, followed by an MSc and then a PhD in Economics at the University of East Anglia. Shortly after finishing his PhD, James joined the School of Economics teaching team, where he currently lectures undergraduate students in Macroeconomics and teaches the Finance module to MSc students.

His doctoral research investigated the role of UK inflation targeting in inducing stability in long‑term government bond yields, using theoretical, empirical, and experimental analysis. His current research interests include the apparent divergence of sovereign states into ‘haven’ and ‘risk’ debtors, the implications of ever‑expanding central bank balance sheets, and the limits of conventional monetary policy. He also has a keen interest in the economic blogosphere and the increasing role it plays in contemporary economic debate.

In addition to his teaching and research, James has provided research assistance on a range of experimental projects at UEA, contributing to the design, programming, and running of experimental sessions.