Ekkehard Ernst is Chief of the Macroeconomic Policies and Jobs unit at the International Labour Organization, where he analyses monetary, fiscal and trade policies and their impact on global employment, social and wage developments. His current focus lies on understanding trends in the Future of Work, where he develops scenarios on how technological innovations, demographic shifts and political vagaries might unfold in the world of work.
His work is widely published in both policy reports and academic studies. His most recent work discusses different policy options to address the socio-economic crisis resulting from the Covid‑19 pandemic. He has also researched on the implications of artificial intelligence, robots and blockchain applications on the future of job, inequality and the transition to a sustainable society.
In 2017, Ekkehard co-founded Geneva Macro Labs to offer a platform to identify, develop and implement solutions to address global challenges and existential risks. Together with his team he brings together international thought leaders and practitioners to promote and advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda.
Previously, he worked at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the European Central Bank. Ekkehard Ernst has studied in Mannheim, Saarbrücken and Paris and holds a PhD from the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales. He became an IZA Policy Fellow in July 2011.